The UW-Milwaukee team hosted the UW-Madison team last night at the MECCA arena. In addition to being a total blowout from the tip and a waste of time for everyone involved, the crowd was estimated at 70% Badger fans. The facility holds about 10,000, so at 30% UWM fans, at best UWM has 3,000 fans. Two points here: (1) all this talk about how valuable the MECCA arena is to UWM is total nonsense. They don't need a 10,000 seat venue that gets filled once every 4 years (for the UW-Madison game). Heck, they wouldn't fill 50% of the Al McGuire Center. A 3,000 seat practice facility for the Bucks downtown would be great for them. (2) Does any MU fan miss the "historic" rivalry with UWM? I can't even remember the last time they played...
The last time we played, UWM almost broke the streak. IIRC, DJO had to win that game at the end.
The WIKI knows all:
http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/uwm_11_27_10
I think UWM would benefit from a nice Al-type, on-campus arena.
Just out of curiosity, anyone know/remember what UWM attendance figures were during their three-year tourney run? I'm wondering how well they were able to fill up the MECCA when they had success.
Quote from: Eldon on December 11, 2014, 09:14:09 AM
I think UWM would benefit from a nice Al-type, on-campus arena.
Just out of curiosity, anyone know/remember what UWM attendance figures were during their three-year tourney run? I'm wondering how well they were able to fill up the MECCA when they had success.
I have nothing specific to offer, but I was at MU during part of that streak and did attend a few UWM games every now and then. I am pretty sure they still never sold out but were able to get the MECCA to probably 60-70% capacity pretty regularly.
During the Pearl years, they would fill it for the Horizon League Championship game. Otherwise, it was getting so bad that they went back to the Klotsche Center two years ago. I like that UWM plays downtown, but to hold up a new arena development for a team with 1,000 fans, in a 60-year, 10,000 seat facility, seems rather ridiculous. Perhaps they know this and they're just holding out for a new facility, too. If so, I applaud their negotiations.
I went to a UWM game against Saint Louis in December of 2005. This was coming off the Sweet 16 year and frankly, SLU was about as good of a nonconference opponent who was going to come to UWM.
Checked the box score of the game. Attendance was listed as 4,235.
I saw "Milwaukee" play in the NCAAs last year in Buffalo. The place was packed!
But seriously, there were a few fans there for UWM. They were not nearly as much fun as the Dayton fans with their beenies with propellers on top! Every other school participating had probably 10x more fans than UWM, but of course most of the other teams had a chance of winning.
Quote from: leever on December 11, 2014, 11:04:28 AM
I saw "Milwaukee" play in the NCAAs last year in Buffalo.
Did "Milwaukee" go to The Dance last season? By some measures that would make them the preeminent basketball program in the town which carries their name
Quote from: keefe on December 11, 2014, 11:09:55 AM
Did "Milwaukee" go to The Dance last season? By some measures that would make them the preeminent basketball program in the town which carries their name
They did indeed. Lost to Villanova in the "2nd" round. But they will be ineligible for any postseason play this year. Seems they have some academic problems.
Let's just remember that Wisconsin blowing the doors off of UWM is good for the state of Wisconsin basketball.
At least according to the Journal-Sentinel. ;D
i was there. IMHO it was a greater than a 30-70 split of UWM Fans. 50/50 would be my estimate, athough 90% of the packed student section was gone early to mid-way into the 2nd half. Interesting side note that Deonte Burton was definitely in attendance for game with I believe John Dawson and another dude who I didn't recognize. They arrived very early in the 1st half in our section and the usher grabbed their tix and pointed them to their proper location.
Burton and Dawson to UWM.
Quote from: PandTandMand... on December 11, 2014, 12:19:42 PM
Burton and Dawson to UWM.
Duane Wilson was there to. Burton to UWM would be great! He can be the star as that team right now is not very good.
Quote from: 79Warrior on December 11, 2014, 12:45:11 PM
Or dare I say, UW?
My guess is that Wojo might restrict a transfer to UW. But maybe not.
Quote from: BCHoopster on December 11, 2014, 12:48:17 PM
Duane Wilson was there to. Burton to UWM would be great! He can be the star as that team right now is not very good.
Shannon Smith 2.0?
Quote from: TAMU Eagle on December 11, 2014, 01:25:26 PM
My guess is that Wojo might restrict a transfer to UW. But maybe not.
Pretty sure he would and anyone else on our schedule.
Quote from: Warrior of Law on December 11, 2014, 08:47:04 AM
The UW-Milwaukee team hosted the UW-Madison team last night at the MECCA arena. In addition to being a total blowout from the tip and a waste of time for everyone involved, the crowd was estimated at 70% Badger fans. The facility holds about 10,000, so at 30% UWM fans, at best UWM has 3,000 fans. Two points here: (1) all this talk about how valuable the MECCA arena is to UWM is total nonsense. They don't need a 10,000 seat venue that gets filled once every 4 years (for the UW-Madison game). Heck, they wouldn't fill 50% of the Al McGuire Center. A 3,000 seat practice facility for the Bucks downtown would be great for them. (2) Does any MU fan miss the "historic" rivalry with UWM? I can't even remember the last time they played...
Before this game, UWM was averaging less than 2,000 fans per game. They could play in a high school gym and not sell it out.
I do think they could share a 5,000-6,000 seat practice facility with the Bucks. While they aren't drawing anyone this year, they could fill something like that regularly if they got any sustainable success. Though when they played Marquette at the Mecca, they only drew around 7,000 and complained because we didn't bring enough fans to sell out their building.
Quote from: Eldon on December 11, 2014, 09:14:09 AM
I think UWM would benefit from a nice Al-type, on-campus arena.
Just out of curiosity, anyone know/remember what UWM attendance figures were during their three-year tourney run? I'm wondering how well they were able to fill up the MECCA when they had success.
UWM's peak attendance was in the 2005-06 season when they averaged 5,304 fans.
http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/Reports/attend/2006.pdf
Why do the Bucks need a practice facility that seats 5,000 people? That's the part I don't understand in this. I understand why UWM wants a new arena, of course they do. But what purpose does that serve for the Bucks? Wouldn't they rather have a parctice facility with just regular Gyms like the Cousins Center? Why do they need seating? If they're holding open practice or scrimmages for fans couldn't they just have that in the actual arena?
Quote from: source? on December 11, 2014, 08:08:21 PM
UWM's peak attendance was in the 2005-06 season when they averaged 5,304 fans.
Where the hell did you hear that?