|
Follow the attendance numbers, and you'll see there has been a huge letdown. I remember going to a game against Butler (January 2010) at the old configuration Gentile, and there was 4372 there. We were 12-5 at the time (3-4 in conference), and starting our annual collapse once conference play began. Butler was #20, and this was going to be the first year they went to the Final Four, but no one thought that was possible at the time. We lost 48-47, after three shots at the basket in the closing seconds clanged off the rim. I think it was the loudest I ever remember hearing Gentile.
The only three times we've had that many in the Gentile Arena since was for a game against Kansas State in Dec. 2010 and the 2014 NCAA Men's Volleyball tournament semifinal and final. That includes games against DePaul, Mississippi State, Wichita State, etc. Last year we failed to draw 2000 for a weeknight conference game against #11 Northern Iowa. The fact is, we routinely used to draw much more in the old Gentile, in part because the tickets were so affordable. We used to average 2300 or so instead of the 1850 we're (supposedly) pulling now. Under Whitesell, his Basketball Operations assistant used to spend part of his time helping to build attendance by visiting dorms and student organizations, and it was largely successful.
The fact is, a great student attendance section helps build an engaged alumni/fan base. The alumni/fan base is also built by getting a critical mass of people at the games. That means a section that's largely affordable... school/student groups... neighborhood outreach... church groups... etc. A broad-based and critical mass of attendance makes the games an EVENT, and an EVENT attracts some of its own crowd. A larger crowd makes timeout and halftime events more entertaining, and helps motivate the players to work harder before a large crowd, etc. It works as a virtuous cycle, one aspect improving another aspect, which draws more people, which attracts more interest, which helps winning, which draws more interest.
I don't know how many more games we could have won if we had a bigger, louder attendance. But having been to one of our lowest-attendance games this year-- 1189 must have been counting employees, athletes, officials, security personnel and all the no-shows at the Cleveland State game-- an empty building doesn't tend to generate much energy on the part of the players. Our lowest attendance home game this year was 1128 against Missouri State, which we lost by two points. We had 1386 for the one-point loss against Bradley, and certainly about 250 of them were Bradley fans.
The fact is, we are 4-1 in home games with over 1700 in attendance, and the one loss was the Evansville game were we made a 19-point 2nd half comeback and lost by one point. The wins were UTSA, Creighton, Drake, and Indiana State. In home games with fewer than 1700 people, we're 5-5, and that includes losses to the likes of Cleveland State (RPI 253), Missouri State (RPI 220), and Bradley (RPI 295). The conference losses to Missouri State and Bradley were by a combined three points after leading for much of the 2nd half. If we had won JUST those three games, we'd have an RPI around 165, we'd be tied with UNI for 5th place (with the tiebreaker), and our overall record would be 16-11.
I'm glad we've hired a person to oversee improvement of game-day and attendance. I was getting ready to make a proposal to be the person to do that when I heard the hire was made. It's going to take a lot of shoe leather, time on the phone, Tweeting, Instagrams, paid advertising, new ideas, incentives, attractions, and collaboration. And it's going to take some time to reverse the downward momentum.
|
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
