Attendance less than 15,000

[bradley center bat]

Slightly different demographics between those cities populations and venues
Milwaukee's population=598,916
East Lansing=48,518
Ann Arbor=116,121
West Lafayette=30,419

Urban cites draw different, than college cites when they are the only game in town.

What is Milwaukee population when you break it down to Badgers, Panthers, Bucks, etc.

[GGGG]

I know attendance is paid attendance. I'm the one that points that out to everyone!

Season-tickets are discounted than single game tickets. Yes, it's the same cost as in years past when you got 18 home games, but now MU is in year 4 of having single game tickets higher.

As for the Brewers, well you just don't get it.

And paid attendance is what matters.  And yeah, people didn't show as much yesterday because the teams aren't as good as originally advertised and because it was MF cold out.

And game times are going to be dictated by television.  Usually 6 or 8 PM.  Really if people who would normally show up at 7, but decide to skip it because it's at 8, that says more about their lameness as a fan than anything.

[BenCat12]

And???

Those three schools have larger fanbase's than Marquette's.

Agreed they are public universities with much larger enrollment.  Just simply pointing out Marquette basketball has a much larger local population to pull from.  All fans are not alumni.  Some don't seem to get that.

[bradley center bat]

And paid attendance is what matters.  And yeah, people didn't show as much yesterday because the teams aren't as good as originally advertised and because it was MF cold out.

And game times are going to be dictated by television.  Usually 6 or 8 PM.  Really if people who would normally show up at 7, but decide to skip it because it's at 8, that says more about their lameness as a fan than anything.

Thank You! If a MU game start at 8:00, it's getting done around 10:15. No different than a baseball game.

[keefe]

Milwaukee's population in 1970 was 717,000 today it is 594,000.

Milwaukee Metro Population (MM)

1970:   1.2

2010:   2.0

Anyhow, point is that if Georgetown is in town there should be a full house.

[Litehouse]

Slightly different demographics between those cities populations and venues
Milwaukee's population=598,916
East Lansing=48,518
Ann Arbor=116,121
West Lafayette=30,419

MU enrollment = 11,700
MSU enrollment = 49,300
Michigan enrollment = 40,700
Purdue enrollment = 39,250

[BenCat12]

And paid attendance is what matters.  And yeah, people didn't show as much yesterday because the teams aren't as good as originally advertised and because it was MF cold out.

And game times are going to be dictated by television.  Usually 6 or 8 PM.  Really if people who would normally show up at 7, but decide to skip it because it's at 8, that says more about their lameness as a fan than anything.

+1  exactly what I said.  I am not excusing people for not showing up, I go to every game.  Simply pointing out I have been turned down this year more than any other because of game times.  TV has everything to do with it.

[BenCat12]

Thank You! If a MU game start at 8:00, it's getting done around 10:15. No different than a baseball game.

Again, baseball draws poorly during the school year aside from opening day and field trips.  Baseball is not helping your argument about attendance.

[keefe]

Urban cites draw different, than college cites when they are the only game in town.

Actually, Ann Arbor likely offers more evening activity than Milwaukee. Large college communities offer vibrant, diverse social and cultural opportunities.

[GGGG]

Milwaukee Metro Population (MM)

1970:   1.2

2010:   2.0

Anyhow, point is that if Georgetown is in town there should be a full house.

How many weekday sellouts has Marquette even had during the BC era?

Just saying "it should be a sell out" doesn't make it a realistic goal.

[bradley center bat]

Again, baseball draws poorly during the school year aside from opening day and field trips.  Baseball is not helping your argument about attendance.

That is your view point. The Brewers many times during the week have had many crowds of over 30,000.

[Tugg Speedman]

I was talking about this last night with a friend of mine at the game.  Many factors are contributing to poor attendance this season.  Here is a couple we came up with:

1.  The team not playing up to expectations obviously hurts. There are a lot of disgruntled fans with how Buzz has coached this team.   This board reflects that, even after wins.

2.  Only 16 home games this season, remember some years as many as 21, thus not as much value for the price of season tickets.  

3.  The quality of opponents has dropped off a lot this year as well.  I believe we have only played three ranked opponents at home all season (correct me if I am wrong, but OSU, Nova and Creighton).  Obviously losing marquee games against Notre Dame, Louisville, Syracuse, Pitt, UConn, hurts attendance as well.

4.  A lot of 6pm and 8pm games.  There are plenty of games I can't find people to use my other two tickets because of the time of games.  A lot of people who go to games with me don't get home from work until after 5.  Tough to make it to a 6pm game.  Also, a lot of people don't want to go to an 8pm game because we don't get home until after 11pm.

5.  Lack of promotions.  This might seem ridiculous, but it seems the amount of quality giveaways has dropped off sense Tommy C left.  I don't remember the last time there was a bobble head or other giveaway to get excited about (maybe Fr. Wild?).

6.  Every game is on TV now.  This winter has been brutal and I think a lot of people choose to just stay home.

7.  I think overall the value of Marquette basketball has declined dramatically with the death of the old Big East.  We no longer have guaranteed games against quality opponents because our conference is weaker.  This forces the program to schedule more tournaments out of state and more home and home games with higher quality teams.  The best thing that could happen for attendance would be for the team to get back to being a top 20 program(not far off IMO) and for the conference to have 4-5 ranked teams year in and year out.

This is wrong.  Tickets sales and attendance is higher than last year and the year before.

How about this ... I was at the game and I estimate about one-third of the crowd has the sniffles or worse (count me in this group, and my daughter that went with me).  The crowd had a noticeable lack energy last night.

This winter has worn us all out and when it's 4 degrees outside and you're tired and sick, it's easier to sit on the couch and watch it on TV

[keefe]

How many weekday sellouts has Marquette even had during the BC era?

Just saying "it should be a sell out" doesn't make it a realistic goal.

This highlights the difference between the empirical and the intangible. A major rival in town should generate significant enthusiasm on the basis of the rivalry.

[79Warrior]

Back then the Arena capacity was 10,938 for most years and went up to over 11,000 for the years just prior to MU moving to the BC.  That 10,938 # is stuck in my mind forever ( and, looking at an old media guide, that is the correct # ).  When it became the cell, the Arena was "remodeled" and there are now fewer seats.

Correct. If that were still the case every game would be sold out. The current facility is too big for a small private school to fill every game. The fact that we average 14-15k is pretty remarkable.

[BenCat12]

That is your view point. The Brewers many times during the week have had many crowds of over 30,000.

they averaged 31,000 a game last year.  Most weeknight games during the school year draw about 24,000 a game.

[GGGG]

I don't think the MU fanbase views Georgetown as a "major rival."

[Litehouse]

This entire discussion is another reason why it's important to get decent coverage in the local media.  We have a great fan base of around 14,000 that show up for most games, but the casual fans from the greater Milwaukee area are the ones that buy those lousy upper-deck seats to increase attendance for big games.  The only place the casual fans see anything about MU is in the JS or the local news.  They aren't checking websites like this or seeking out info on their own.

[keefe]

I don't think the MU fanbase views Georgetown as a "major rival."

Competitor? Georgetown should be a major draw - more than most other schools in the conference. Perhaps I am guilty of bias as I went to Georgetown Prep but I would think GU should generate more interest than DePaul, Butler...

[keefe]

The only place the casual fans see anything about MU is in the JS or the local news.  They aren't checking websites like this or seeking out info on their own.

You don't think the guys from Ladish and Allen-Bradley hit the Scoop after a long day in the mill?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Milwaukee's population in 1970 was 717,000 today it is 594,000.

As to attendance: Everybody realizes that our average attendance is up by 200 over last year's, right? St. John's would have to draw around 13,000 to get us down to last year's numbers. It's a weekend game, season tickets are already counted, the weather should be a little bit nicer (fingers crossed), and it's the final home game of the season. Does anyone seriously think we draw less than 15,000 for a game that will possibly decide our NCAA fate?

To be fair, I think you need to look at the metro population, not the city.

[BenCat12]

This is wrong.  Tickets sales and attendance is higher than last year and the year before.

How about this ... I was at the game and I estimate about one-third of the crowd has the sniffles or worse (count me in this group, and my daughter that went with me).  The crowd had a noticeable lack energy last night.

This winter has worn us all out and when it's 4 degrees outside and you're tired and sick, it's easier to sit on the couch and watch it on TV

ticket
According to this you are wrong:  http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/Reports/attendanceYBYtop25.pdf

2012  15,138
2011  15,586
2010  15,617
2009  16,200
2008  16,239

Attendance has gone down every year in Buzz's tenure.  

[BenCat12]

This entire discussion is another reason why it's important to get decent coverage in the local media.  We have a great fan base of around 14,000 that show up for most games, but the casual fans from the greater Milwaukee area are the ones that buy those lousy upper-deck seats to increase attendance for big games.  The only place the casual fans see anything about MU is in the JS or the local news.  They aren't checking websites like this or seeking out info on their own.

+1 great point.  This is where the size of the city matters.  Need to draw more fans who aren't alumni.

[bradley center bat]

they averaged 31,000 a game last year.  Most weeknight games during the school year draw about 24,000 a game.

Correct, so 24,000 is more in what MU gets. Which those games let out around 10:00pm.

[bradley center bat]

+1 great point.  This is where the size of the city matters.  Need to draw more fans who aren't alumni.

True, but it's hard to do when the local TV news doesn't cover college hoops other than tourney time. Show three plays during highlights of sports is cutting it. Local news is Packers, Packers, Packers and Brewers.

[Litehouse]

Article from the Marquette Tribune last week on this issue.
http://marquettewire.org/2014/02/20/tribune/tribune-news/basketball-attendance-dropping-at-marquette-nationwide/