Attendance Trends?

[muwarrior69]

A little OT. I watched the Depaul/ND game yesterday. There were a lot of empty seats and a large contingent of Irish fans for DePauls's inaugural game in their new digs. Not a good sign for Depaul basketball.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Purdue paid was 13,307. MSM outdrew Purdue with the bundle by 17. MU ticket office being smart. Good draws with bad for early season.

[auburnmarquette]

I believe the first game back from a March Madness bid vs the first game after missing the tourney 3 straight years is big too.

[hdog1017]

How was the crowd versus Purdue?  Sadly I wasn't able to watch said game. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

EIU was 11,647.  Not bad for a Monday.  The packages are really marketed well.

[Mr. Nielsen]

EIU was 11,647.  Not bad for a Monday.  The packages are really marketed well.

I would think that is where we are at in our season ticket base. Now, we need people to just show up.

[GGGG]

I would think that is where we are at in our season ticket base. Now, we need people to just show up.

People aren’t showing up for buy games on a Monday night in November.

[Mr. Nielsen]

People aren’t showing up for buy games on a Monday night in November.

I understand that. I was there, but why? I get some are busy. Many don't care about these "buy games". Folks are paying the money, why not go. How about giving away your tickets. How about just supporting your team. I understand it's a hard pill for myself to understand at times, as I'm at 40 plus events over the winter in MU, UWM, Admirals and Bucks games.

[GGGG]

I understand that. I was there, but why? I get some are busy. Many don't care about these "buy games". Folks are paying the money, why not go. How about giving away your tickets. How about just supporting your team. I understand it's a hard pill for myself to understand at times, as I'm at 40 plus events over the winter in MU, UWM, Admirals and Bucks games.

Because purchasing the tickets is a sunk cost.  And attending the games costs time and money versus sitting on the couch at home.

[jsglow]

People aren’t showing up for buy games on a Monday night in November.

Some (most) but not ALL people.   

[Mr. Nielsen]

Because purchasing the tickets is a sunk cost.  And attending the games costs time and money versus sitting on the couch at home.

As I said I get that. That being said also, some should not be bitching about some higher cost going into the new arena, when some can't get their you know what to the game. More to my question I'm trying to get at, how do we change that? How can we improve on the no-shows? If there is a will, there is a way!

[GGGG]

Don't schedule buy games, or

Don't put every game on television.

But neither of those are really viable answers.

[ChuckyChip]

More to my question I'm trying to get at, how do we change that? How can we improve on the no-shows? If there is a will, there is a way!

- Better quality opponents (or at least better name opponents) - obviously constrained by required "buy" games.
- More weekend games (even Friday night) - Monday thru Thursday will always be slow.
- No 8:00pm starts - I was at the game yesterday, but will probably skip Chicago State - too late for a crappy opponent.
- More promotions - have there been any yet this year?  The magnetic schedule never seemed to materialize, but we need some thing better - jerseys, bobbleheads, etc.

[#UnleashSean]

As I said I get that. That being said also, some should not be bitching about some higher cost going into the new arena, when some can't get their you know what to the game. More to my question I'm trying to get at, how do we change that? How can we improve on the no-shows? If there is a will, there is a way!

They could start by not having buy games on Monday nights at 7pm.

[Mr. Nielsen]

They could start by not having buy games on Monday nights at 7pm.

Hard to schedule, when you don't have your own building. Plus, I think they play too many games in college hoops. I would like it to be shaved by two games. As we know once the toothpaste it out, you can put it back. $$$$

[The Lens]

Like many of you, my friends consider me to the most die hard MU fan they know.

I've been in the same seats for 21 years, love my section and really enjoy games.

I stayed home last night and I'm probably staying home tomorrow night.  We now have 3 kids and they all have a bunch of after school practices etc.  Getting a sitter, re-arranging carpools, etc is just not worth for weeknight buy games in November.  Especially when the game is on in HD.

Toss in we just came off the long 4 days weekend that was jam packed and the Georgia + Vermont game upcoming, these games are just going to be poorly attended.  It's something that as a married, no kids 30 year old I never would have imagined but now 42 and with 3 kids, disrupting that ecosystem is possible but sometimes just not worth the trouble. 

Last add, I posted the tickets on facebook for free on Monday.  Not one taker.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Well, thank you for trying to give away your tickets!

[Jay Bee]

Last add, I posted the tickets on facebook for free on Monday.  Not one taker.

To be fair, you may only have like 12 friends. My guy ZFB has 4,998 friends currently, but almost all of them are pr0nbots.

[Tugg Speedman]

New Stadium will take care of attendance the next few years.

[mu_hilltopper]

New Stadium will take care of attendance the next few years.

No doubt, the new stadium will be a positive factor for sales.

Unfortunately, higher ticket prices .. and the possibility of having a lack-luster 2017-2018 season will be negative factors.   

It's not a tremendous stretch of the imagination to find MU being 7th-8th in the BE, missing post season.  Coupled with a 20-80% price increase?    Whoa, nelly.

[SqueallyDRyan]

Any season seat holder want to give away their tickets for tonight?

[jsglow]

No doubt, the new stadium will be a positive factor for sales.

Unfortunately, higher ticket prices .. and the possibility of having a lack-luster 2017-2018 season will be negative factors.   

It's not a tremendous stretch of the imagination to find MU being 7th-8th in the BE, missing post season.  Coupled with a 20-80% price increase?    Whoa, nelly.

What I'm starting to find interesting (and a little annoying) is the massive giveaways to the most marginal fans while our season ticket pricing continues to go up.  Things like the $25 'student section' seats and the $99 phone app.  Now I get it.  They are simply trying to lure the occasional fan and we ourselves got enticed originally by $99 season tickets but at some point there's a disconnect between $1,000+ for the season and $5 per game.  And while we have spectacular seats, we're certainly not in Row AAA listening to Spoon bad mouth our program.

[Dr. Blackheart]

What I'm starting to find interesting (and a little annoying) is the massive giveaways to the most marginal fans while our season ticket pricing continues to go up.  Things like the $25 'student section' seats and the $99 phone app.  Now I get it.  They are simply trying to lure the occasional fan and we ourselves got enticed originally by $99 season tickets but at some point there's a disconnect between $1,000+ for the season and $5 per game.  And while we have spectacular seats, we're certainly not in Row AAA listening to Spoon bad mouth our program.

Yep...this will be a rub with seat licenses over B&G points. As I said, MU's model is supply driven (including families), and it hasn't been demand driven for a number of years.  Yet, they quote prices of tickets at other demand driven schools like Louisville, UNC, etc.  It will be a critical business year for MUAD.

I hope they take the time to understand their brand. That survey was not a good first step. The new arena ticket situation was the talk of Maui.

[jsglow]

Yep...this will be a rub with seat licenses over B&G points. As I said, MU's model is supply driven (including families), and it hasn't been demand driven for a number of years.  Yet, they quote prices of tickets at other demand driven schools like Louisville, UNC, etc.  It will be a critical business year for MUAD.

I hope they take the time to understand their brand. That survey was not a good first step. The new arena ticket situation was the talk of Maui.

Your lips to God's ear.

Look, few would fail to recognize chick and me as loyal fans.  We make the long drive to probably 17 of the 19 games and we make sure our tickets get used when we don't go (like tonight when our son is using them).  But the value of our seats for tonight is exactly zero.  And 'near zero' for the game we were at on Monday.  And probably about $10 this Saturday. 

Now I'm not complaining about the schedule at all.  It's a good slate and, apart from this past Monday, I actually enjoy buy games as it's a chance to watch the team develop.  So no complaints from me.  But let's not be led to believe that a typical Marquette basketball game should be priced like a Packers playoff experience when taken to the extreme.  And MU can't add enough private practices and luncheons with Coach and Spirit Shop discounts to make up for that.

Sorry, didn't intend to get up on a high horse.

[connie]

Your lips to God's ear.

Look, few would fail to recognize chick and me as loyal fans.  We make the long drive to probably 17 of the 19 games and we make sure our tickets get used when we don't go (like tonight when our son is using them).  But the value of our seats for tonight is exactly zero.  And 'near zero' for the game we were at on Monday.  And probably about $10 this Saturday. 

Now I'm not complaining about the schedule at all.  It's a good slate and, apart from this past Monday, I actually enjoy buy games as it's a chance to watch the team develop.  So no complaints from me.  But let's not be led to believe that a typical Marquette basketball game should be priced like a Packers playoff experience when taken to the extreme.  And MU can't add enough private practices and luncheons with Coach and Spirit Shop discounts to make up for that.

Sorry, didn't intend to get up on a high horse.

Not a high horse--I think there are more than a few in your position.  I won't complain about this year's schedule.  I think there is a bit more meat on the early season games than in the past where it was pretty pathetic.  My problem is if we can't use our tickets it is very hard to get someone else we know to take them.  Yeah, I know, we need new friends.  But the draw does seem to be down from years past.