I get what you're saying Big Joe. Usually I would be in attendance for this game, but I have to do some entertaining for an out of town guest. Hawks game was the suggestion, so that's where i'll be.

The things we do for our spouses...

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Cigarboy sucks!

Well , as in all the rest of the Valley cities( they have little else) our games are NOT the only games in town--Their teams are all they have---kudos, though to REDBIRDS on their football team- this year--
Lets see-- LUC Hoops competition here -- BEARS, BULLS BLACKHAWKS BIG TIME THEATRE and much more
---No help from "Media"
---Tired students--Its hard to walk a few yds --dorms to Gentile
---UIC, Northwestern Chicago St and DePewl !!---All on L lines or close to them

Their gripes re us are better left unsaid--PLUS these arguments will be worthless when we really climb the ladder--( The old Brickhouse adage--" Give them a draw and they WILL come"

We have a lot of Catholic grade schools in the 5 mile area surrounding campus. Loyola has never done a good job forming a partnership with these schools. There are plenty of Alums who send their kids to these schools.
Loyola has a couple things working against them with this built fan base.
- no formal fundraising platform to help these schools raise money for their athletic programs.
- no AD has ever lived in the area to build awareness and relationships. (maybe that will change)
- a short sighted ticket structure has made attending a game difficult for a family of four.
- University administration has never recognized we are not Chicago's team but what we really are is Chicago's neighborhood team. This is a big point. It's been this lack of recognition that has alienated the surrounding neighborhoods.
- Here's my not so cheap shot. If Kelly is this great administrator and Loyola man why hasn't he used his considerable influence to help the biggest department under his control. Why haven't personal and corporate donations gone through the roof with just a phone call from him. Why hasn't he called his vast network to get groups to attend games. I have not been to every game but I've never seen him entertain anyone let alone someone who has the ability to help. It's easy to pass the buck to people underneath you on the good old organizational chart but the truth is a good boss rolls up his sleeves and pitches in.

I can't stand the argument that "we are not the only game in town" or that there is so much to do in Chicago. First off we have more people by far within a 30 mile range of our arena than any other valley school. Also I bet most people are not choosing something else over Loyola. Maybe a handful but not more. Even if Loyola was #11 it would not be sold out (this year). Loyola has lost a generation of fans. If they didn't come when in school why will they come now? Also just winning won't do it, you need years of winning. Embrace the fans we have but realize this is a hard fix that will not be accomplished for years. Changing a culture where not many care or have any love for the program is hard to fix. Fighting for a Thursday bye or a home game in the old HL tourney only appealed to the most die hard of fans including myself. Winning and making a ncaa tourney is easier than developing a fan base. This is no fault on the school at all, they are trying but have a difficult task. Stand on Michigan Ave. and see how long it would take to fill the place if you handed out free tickets! Could it even be done? Now let's get that CIT bid!

We were a school that was in the terrible "Horizon League"... a league that, despite the mediocre competition, we never were able to win a Conference championship in.. "Come watch our crappy team play other crappy teams in one of the largest high school gymnasiums in Chicago" would pretty much be the only way you could sell it. That's why our attendance sucked... There is decades of mediocrity to undo.. I would not want to be one to have to sell a program like that to potential fans....

Attendance cannot be fixed in a season or two... You have to maintain a winning record from season-to-season, and actually have something decent to promote to potential fans. Steps have been taken: We've got a new arena. Our facilities have been drastically upgraded. The campus is dramatically distanced itself from the "commuter school" vibe it once had. We are in a new league with good competition. This year we will have completed our first winning season since???? We're 1-1 in our new conference Tournament. KEEP WINNING and things will start to come around.

Programs and teams do not have to be stuck in the cellar as far as attendance. There were times that the Bears were not selling out Soldier Field. When I was at Loyola they were GIVING Blackhawks tickets away to Loyola STUDENTS... GIVING THEM AWAY. It sucks that we have not gotten a great amount of Fan support yet since we've joined the league, but in time, if we keep doing things the right way on the court, on the recruiting trail, and in the athletic department, I think things will improve.

Well./ Rambler. it is NOT what we have going on or do Not have going on--It IS a comment on the folks of the Valley who have NOT much else to do.

Of course it all starts with Public Relations --Our new AD can fix this-- Let us hope he does-in the neighborhood and in ALL of Chicago--

We have a fun team--its going to be even better--Let Chgo know about it. Frankly , we have the best team in town--I believe we shall all see an increase in interest--

There's no magic bullet to fix attendance. If you think the problem is winning, part of that equation is getting good attendance-- it's harder to win in a half-filled building where 30% of the fans there are rooting for the other team. If you think the problem is ticket prices, no one is going to show up to see a losing team no matter how low the ticket prices are.

I think there are things that can be done to get the momentum going in the right direction, but it's going to be a process that takes 4-5 years, and then it has to be maintained/expanded after that. Here are a few lower-cost ideas:

1. How about re-configuring the student section to bring some of them closer to the court on the sidelines, etc. Some games our students are something like 20-30% of our attendance and make 60% of the noise in the building. There are so many empty seats in the lower sideline sections, it wouldn't be impossible or take away from revenue to accommodate a limited number (200?) and have the overflow in the end zone. Students create an exciting atmosphere that encourages returns by casual fans, and helps create more wins.
2. Better non-con opponents. Maximum one non-D1 for the time being (hopefully phased out entirely except for exhibitions), work on developing a longer term agreement with Northwestern, figure out some way to get some Big 10, Big 12, SEC, Big East, Jesuit opponents.
3. Ticket prices-- We need people in the seats right now more than the marginal revenue that may or may not come from higher prices. We have basically fixed costs on game days, and if lowering ticket prices 20-25% means an additional 400 tickets sold per game, it's a worthwhile trade-off. And you can't get additional revenue beyond tickets if you don't get them in the building or on campus in the first place.
4. Marketing. A long overlooked and underfunded area. I know we're concerned about escalating costs, but you can't neglect that area without suffering later on-- it's a cost of doing business, and neglecting it is like trying to forego repair and maintenance, it will come back to haunt you. For a long time I've advocated a video message board facing Sheridan Road to advertise games, events, and general university news to students and drive-by traffic.

Seems to me like the athletic department needs an entirely new 5 year strategic plan, in which the whole operation is taken apart completely and re-imagined. What we've been doing for the past 15 years or so is adding and subtracting elements without re-evaluating how all the parts work together, especially in a radically changed media environment. It would be nice to get some participation in such a process from someone from the conference or a consultant who knows what other schools have done around the league.

Game notes say no TV. Ramblervision has been updated with this link for paid streaming video: http://www.loyolaramblers.com/collegesp ... dia=488395

Illinois pretty much does that with their student section. Nearly all the courtside seats are students at Assembly Hall, er State Farm Center.

To increase attendance, why not improve the overall experience of going to a Rambler game? Not every person is a die hard basketball fan, but they should all enjoy the experience when they are there. I went to the UIC game this year and they had the Jessie White Tumblers perform at halftime - it was highly entertaining! Loyola needs to work on making halftime and timeout more entertaining. Currently, Loyola plays a 8 minute long Domestic Violence video during every home halftime. I'm all for supporting DV awareness, but it's not the most entertaining or exciting thing to sit through. Hopefully this is something the new AD can work on.