Shrink The Student Section

[Silent Verbal]

I disagree that it's a dumb thread. The apathy on social media(including this board) and in person is the highest I've experienced in the 20+ years of being a fan and to me it seems totally disconnected from the reality of where the program is. Some of it is tied to Wojo I'm sure but I'm not sure that all of it is. The question is, is it a societal trend, unique to MU, or some set of other factors.

“The reality of where the program is at”?

We haven’t won an NCAA Tournament game in 6 years and during that entire time have only been ranked in the Top 25 for a handful of weeks.  That’s what the casual fan sees.  That’s what students who are on the fence about going to games see.  Most people don’t know anything about Karim Mane or unicorns or Stan’s tweets or whatever else.  They just see the bottom line of the last few years.

[We R Final Four]

Are you in high school? Because I'd hope someone above 18 would have a grasp of the financial benefit of playing at the Fiserv vs the Al, not to mention the stadium is below the necessary capacity to play in the BE.

What is the necessary capacity to play in the BE?
I didn't know they had a minimum requirement.
Pavillion is like 6500?

[94Warrior]

All blame to the most uninspiring cheer in the history of sports:

"Fire Up, Mar-quette, Fire Up"
"Fire Up, Mar-quette, Fire Up"

Must have heard that 5-6 times last night.  It really gets under my skin.   

[WarriorPride68]

The tarps look OK on TV.  It’s not ideal but the branding looks better than the empty upper deck of the BC.

I am always caught off guard in the rare occasion when I don’t see “WE ARE MARQUETTE” tarps in the background of a replay driving to hoop

[The Lens]

The rowdiness stopped when Larry Williams stopped the "hey! you suck!" during that one song. Then it continued to get worse and worse, now it's depressing that they have an instructional cheering video for the students before the game

I never thought of that but it computes.  We also need someone who cares.  The CMO, Tom Crean cared.  He couldn't coach but he knew what he wanted in the student section + game ops.  It's been a slow burn down since. 

[Galway Eagle]

What is the necessary capacity to play in the BE?
I didn't know they had a minimum requirement.
Pavillion is like 6500?

My understanding was there was a law about 10k that the Johnnies and Nova get away with because they have games at the big arenas as well. Maybe it was a myth but I swear I heard that at some point

[CountryRoads]

The rowdiness stopped when Larry Williams stopped the "hey! you suck!" during that one song. Then it continued to get worse and worse, now it's depressing that they have an instructional cheering video for the students before the game

Sad day when that song stopped playing. It’s really gone down hill. I remember showing up to a game an hour early at 10am on a Sunday morning and the students were filled to the rafters chanting “F**k Wake Forest” as they took the floor for warmups. Teams also used to get booed loudly and there was just much more energy in the arena before and during games. The moderately lame “I believe we will win” chant to start the games would be looking pretty good right now.

[Galway Eagle]

Sad day when that song stopped playing. It’s really gone down hill. I remember showing up to a game an hour early at 10am on a Sunday morning and the students were filled to the rafters chanting “F**k Wake Forest” as they took the floor for warmups. Teams also used to get booed loudly and there was just much more energy in the arena before and during games. The moderately lame “I believe we will win” chant to start the games would be looking pretty good right now.

Agreed, add all that to the fact that there's no more ticket for the big confetti show after the first basket.

[Billy Hoyle]

You keep repeating this as if the more often you say it, the more likely it will be to come true.

It was a Tuesday night game. I was at MU the same time you were. We had lots of mid-week games that had half empty student sections, even when we were ranked. It is what it is. I don't care if the student section shrinks, but this is not some new phenomenon that is only limited to current students.

This. Even during the Wade years midweek games didn’t result in the student section filling up.

Gonzaga isn’t always filling the Kennel Club and Duke isn’t always filling their student section these days. Sings of the times in college sports.

[#UnleashSean]

The rowdiness stopped when Larry Williams stopped the "hey! you suck!" during that one song. Then it continued to get worse and worse, now it's depressing that they have an instructional cheering video for the students before the game

Please bring that back. I loved it as a kid.

[MUDPT]

I was thinking today at work, when’s the last time we sold out a mid week game, 09 against UConn?

[Galway Eagle]

I was thinking today at work, when’s the last time we sold out a mid week game, 09 against UConn?

Cuse 2011 probably. Though I'd have to imagine a game in 2012 or 2013 was sold out given the success of those teams

[We R Final Four]

I was thinking today at work, when’s the last time we sold out a mid week game, 09 against UConn?

Cuse for sure. Monday night.

[skianth16]

Gonzaga isn’t always filling the Kennel Club and Duke isn’t always filling their student section these days. Sings of the times in college sports.

Is that really true? I have a hard time believing that.

[Mr. Nielsen]

I was thinking today at work, when’s the last time we sold out a mid week game, 09 against UConn?

Last time. Plus, only time on the Bradley Center history.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Cuse for sure. Monday night.

Nope. Was 16k range.

[Johnny B]

Wasn't uconn a Friday nighter ?

[MUDPT]

Wasn't uconn a Friday nighter ?

Definitely a Wednesday.

[SaveOD238]

This is true, most casual fans (which includes most students) are more attracted by name than the actual status of the team.  Fans and students would show up in greater numbers for a team like UNC or UCLA, even though they're both pretty bad this year.

We'll get an answer to this one soon enough.  I've got UCLA alums in my family, so I personally can't wait until this series begins.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Nope. Was 16k range.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=330560269

[Mr. Sand-Knit]

Last time. Plus, only time on the Bradley Center history.

Was there, all around a crapty night

[Mr. Nielsen]

Definitely a Wednesday.

I think it was a 6pm ESPN as well.

[Mr. Nielsen]

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=330560269

Wow. Winner winner, chicken dinner! 

[CreightonWarrior]

Just curious, has there been a pinpointed reason attendance is down? Is it TV? I feel like basketball is a lot easier to experience in person than football and I also don’t feel like college basketball is very experience to experience.

[Galway Eagle]

Highest I could find was against ND 2011 it was 91% full. Impressive considering it was over break.