Fans at Fiserv

[The Sultan]

I don't like paying $13 for a pint but I won't let that stop me from having a few at the game if I want 'em.  My comment was meant more as a general observation that cheaper beer prices would result in higher arena-wide consumption, which would lead to a more raucous crowd.

They are pricing it to maximize revenue, not to maximize crowd raucousness.

[BrewCity83]

They are pricing it to maximize revenue, not to maximize crowd raucousness.

I know why they're doing it.  I'm saying that they fact that they are doing it is affecting the amount of drinking at games and therefore the liveliness of the crowd.

[Spotcheck Billy]

I believe it was $13 since FF opened, probably going up next year.

[MUfan12]

Who are the people who make the decisions regarding all this and more?  How much control do MU employees have the activities?

All the in-game entertainment is controlled by MU. Not sure who the point person is on it.

So much of this is geared towards the students, but the students don't really respond to it outside of the Shake Shack FT thing. The "Student Section Party" timeout is hilarious. No one is into it.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I'll likely be watching that one from an airport, likely drinking > $13 beers, lol.  But if your at the same airport bar and wearing Marquette gear, I'll send a beer your way.

What day & game is NMD this year?

[rocky_warrior]

What day & game is NMD this year?

Butler on Sat 2/26 - noon game.

[The Lens]

This is the answer.  Just win.

TBH, though, I don't see any reduction in entertainment operations from the Crean era to now.  The bar was raised and people are used to it.   Not much else to be done besides giving every row their own personal cheerleader. 

Not so much reduction but some changes, less emphasis.  Crean was big on Hot Timeouts (this was profiled in an article several years ago) --- timeouts that immediately go into music specifically designed to keep the crowd loud.  MU does them to an extent but they may be started after they do a :30 ad read.  That Prof of the Game needs to go or be done at halftime.  That's one suggestion.  The other is if you want a Hot Timeout, make it hot.  Ditch the ad read and go right to your Top 5 music selections, ESPECIALLY if your opponent just called at TO after you made a play.  Keep the party rocking.  Back then they had game ops DJ who is a professional show man and understands events.  Now they just have a DJ who gets music transitions and the like but isn't as in tuned to working the crowd.  Couple that with this stuff was one of TC's top priorities and it was not with Buzz & Wojo so those little details could slide.

I went to the MU women's game (Loss to Nova) and every timeout was hopping.  Fantastic atmosphere.   

[DienerTime34]

One underrated aspect of the Crean/Buzz years - and a big reason those crowds were a bit rowdier - is the nationally-known (and hated) coaches on the opposing sidelines. Man, did people love booing Pitino, Boeheim, Calhoun & Huggins. Even casual fans knew to be up for those games.

As great as the Big East is basketball-wise now, there was just some added juice to those match-ups you don't get from a Creighton or Butler. Not to mention we played Notre Dame in those days as well.

[Wade-A-Minute]

Crean was very much in control of songs played during time outs. I had front row seats behind MU's bench at the Bradley Center. I recall an intense 1 point game against Georgetown and a time out was called with about 2 minutes left. The crowd was very loud and into the game. I don't remember what song the dj played but Crean was furious and said something to Broeker. We were amazed that he noticed that in the throws of a tight game heading into a time out. The biggie back then was Cotton Eyed Joe.

[Galway Eagle]

Crean was very much in control of songs played during time outs. I had front row seats behind MU's bench at the Bradley Center. I recall an intense 1 point game against Georgetown and a time out was called with about 2 minutes left. The crowd was very loud and into the game. I don't remember what song the dj played but Crean was furious and said something to Broeker. We were amazed that he noticed that in the throws of a tight game heading into a time out. The biggie back then was Cotton Eyed Joe.

The OG baby shark song for you kids reading

[94Warrior]

I loved the
KAR-EN SY-PHER
chants at Pitino while we were routing Looserville. 

May have been loudest during the same game Buzz walked it out following the DJO power jam.

Need more hated rivals with unlikeable coaches on the schedule.

[MUfan12]

Here's that article Lens mentioned. Need to get back to this.

"Todd Scheel, whose Milwaukee company FX in Motion began playing the song at Marquette in 2002 as part of a contract for game entertainment, said he "stumbled" across the song. "It didn't take long to catch on." Scheel took it to Wake Forest for a TV game against Duke on Feb. 13, 2003, which Wake won in double overtime. Hauser said in the days after that game he received calls from schools around the nation wanting to know about that song.

"I had never heard it before," Hauser said. "I think one of the reasons it was successful (for us) is that we played it for a big conference game, we won, and it was a team with Chris Paul."

Scheel and Hauser agree that a song such as this is most effective in basketball at what they call "hot timeouts." That's when the home team has gone on a run to catch up or pull ahead, usually forcing the other team to call a timeout.

"That's the worst time to bring out a promotion or to do something with a sponsor," said Hauser. "In a hot timeout we're going with something like Zombie Nation or the fight song."

Says Scheel, "If you catch the crowd as they are ramping up to its peak or at its peak and you have a song like that, the entire arena claps to it and you can sustain that through the whole timeout."

https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2009-02-19-zombie-nation-arena-music_N.htm

[The Lens]

Here's that article Lens mentioned. Need to get back to this.

"Todd Scheel, whose Milwaukee company FX in Motion began playing the song at Marquette in 2002 as part of a contract for game entertainment, said he "stumbled" across the song. "It didn't take long to catch on." Scheel took it to Wake Forest for a TV game against Duke on Feb. 13, 2003, which Wake won in double overtime. Hauser said in the days after that game he received calls from schools around the nation wanting to know about that song.

"I had never heard it before," Hauser said. "I think one of the reasons it was successful (for us) is that we played it for a big conference game, we won, and it was a team with Chris Paul."

Scheel and Hauser agree that a song such as this is most effective in basketball at what they call "hot timeouts." That's when the home team has gone on a run to catch up or pull ahead, usually forcing the other team to call a timeout.

"That's the worst time to bring out a promotion or to do something with a sponsor," said Hauser. "In a hot timeout we're going with something like Zombie Nation or the fight song."

Says Scheel, "If you catch the crowd as they are ramping up to its peak or at its peak and you have a song like that, the entire arena claps to it and you can sustain that through the whole timeout."

https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2009-02-19-zombie-nation-arena-music_N.htm

Yea, I'm not crazy, this is science.  And I'm not complaining to complain --- we once were great at it and now we're just OK.  And it's totally fixable. 

Honestly, when TC gets fired in 2 months bring him back as Basketball CMO.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

There is definitely some truth to that. Would always love to hear Zombie Nation after a big momentum swing to timeout.

[connie]

I think it's just a far less organized operation. The DJ now has no feel for the game/momentum. Plays some bizarre songs (baby shark still?) and plays over the band.

Sorry, if she's drowning out the band she has to stay.

[Galway Eagle]

Sorry, if she's drowning out the band she has to stay.

Why? Does she have dirt on someone?

[jesmu84]

They are pricing it to maximize revenue, not to maximize crowd raucousness.

Wish they'd take the Atlanta falcons approach

[We R Final Four]

Why? Does she have dirt on someone?

I believe Connie is the one who picked seats next to the band........and doesn't like the band.

[Miss Katie’s]

Wish they'd take the Atlanta falcons approach

+1

Wish all venues would do this. 

[The Sultan]

+1

Wish all venues would do this. 

Well if f course we wish that. But it doesn't make a lot of sense from the venues perspective.

[Galway Eagle]

I believe Connie is the one who picked seats next to the band........and doesn't like the band.

Lol genius move.

[GoldenEagles03]

I think we're over-thinking this...win and fans will come and be loud.  Shaka and team are off to a hell of a start.

Agree with this.  Listen...a lot of these kids (Freshman and Sophomores and any transfer kids) are experiencing in arena basketball for the first time due to COVID.  The traditions and noise will pick back up, especially if Shaka's brand is here to stay.  Win and this will be the class of the Big East in terms of in game home experience.

[Scoop Snoop]

The comments here gave me a really good idea of what is going on while I am muting obnoxious ads (e.g., Liberty with that stupid emu and his equally stupid human) and your remarks are a mixed bag, just as would be expected. Thanks for posting.

While I had moved West to the Blue Ridge Mountain area by the time Shaka was VCU, I lived in Richmond for 20 years and in addition to seeing games on TV and highlights on the news, I knew from friends Shaka had taken the city by storm. The energy at the home games was absolutely amazing and VCU's band and students fed off of each other.

The impression I got here is that our band, the DJ and some other factors/players leave plenty of room for improvement. Maybe when Shaka has a moment to spare in between planning yet another victory he can pass on the name(s) of the person(s) who orchestrated VCU's act.     

[JakeBarnes]

The comments here gave me a really good idea of what is going on while I am muting obnoxious ads (e.g., Liberty with that stupid emu and his equally stupid human) and your remarks are a mixed bag, just as would be expected. Thanks for posting.

While I had moved West to the Blue Ridge Mountain area by the time Shaka was VCU, I lived in Richmond for 20 years and in addition to seeing games on TV and highlights on the news, I knew from friends Shaka had taken the city by storm. The energy at the home games was absolutely amazing and VCU's band and students fed off of each other.

The impression I got here is that our band, the DJ and some other factors/players leave plenty of room for improvement. Maybe when Shaka has a moment to spare in between planning yet another victory he can pass on the name(s) of the person(s) who orchestrated VCU's act.   

VCU also has a music program.  But yeah, their band was insanely good.

[Goose]

I love the fact they are engaging the fans with defensive goals. This is another example of building an identity and a brand. Once everyone fully understands the goals, I think the place gets louder and louder. The good news, there is a ton of excitement around this team and that build on itself. Four weeks ago, folks left the FF awfully disappointed, and things have changed to the upside quickly.