Can we stop pandering to Fort Bliss now?

[kickballpro]

I know UTEP has tried for years to tap into Fort Bliss as a potential revenue stream and fan base. For years they've been given free tickets. For years UTEP has been saluting the military and honoring soldiers. But Saturday took the cake, all night long polishing their balls. Might as well been an Army home game with the tributes and even fireworks during the Army song.

Give it up, the 3% of the soldiers who've assimilated to the area are already going to the games. Other Miner Military fans were already from here. The overwhelming vast majority of military in town could care less and will never change their collegiate passion to UTEP.

The soldiers that were at the game did nothing but hate on the Miners for 4 Quarters.

Thank you for your service but Fort Bliss isn't our target fan base. Last nights ass kissing display was a slap in the face to the Miner Die Hards.

 

[unihorn]

I know UTEP has tried for years to tap into Fort Bliss as a potential revenue stream and fan base. For years they've been given free tickets. For years UTEP has been saluting the military and honoring soldiers. But Saturday took the cake, all night long polishing their balls. Might as well been an Army home game with the tributes and even fireworks during the Army song.

Give it up, the 3% of the soldiers who've assimilated to the area are already going to the games. Other Miner Military fans were already from here. The overwhelming vast majority of military in town could care less and will never change their collegiate passion to UTEP.

The soldiers that were at the game did nothing but hate on the Miners for 4 Quarters.

Thank you for your service but Fort Bliss isn't our target fan base. Last nights ass kissing display was a slap in the face to the Miner Die Hards.

Army roots run deep in El Paso. If UTEP had been competitive, would you feel the same?

Who should UTEP be targeting as their fan base?

 

[EP Maximus]

El Paso's connection to the military isn't solely based on Fort Bliss. How many El Paso families have a service member? How many of us have WWII, Korea, or Viet Nam veterans in our family? We should continue to honor our troops at Miner games.

 

[kickballpro]

I would like to say that I do appreciate that Army returned the favor of UTEP making it a home game for them by honoring the 66 Miners on the scoreboard.

 

[kickballpro]

Army roots run deep in El Paso. If UTEP had been competitive, would you feel the same?

Who should UTEP be targeting as their fan base?

Students, schools, natives. Build a fan base that's here to stay. Not sure if drunk GI's cheering for Army all night and laughing at the Miners will ever be loyal El Pasoans.

My family was brought here by the military. My dad retired here. I served. We came here in 83. My first game was the Northern Michigan game in 86.

Of all my dads buddies over the 12 years he was stationed here and all of the people I served with, none became Miner Fans. They're not going too. It's like asking the Mexican immigrants to support US Soccer.

 

[utep2step]

Fort Bliss and El Paso have one of the best working relationships as far as municipalities and American military bases in the U.S..

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

I have no problem honoring our soldiers serving our country and the Apache flyover was impressive. But there is a distinction between the soldiers stationed at Ft. Bliss and West Point. The problem I have is that we were sucking up to West Point all game. Why werent we treating them just like every other school? As the home team aren't you supposed to want to beat the other team and make the home field as uncomfortable for them as possible?

 

[kickballpro]

I don't doubt that UTEP and Fort Bliss have an outstanding relationship. Lots of soldiers benefit from education at UTEP as well as lots of UTEP grads benefit from jobs on post.

My beef is that most adults already formed their alliances with their favorite teams during their youth. That's when you are most impressionable.

I get the military tributes to an extent, the Chihuahua's do it too. However, my issue is that UTEP does not do a lot of marketing locally to the youth of El Paso. Go around and ask a bunch of kids and teens how many have been to a Miner game. You'll be surprised at how many haven't. At the same time, ask how many kids know who Chico is and if he's been to their school. Kids run the bases, kids eat free nights, and go to the merchandise store at Southwest and see how much the cater to kids. Meanwhile, UTEP donates thousands of tickets per week to Fort Bliss and turns a home game into a road game.

I get that UTEP and Fort Bliss together are a huge part of our history. But we will never build a fan base by marketing to 19-21 year old soldiers who are here for a couple of years.

 

[BrentDavis]

Not sure if drunk GI's cheering for Army all night and laughing at the Miners will ever be loyal El Pasoans.

If the score had been reversed, those drunk GIs would have been cheering for UTEP and laughing at the Army team. Active duty folks cheer for the team they grew up cheering for (if they care at all) and/or the team from the college they attended (if they care at all). This generally means they don't care about Army football.

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

I don't even think we kissed UT Austin's ass that much when they came to the Sun Bowl.

 

[Minerinciter]

Did UTEP do this to Air Force when they were part of the Western Athletic Conference? I cannot remember.