Tuesday night, the Penn State men's soccer team that is ranked No. 3 in the country extended its unbeaten streak to a national best twelve games at Jeffrey Field.
In front of 362 fans.
Well, at least 362 fans according to the Penn State sports information department. This reporter saw about 110 people in the stands at the beginning of the first overtime period, but who's counting?
OK, granted it was a Tuesday night. And it was raining. And it was cold. But with the team attempting to "Jam the Jeff" on Friday night for its game against archrival and defending national champion Indiana, such a small turnout is not particularly encouraging.
I am by no means the next promo-whiz, but somehow I doubt that the promotions planned to help "Jam the Jeff" will entice too many people to attend a soccer game on a Friday night.
A live broadcast by 95.3 WWWZ?
Commemorative patches for the first 250 boy scouts or girl scouts?
Unfortunately, as excited as I personally am to receive my complementary set of "Penn State men's soccer team trading cards," I can't see this being the biggest draw to the average Penn State student. I'm sure the trading action will be intense at parties after the game.
Student A: "Okay, this is my final offer, a Pasi Karpinen and a Anthony Calvano, for your Chad Severs."
Student B: "No way! But I'll give you this Simon Omekanda for that Conrad Taylor."
Student A: "That's a rookie card man!"
If the promotions department wanted a give-away that might actually draw some fans, how about a free t-shirt. Everyone loves free t-shirts.
If the trading cards aren't enough to assure your attendance how about performances from the dance team and the pep band. Both are a huge draw, and they help the men's basketball team pack the stands every game. Oh wait...
Planning to "Jam the Jeff" on the night of the biggest concert of the year might not have been the greatest idea either.
These promotions make no sense since the team already has a strong following in the community but gets almost no support from the student body, but enough ripping on the promotions department for now.
What is most out of whack about the whole situation is that the soccer team shouldn't really need promotions to entice fans. There are plenty of soccer fans among the student body and in the surrounding area and plenty of reasons for people to watch this team.
First and maybe most importantly, they win and Penn State students have a long history of supporting teams that win (see basketball, women's) and ignoring teams that don't (see basketball, mens).
The soccer team is ranked third in the country and is in the midst of the longest unbeaten streak in recent history of the program and the have already beaten or tied five ranked teams in their first nine games.
The football team hasn't five ranked opponents in the last nine years.
Being a soccer player all of my life I have heard my fair share of the usual complaints about the game. It's boring, It's slow, and there is not enough scoring.
But that's just thing, Penn State's soccer is neither boring, slow, nor even low scoring. Penn State plays an attractive, quick ball control style offense that encourages creativity and individual flare. Freshman Richard Costanzo is a dribbling wizard who has made older defenders look foolish all year with his exciting, if sometimes slightly careless, style.
Costanzo's strike partners Omekanda and Mike Lindemann are both lightening quick and all three have made my jaw drop several times throughout the first half of the season.
Goalkeeper Conrad Taylor won the first three Big Ten defensive player of the week award's in his first three weeks of collegiate soccer despite being only 5-foot-8 and playing a position usually manned by players at least 6-feet tall at the Div. I level.
So come out on Friday night not to "Jam the Jeff" but to watch what is sure to be one of the best soccer games played in the NCAA all year. I know it's Friday night but the game will be over in plenty of time for you to start the weekend festivities.
