The Year of No Student Section?????

[MUWarriors92]

Anyone else notice the attendance in the student section this year being down from past years? (When they are there everyone sits down and acts disinterested in the game) What are the thoughts? NBA Lockout causing the majority of MU games to be scheduled on the weekday nights? Students losing interest in MU Basketball? I remember the days of Wade and the Big Three where the student sections were big and they all stood and cheered for the ENTIRE GAME.

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

Yes, but the fact that this thread exists means we must be winning.

[MU B2002]

I remember the days of Wade and the Big Three where the student sections were big and they all stood and cheered for the ENTIRE GAME.

You remember the big 3?  Crap that must be like 4 years ago.

[Henry Sugar]

Yes, but the fact that this thread exists means we must be winning.

That and the thread about the Warriors.

So let's get this over with... students these days are hairy wet cats. 

/looks forward to a current student telling me how much harder Marquette is than when I attended.
//enjoys that there's no auto-correct for hairy wet cats

[frozena pizza]

Unfortunately the crowds this year, student section and otherwise, have been pretty small and quiet.  But I think there will be a respectable showing for the Cincy game on Saturday (even though I will be a no show) and a great crowd for the Georgetown game.

[TJ]

I remember my freshman year having about 30 people in the student section and deciding to sit center court instead because the box office let me get best available for student price.

[Les Nessman]

That and the thread about the Warriors.

So let's get this over with... students these days are hairy wet cats. 

/looks forward to a current student telling me how much harder Marquette is than when I attended.
//enjoys that there's no auto-correct for hairy wet cats

I love it.

[Ari Gold]

muwarriors92 registers at 1:12, Posts this at 1:21
...
Next thread started: MU should have a football team
Next Thread Started: Why can't MU recruit McD's All Americans/Big Men than can start on Day one
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I think the threads like this are about nostalgia. Older MU students will claim were drunker, louder and rowdier than the current crop.  Last years students were better than this years... its a cycle.

To suggest students are losing interest in Basketball is flat out wrong.  

[Shanunu]

We had Kim Mueller, Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing and Sales in one of my classes the other day. She said that while sales of student tickets were down, (most likely due to an increase in price) actual attendance, meaning number of student tickets scanned at each game, is on par with what it has been in the past 5 years.

And while I would agree that it seems as if the student section is not as enthusiastic as it was in the past, I'd say that is a result of a lack of marquee games in the Bradley Center this season. The closest thing we've had so far has been Louisville, and I'd say the turnout and enthusiasm was very good for that game. We'll see how things are this weekend. I expect a very enthusiastic and full student section for Cincinnati.

[RJax55]

Next Thread Started: Why can't MU recruit McD's All Americans/Big Men than can start on Day one
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Ari, this is a classic when MU is losing/struggling thread. Goes with the always enjoyable, "This team has no senior leadership".

[LON]

hairy wet cats!

[Dr. Blackheart]

ummm...school wasn't even in session for the first four home BE games....with the best student crowd of the year the MLK Monday afternoon game with school starting back the next day.  For the USF and Hall games, students came later after class for the 7PM start.  Now there are sellouts for the UC and GU games at least.  Maybe if MU wants to sell more student season ticket packages, they resume school a week earlier like other schools?

The BC should be a rockin on Saturday.

[RyanConroy]

I'm a junior, and attendance/intensity of the student section has not diminished this year. I would argue it's slightly better than my previous two years, and that's with a pretty weak home schedule.

You will see great crowds for Cincy and Gtown.

[warriorchick]

This is what I have gathered based on what my daughter has told me (whether it is why she isn't attending a particular game or her acquaintances haven’t):

1.  Weeknight games are rough when you have a test the next day or other studying to do.  Weekend games are much easier to plan one's academics around.  As a parent shelling out tens of thousands of dollars for my kid’s tuition, I have no issue whatsoever with this excuse.

2.  Money is tight for a lot of kids and their families, and many students find it hard to justify dropping $100 for season tickets when they can't attend every game. It is my understanding they have really jacked up the price in the last couple of years.

3. The online ticket exchange system has created a very efficient secondary market for student tickets.  Some kids didn’t buy season tickets because they know for  most of the games they really care about, getting a ticket is as easy as posting on Facebook that you want one, and having a buddy who isn't going email it to you.

3. Right or wrong,  several kids did not buy season tickets in protest of the whole sexual assault issue.

[MUWarriors92]

I'm a junior, and attendance/intensity of the student section has not diminished this year. I would argue it's slightly better than my previous two years, and that's with a pretty weak home schedule.

You will see great crowds for Cincy and Gtown.

I agree that there will be big crowds for these two upcoming home games. But students sitting down in the upper deck and at the top of the lower deck??? What kind of student section is that?

[🏀]

I agree that there will be big crowds for these two upcoming home games. But students sitting down in the upper deck and at the top of the lower deck??? What kind of student section is that?

Better seats, can't blame em for that.

[GOO]

As mentioned above:  Way too many weeknight games.  Bad for students and bad for most regular fans that live out of town.  I for one have been a disapponted season ticket holder this year.  With young children, I just can't make many of these weeknight games, since I have an hour drive. I've had to give most of my tickets away this year.  I sure hope for more weekend games next year.

[mubb34]

Money shouldn't really be that big of an excuse.....Im a Sophomore and go to school 10 minutes away from Marquette and I dished out $400 for season tickets this year..... ......maybe I just have my priorities right?

[MU82]

That and the thread about the Warriors.

So let's get this over with... students these days are hairy wet cats. 

/looks forward to a current student telling me how much harder Marquette is than when I attended.
//enjoys that there's no auto-correct for hairy wet cats

Back when I was at Marquette, we had to walk 20 miles from the dorm to class. Each way. In the snow. And we liked it!

[SaveOD238]

I remember my freshman year having about 30 people in the student section and deciding to sit center court instead because the box office let me get best available for student price.

At least we dont have a student section like Depaul's where the ADs are offering midcourt seats to opposing fans with student section tickets.  I got student tickets from my brother's friend for the Depaul game, and we got there about 30 minutes before tip when there were hardly any students.  The Depaul Asst AD noticed us in gold and asked us if we wanted to move because "you're having a good season and were really struggling, and it would look better for us to not have gold shirts in the student section."  He upgraded us to third row behind the MU bench!

[Les Nessman]

At least we dont have a student section like Depaul's where the ADs are offering midcourt seats to opposing fans with student section tickets.  I got student tickets from my brother's friend for the Depaul game, and we got there about 30 minutes before tip when there were hardly any students.  The Depaul Asst AD noticed us in gold and asked us if we wanted to move because "you're having a good season and were really struggling, and it would look better for us to not have gold shirts in the student section."  He upgraded us to third room behind the MU bench!

That. is. Awesome.

[Tugg Speedman]

Anyone else notice the attendance in the student section this year being down from past years? (When they are there everyone sits down and acts disinterested in the game) What are the thoughts? NBA Lockout causing the majority of MU games to be scheduled on the weekday nights? Students losing interest in MU Basketball? I remember the days of Wade and the Big Three where the student sections were big and they all stood and cheered for the ENTIRE GAME.

From the "Crowds Have Sucked This Year Thread" (because we never talk about this)

http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=30014.msg348941#msg348941

Here is the NCAA basketball attendance stats

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/Reports/attendanceYBYtop25.pdf

Its shows the top 10 nationally from 1970 to 1977.  1978 forward is top 25

Here is MU numbers

           National
Year     Rank            Avg Attendance

1970 to 1977   not in top 10

1978        21                10,938
1979            not in top 25
1980       23                  10,671
1981       22                  10,842
1982       19                  10,986
1983       19                  10,881

1984 to 1988   not in top 25

1989 - Moved to Bradley Center

1989       23                  11,954
1990       21                  13,301
1991       18                  13,433
1992             not in top 25
1993       20                   13,443
1994       14                   14,340
1995       25                   12,814
1996       16                   12,751
1997 to 2001   not in top 25
2002       12                   12,680
2003       11                   15,553
2004       12                   15,291
2005       21                   11,965
2006       18                   13,998
2007       20                   15,345
2008       14                   16,239
2009       10                   16,200
2010       10                   15,617
2011       11                   15,586      

-------------

The four best years for MU are the last four years. MU's numbers get better over time, not worse.

Those that think our crowds suck now either forgot or were not paying attention in 1997 to 2001.

Here is this Year attendence so far:

Day           Date                  Opponent             Attendence   Average
Friday   11/11/2011   Mount St. Mary         13,834   
Monday   11/14/2011   Norfolk State         12,765   13,300
Monday   11/28/2011   Jacksonville         12,848   13,149
Saturday   12/10/2011   Green Bay                 14,208   13,414
Saturday   12/17/2011   Northern Colorado    13,593   13,450
Thursday   12/22/2011   UWM                         14,917   13,694
Thursday   12/29/2011   Vanderbilt                 15,684   13,978
Sunday   1/1/2012           Villanova                 14,550   14,050
Wed      1/11/2012           St. Johns                 14,484   14,098
Saturday   1/14/2012           Pittsburgh                 18,404   14,529
Monday   1/16/2012           Louisville                 16,688   14,725
Tuesday   1/24/2012           USF                         13,693   14,639
Tuesday   1/31/2012           Steton Hall                 13,828   14,577
Saturday   2/11/2012           Cincy      
Wed      2/22/2012           Rutgers      
Saturday   3/3/2012           Georgetown      

Note that we only had three Weekend games so far (not counting Nova as that was break)... and only one since December 10.  Further note that the Saturday game against Pitt had 18,000.  Fortunately we still have two more Saturday games.  (If we average 18k against Cincy and GU, both Saturday games, and 14k against Rutgers, a Wednesday game, we will finish the year with a season average of 15,000.  This again will make us the only non-football team in the top 20 of national attendance.)

Conclusions

Attendance is suffering from a lack of weekend games... maybe as was mentioned before it due to the NBA lockout giving the Bucks more weekend spots and less for us.  

Second, those that think it was better during Wade are misremembering reality.  Attendance was not that good back then, like now.

Counting down for the next thread to start about crappy attendance in 3,2,1 ...

[frozena pizza]

As mentioned above:  Way too many weeknight games.  Bad for students and bad for most regular fans that live out of town.  I for one have been a disapponted season ticket holder this year.  With young children, I just can't make many of these weeknight games, since I have an hour drive. I've had to give most of my tickets away this year.  I sure hope for more weekend games next year.

Weeknight games are good for ESPN.  Case closed.

[Tugg Speedman]

Weeknight games are good for ESPN.  Case closed.

for ratings, yes, attendance, no.

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

2.  Money is tight for a lot of kids and their families, and many students find it hard to justify dropping $100 for season tickets when they can't attend every game. It is my understanding they have really jacked up the price in the last couple of years.

This is true. I'm not sure what student tickets cost now, but if its north of $100, that's an almost 100% increase. My time at MU, which included the Final Four and MU's first season in the Big East, season tickets for students were $55, and it wasn't always Syracuses and Georgetowns coming to the BC. Nothing quite beats losing to TCU at home.

However, I suspect this is not the case for a lot of people. Over a 16-game home slate, that price increase comes out to an increase of less than $3 per game ($3.44 per game to $6.25 per game). Basically, if you can't justify buying season tickets due to the price increase, even with the knowledge you are going to eat a few tickets a year, your margins have gotta be razor thin.