TL;DR: old man yells at clouds.  Sing-alongs are dumb and don't improve the fan experience. If you want to improve the fan experience, address the real issues that disengage fans, the cost to attend, noon kickoffs, and commercial breaks/TV timeouts.

Following Bjork's appearance on the radio, there was some chatter online about the ideas he presented in an effort to improve the game day atmosphere at Ohio Stadium.  One suggestion that got a lot of heat is playing the song Ohio by Caamp.  

Whether you love it or hate it, it's difficult to imagine that adding a cheesy sing-along that doesn't resonate with many fans is the best way to improve the game day experience.  I have been to dozens of Ohio State football games, and never once did I think to myself, "you know, we need a (new) sing-along". 

Sing-alongs aren't really that inspiring (save, You'll Never Walk Alone prior to Liverpool games).  I've been to games where the home team plays Sweet Caroline between the third and fourth quarters.  Sure, the fans of that team love it, but as a college football fan, it just seems so meh.  It's not hype.  Maybe the fans bond over the experience, but it doesn't improve the energy, and I've never heard anyone come out of the game saying, "Man, that was a great version of Sweet Caroline! I'm so glad I was there for that today!"  Country Roads at WVU, maybe a little better, but not much.  Rocky Top, maybe a little better than that.  Where does Ohio by Caamp fall in that array?

Now compare those songs (traditions) with the Jump Around at Wisconsin. The Jump Around IS HYPE.  It's awesome to watch the members of the marching band go crazy, the sea of fans churning-turning Camp Randall into something of a mosh pit, and the players (on both teams) absorbing the energy and relishing the moment.  

Traditions aren't just something you decide one day that you want to do.  They are born over time because they are meaningful to people, and they evoke a strong emotion and connection. Traditions grow organically. 

A quick Google search about Sweet Carline revealed that Pitt introduced this song as a marketing strategy in 2008 to increase fan engagement and improve the game day experience.  Sound familiar?  It caught on, but is that why Pitt fans go to games?  Does that boost the energy level in the stadium?  Do the players even care?  I've been there; they don't.  In fact, Narduzzi asked to have the song cut short so they could play something more energetic before the start of the fourth quarter to get the fans and team more pumped.  

By contrast, Google also tells me that the Jump Around was introduced during a homecoming game in 1998, and though it was also the brainchild of someone in marketing, the purpose was to infuse energy into the crowd.  It quickly became one of the best traditions in all of college football.  As a college football fan, would you rather be in Camp Randall for the Jump Around, or Heinz Field (whatever) for Sweet Caroline?  Sure, both are traditions, but only one (imo) enhances game day experience, improves fan engagement, AND energizes the players and the crowd.

Now shifting gears a bit.  What's all this crap about improving the game day experience at Ohio Stadium?  Why would we try to fix these problems through marketing ploys like having LeBron ring the Victory Bell before the game, or playing a not-hype song that shares the same name as our home state by a folky bluegrass band?  These efforts don't really address the issues that hamper fan engagement or the game day experience.  If the University and Bjork really want to improve fan engagement and the game day experience, they need to directly address the problems.  So, what are the problems that negatively impact the gameday experience?

Let's start with Noon kickoffs.  #1 Texas at #2 Ohio State, the "best season opener ever", will kick off at Noon.  Get hype.  I'm fine with noon kickoffs when we play Western Michigan, or UCLA, and even for The Game since that's tradition, but a primetime match-up like this deserves the energy of a later kickoff.  I always feel rushed going to noon games.  Wake up, drive to the stadium, set up tailgate, tailgate for about 20 minutes, take down tailgate, hit the Skull Session, head into the stadium for kickoff.  There's no time to build the energy, and many fans enter late, so the energy feels low at kickoff (for some games).   

How about ticket prices and the secondary ticketing market?  Ticket prices are insane, especially for big games, and especially on the secondary market. Normal dudes can't shell out hundreds/thousands of dollars to sit in A Deck at the Shoe. Tickets for the Texas game start at $375 on StubHub, and that's in C Deck!  If I wanted to take my son, I'm $800 in before I even fuel up the car!  That also means I leave my wife and daughter at home! Sorry Fam. 

Sure, I can go to the Grambling State game for $60 and sit in C Deck, or grab a ticket in the corner of A deck for $115, but no thanks (stop scheduling cupcakes - I'm disengaged before the game even kicks off).   

I love going to games at Ohio Stadium. It's always a great experience, but at these prices, there are diminishing returns.  I'd rather have an unobstructed view in my climate-controlled house with my family cheering along with me from the comfort of my couch.  Plus, all my food and beer have been paid for at market prices, it's just a few steps away, and there are no lines!

And finally, but perhaps the most problematic of them all, the disruption of commercial breaks and TV timeouts.  The New York Times did a study and found that the average college football game includes about 45 minutes of commercial breaks. The article explains that leagues dictate how many commercials appear during the game.  Most leagues go with a 3-4-3-4, or a 4-4-4-4 format.  That means there are at least three or four commercial breaks each quarter, not including the commercial break at the end of each quarter/half.  Additional commercials are tossed in during change of possession, injury time-outs, etc.  So, a 60-minute game has 45 minutes of commercials.  Total broadcast time is 3.5 hours.

At home, this can be frustrating, but at least I can get up and grab a beer that doesn't cost $10, stir my game-day chili, or hit the head without standing in line.  However, when you are at the game, sitting in the stadium, the frequent commercial breaks can completely disrupt the flow, and they seem much longer despite the stadium's attempts to fill the time.

A few years ago, I went to the PITT v. WVU game in Morgantown. It seemed like the game was constantly in a commercial break. It was hard to stay focused on the game due to the constant interruptions. Just as your energy level would start to rise, another break in action would bring it crashing down.  Sitting through commercial breaks at college football games is boring as hell, and it detracts from the game.        

Maybe this all sounds a bit like an old man yelling at clouds.  I'm 55, so that probably checks out. I just think coming up with new and improved ways to get fans engaged is misdirected. I believe the real issues that cause fan disengagement are those outlined above.  Stop scheduling primetime matchups for noon kickoffs.  I'll watch the Buckeyes whenever they are on, but you can't tell me that the atmosphere of a noon game is even close to that of an 8:00 PM start.  Reduce ticket prices and control the secondary market, and your average rabid fan can afford to go to games.  And chill tfo with tall the breaks in play.  I honestly don't know how the players deal with all that downtime between plays. 

Thanks for reading my rant.  What do you think would improve the fan experience at Ohio Stadium?