No shows

[mu03eng]

We need to schedule some good non conference teams next season at home to get attendance up and have maybe a good win

Eh, in the grand scheme of things attendance for the season will be top 25 and the marginal cost of improving quality opponents vs the increase in walk-up/single games is not positive.

Remember, season ticket holders already paid for these games, so them showing up or not doesn't matter from a financial standpoint, only an "environment" standpoint. Improving buy games is only for improving perception and a tiny increase in walk-ups.

For me, buy games, especially this time of year should only be determined based on two factors: ability to provide a decent "practice" opponent for the team and at a minimum not hurt the RPI overall(hopefully improve it).

[TheGym]

Because Scoop can impact team performance more than crowd attendance???

Can't impact either one, but one is important, the other is a byproduct of the first.

[mubb3434]

i was in my uncles box/suite, the west bend theater boxes, #15.  there were some people who never left their tables.  just sat around talking like they were at the dinner table with a b-ball game going on right outside.  i suppose they could see it on the tv's, but...food was pretty good.  deserts got me heading for the elliptical first thing in the morning.

we were 26 point favs.  saw wojo pop a couple of blood vessels and rightly so.  man did fish miss a number of 1-2 footers.  playing down to the competition i hope.

Well he sure doesn't play up to the competition...

[Coleman]

Eh, in the grand scheme of things attendance for the season will be top 25 and the marginal cost of improving quality opponents vs the increase in walk-up/single games is not positive.

Remember, season ticket holders already paid for these games, so them showing up or not doesn't matter from a financial standpoint, only an "environment" standpoint. Improving buy games is only for improving perception and a tiny increase in walk-ups.

For me, buy games, especially this time of year should only be determined based on two factors: ability to provide a decent "practice" opponent for the team and at a minimum not hurt the RPI overall(hopefully improve it).

I agree with all of this, but I think you are underestimating the importance of the "environment" standpoint.

I decided to come to MU after attending a home basketball game my junior year of high school (Final Four year in 2002-2003). I never even took a formal visit to campus. After that game I knew where I wanted to go. Granted, it was a home win over UW, the only other school I was considering (I got accepted to both). So maybe that's not a fair comparison.

I hate to say this, but if the MU game I had attended was St. Francis in 2016, I'd probably have been a Badger. I wanted to go to a school that was crazy about, and good at, basketball. I don't know if I would have made the same decision if I was currently a high school junior.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I agree with all of this, but I think you are underestimating the importance of the "environment" standpoint.

I decided to come to MU after attending a home basketball game my junior year of high school (Final Four year in 2002-2003). I never even took a formal visit to campus. After that game I knew where I wanted to go. Granted, it was a home win over UW, the only other school I was considering (I got accepted to both). So maybe that's not a fair comparison.

I hate to say this, but if the MU game I had attended was St. Francis in 2016, I'd probably have been a Badger. I wanted to go to a school that was crazy about, and good at, basketball. I don't know if I would have made the same decision if I was currently a high school junior.

I don't disagree with this...but I don't think many perspective students go to a cupcake for their first mu game.

[warriorchick]

I wanted to go to a school that was crazy about, and good at, basketball.

Yep.  That's why I said "no" to all of the Ivies. 

[jsglow]

I agree with all of this, but I think you are underestimating the importance of the "environment" standpoint.

I decided to come to MU after attending a home basketball game my junior year of high school (Final Four year in 2002-2003). I never even took a formal visit to campus. After that game I knew where I wanted to go. Granted, it was a home win over UW, the only other school I was considering (I got accepted to both). So maybe that's not a fair comparison.

I hate to say this, but if the MU game I had attended was St. Francis in 2016, I'd probably have been a Badger. I wanted to go to a school that was crazy about, and good at, basketball. I don't know if I would have made the same decision if I was currently a high school junior.

I don't know if they still do it but back when my kids were matriculating MU had 'accepted students' day.  It was always against a big name opponent and there was always a give-away.  I've personally escorted my share of candidates into the Courtside Club for the full treatment.  I believe my daughter got a GTown game and my son got ND.

[Galway Eagle]

I don't know if they still do it but back when my kids were matriculating MU had 'accepted students' day.  It was always against a big name opponent and there was always a give-away.  I've personally escorted my share of candidates into the Courtside Club for the full treatment.  I believe my daughter got a GTown game and my son got ND.

They certainly did up to my 4th year.

I remember mine was vs Cuse, we lost in OT but I still have the free hat I got! (Also believe that's the highest attended game in MU history)

[muwarrior69]

Because even with a big name opponent attendance would still be weak. Better to have crappy teams in front of crappy crowds instead of a good team in front of a crappy crowd.

Most of our students aren't local. The dorms closed last Wednesday I believe. Students don't have any place to stay this week. No matter what you do, there will be no students at games during winter break. And with no students, there is no energy.

I'm a fan of getting into one of those holiday tournaments during this week. If the crowd is going to suck, play a neutral site game.

Hmm...back in my day a third of the students were from the Milwaukee area and another third were from Illinois and greater Wisconsin. It was always a good rule to date a towny...always had a car to get around. Most of the students that lived on campus lived far away, my room mate was from California and I was from New Jersey. We had only two Wisconsin residents on our floor at Schroeder my Frosh year. Curious to know how many commuter students currently go to MU?

[warriorchick]

Hmm...back in my day a third of the students were from the Milwaukee area and another third were from Illinois and greater Wisconsin. It was always a good rule to date a towny...always had a car to get around. Most of the students that lived on campus lived far away, my room mate was from California and I was from New Jersey. We had only two Wisconsin residents on our floor at Schroeder my Frosh year. Curious to know how many commuter students currently go to MU?

It is under 10%.

[Galway Eagle]

Hmm...back in my day a third of the students were from the Milwaukee area and another third were from Illinois and greater Wisconsin. It was always a good rule to date a towny...always had a car to get around. Most of the students that lived on campus lived far away, my room mate was from California and I was from New Jersey. We had only two Wisconsin residents on our floor at Schroeder my Frosh year. Curious to know how many commuter students currently go to MU?

That was a long long time ago

[muwarrior69]

I agree with all of this, but I think you are underestimating the importance of the "environment" standpoint.

I decided to come to MU after attending a home basketball game my junior year of high school (Final Four year in 2002-2003). I never even took a formal visit to campus. After that game I knew where I wanted to go. Granted, it was a home win over UW, the only other school I was considering (I got accepted to both). So maybe that's not a fair comparison.

I hate to say this, but if the MU game I had attended was St. Francis in 2016, I'd probably have been a Badger. I wanted to go to a school that was crazy about, and good at, basketball. I don't know if I would have made the same decision if I was currently a high school junior.

I chose MU to get a good Jesuit education and become more independent as my folks would be about a thousand mile away. Sometimes the life of an only child can be a bit overbearing and it was good to spread my wings; not that I and my folks did not get a long, we did. Basketball played no role in my decision. In fact I had no interest in the game until I came to MU.

[muwarrior69]

It is under 10%.

I believe the cost of tuition and books were way more reasonable when I attended. Still can't believe my 9 semesters at MU (double major in Chemistry/Biology) was under 12K.

[muwarrior69]

That was a long long time ago

...on a campus far far away.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I don't know if they still do it but back when my kids were matriculating MU had 'accepted students' day.  It was always against a big name opponent and there was always a give-away.  I've personally escorted my share of candidates into the Courtside Club for the full treatment.  I believe my daughter got a GTown game and my son got ND.

Nitpicking here but my Freshman year we had Notre Dame away. I remember it because I was at U of I that weekend and remember watching the game in one of the dorms there and we got absolutely smoked.

[rocket surgeon]

Your uncle has a box and you were in it, hey?

i should have seen this one coming...wait, i shoulda anticipated this occurring.  reminds me of the one where the teacher is afraid to call on "dirty ernie", 'ey?

[jsglow]

Nitpicking here but my Freshman year we had Notre Dame away. I remember it because I was at U of I that weekend and remember watching the game in one of the dorms there and we got absolutely smoked.

Do I have it flipped skywalker?  Wait, aren't you '15?  My kids are '14/'16.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Do I have it flipped skywalker?  Wait, aren't you '15?  My kids are '14/'16.

Yea, I was '15, so my Freshman year would have been Glow Jr's senior year, when he got accepted, no?

[Coleman]

I don't disagree with this...but I don't think many perspective students go to a cupcake for their first mu game.

Right, but that wasn't the entirety of my point. The point is the game environment matters. Strength of opponent and strength of our team play a big part of that. Both have gone down considerably since our original Big East days. Game attendance, which is also a factor in environment, and largely a product of the first two factors, has also come down.

These things matter to prospective students. At least they did to me. I am an alum and will cheer for MU and hate Bucky until the day I die but if my allegiance had not already been cast I do not know if I would have picked the same way in 2016.

[jsglow]

Yea, I was '15, so my Freshman year would have been Glow Jr's senior year, when he got accepted, no?

Yep.

[wadesworld]

Right, but that wasn't the entirety of my point. The point is the game environment matters. Strength of opponent and strength of our team play a big part of that. Both have gone down considerably since our original Big East days. Game attendance, which is also a factor in environment, and largely a product of the first two factors, has also come down.

These things matter to prospective students. At least they did to me. I am an alum and will cheer for MU and hate Bucky until the day I die but if my allegiance had not already been cast I do not know if I would have picked the same way in 2016.

I'd guess that we'll have more games against top 10 teams this year than we did in any season in the old BE (limited to regular season).  Probably not top 25 though.

[Lennys Tap]

I'd guess that we'll have more games against top 10 teams this year than we did in any season in the old BE (limited to regular season).  Probably not top 25 though.

Maybe, but I doubt it. Right now there are 2 top 10 teams (#1 and #9) in the Big East. I only looked at 1 year, but in 2010-11 the Big East had 4 teams in the top 8 when the conference season started.

[jonny09]

Maybe, but I doubt it. Right now there are 2 top 10 teams (#1 and #9) in the Big East. I only looked at 1 year, but in 2010-11 the Big East had 4 teams in the top 8 when the conference season started.

Don't challenge wadesworld.  Aren't you aware that he is the smartest man on this board?   

[rocket surgeon]

I don't know if they still do it but back when my kids were matriculating MU had 'accepted students' day.  It was always against a big name opponent and there was always a give-away.  I've personally escorted my share of candidates into the Courtside Club for the full treatment.  I believe my daughter got a GTown game and my son got ND.

come on man, this game was priceless from the standpoint that you got(and kept, i hope) your ticket from this game-it had a picture of a player who is not even on our team-sandy.

  when sandy makes it big at say madison or duke, and then the "big show", that ticket is going to be gold baby!

[wadesworld]

Don't challenge wadesworld.  Aren't you aware that he is the smartest man on this board?

Your words. I appreciate that.

Maybe, but I doubt it. Right now there are 2 top 10 teams (#1 and #9) in the Big East. I only looked at 1 year, but in 2010-11 the Big East had 4 teams in the top 8 when the conference season started.

We play each team twice in this version of the Big East, and Xavier and Butler will also have chances to jump into the top 10 throughout the conference season.