FriscoBird90
Active member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2017
- Messages
- 276
Well done, Wooderson. All right, all right, all right.I was a high school senior for five years.
Well done, Wooderson. All right, all right, all right.I was a high school senior for five years.
That movie may have inspired the car I bought in high school despite having no idea how to fix it. How I still have it today I have no idea…Well done, Wooderson. All right, all right, all right.
Speaking of Wyatt....he doesn't hold back here!Look at Wyatt Wheeler does covering Missouri State football and basketball.
This got me curious, so I looked at our attendance the last ten years. Nationally, I know the average is down - but this feels damning.Quite an indictment a lot of it is also true for ISU. I’m an old fuddy duddy, I loved back in the day during timeouts, especially an opponent called one because we were on a run the band would get the crowd really going. Now we have all these pre planned stupid promos…
I felt like the band was getting in to the game more on Sunday than they have been this year. Reminded me a little bit of the past. I miss the boink, boink, boink, pass. I know why we need the promos and that the DJ and piped in music is what everyone is doing now but I also miss the band playing most of the timeouts and even before the game.Quite an indictment a lot of it is also true for ISU. I’m an old fuddy duddy, I loved back in the day during timeouts, especially an opponent called one because we were on a run the band would get the crowd really going. Now we have all these pre planned stupid promos…
Number 1 thing in my eyes is the lack of success. A fan base that grew tired of Muller. Pedon comes in a promptly loses to Western. While not an indictment on what will come it did probably kill some interest from casuals for this season.This got me curious, so I looked at our attendance the last ten years. Nationally, I know the average is down - but this feels damning.
6541 - 4842 - 5483 - 5200 - 5943 - 5142 - 5424 - 4596
2901
3389
In the eight years leading up to COVID, we averaged 4660. In the last two years, we have been at 3145. A 32% decrease Is well below the national average. What do we think the cause is? We know we haven't been winning, so that has to be a factor. Was it COVID? An aging fan base? Easier to stream games?
A few things I have heard from the people who sit around me - what happened to the halftime acts? It just feels so stale and boring to be at a game from start to finish now. Our atmosphere is no different than what the MSU writer pointed out. How can the department make games fun again? Or do they have an interest in that versus just changing the fundraising and raising prices?
Speaking of Wyatt....he doesn't hold back here!
Disagree to an extent. Yes, season ticket holders can bring energy and impact the environment, but teaching incoming students should be on Red Alert leadership. The solid student sections of late 00s are 100% thanks to Phantom and his crew. As a freshman in 2007 they showed us what the student section could be. It went from the 1 section in D + Band to that entire section of the Arena (D + behind the basket). The season ticket holders and casuals fed off that energy.That is a very on point article. I like how he didn't just point to the students, but the season ticket holders who would be better suited to watch the game on TV at home because they brought nothing to the game either. They should be showing the tradition, not the students who are just coming out of HS who don't know anything yet.
Disagree to an extent. Yes, season ticket holders can bring energy and impact the environment, but teaching incoming students should be on Red Alert leadership. The solid student sections of late 00s are 100% thanks to Phantom and his crew. As a freshman in 2007 they showed us what the student section could be. It went from the 1 section in D + Band to that entire section of the Arena (D + behind the basket). The season ticket holders and casuals fed off that energy.
I think Red Alert has great leadership in Trevor, but these students largely haven’t had anything to cheer about. Covid + bad teams make it hard to build. Winning solves all and Trevor’s energy has gotten the few students into games. As success comes that will be infectious. Hell, look at the student crowds football was drawing. It can and will be done.
You should be upgraded to behind the bench for free and the empty seats should be off camera. The empty seats behind the bench and scorer's table are terrible if your trying to display a product. And that's what basketball is, it's a product that ultimately should be earning revenue so that Student's fees don't have to support it.I sit in the section right across from the home bench. One thing I constantly notice is (I assume) Pedon's relatives who sit court side are trying to pump up the crowd during big runs. One guy, in particular, is seemingly in aw that fans won't stand up and make noise unless the game is on the line with under 2 minutes to play. Hell, fans generally are on their asses right after intros and only get up to head to the bathroom. I sit near a lot of the players families as well and have noticed they are wanting to get up and be in the game and they look around to no avail.
It's been talked about before time, and time again "the team needs to give them something to cheer about." Energy is a two-way street provide it, and more times than not, it'll be reciprocated. See the Horton game as the perfect example. Fans brought energy the whole game and knew when to bring that little extra. I'm glad SIU traveled as well as they did on Sunday. It made fans get a little more into it....down the stretch in the second half, anyway.
Honestly, I don't think it would be a bad idea to have a printed "how to be a Redbird fan" brochure on every seat letting people know when they should stand, when to make noise, when to be quiet (we're already pro's at this), a common "chant/cheer" list, a reference to not giving dirty looks to those trying to be involved in the game by staring and cheering...Just something to try to get fans more engaged.
Pedon was asked about the crowd being a part of the win on Sunday and said, "No question. When our fans....and we're a big part of that...can we inspire them with our play, can we give them reason to get on their feet? When that arena gets going...and I know I haven't even seen close to what it can become and what it will become her in a very short time, but the edge and the momentum our arena gives to us, it's second to none."
It's worse - nased on the figures you provided, the average attendance the preceeding 8 years is 5,396 so 41.7% dropThis got me curious, so I looked at our attendance the last ten years. Nationally, I know the average is down - but this feels damning.
6541 - 4842 - 5483 - 5200 - 5943 - 5142 - 5424 - 4596
2901
3389
In the eight years leading up to COVID, we averaged 4660. In the last two years, we have been at 3145. A 32% decrease Is well below the national average. What do we think the cause is? We know we haven't been winning, so that has to be a factor. Was it COVID? An aging fan base? Easier to stream games?
A few things I have heard from the people who sit around me - what happened to the halftime acts? It just feels so stale and boring to be at a game from start to finish now. Our atmosphere is no different than what the MSU writer pointed out. How can the department make games fun again? Or do they have an interest in that versus just changing the fundraising and raising prices?
This got me curious, so I looked at our attendance the last ten years. Nationally, I know the average is down - but this feels damning.
6541 - 4842 - 5483 - 5200 - 5943 - 5142 - 5424 - 4596
2901
3389
In the eight years leading up to COVID, we averaged 4660. In the last two years, we have been at 3145. A 32% decrease Is well below the national average. What do we think the cause is? We know we haven't been winning, so that has to be a factor. Was it COVID? An aging fan base? Easier to stream games?
A few things I have heard from the people who sit around me - what happened to the halftime acts? It just feels so stale and boring to be at a game from start to finish now. Our atmosphere is no different than what the MSU writer pointed out. How can the department make games fun again? Or do they have an interest in that versus just changing the fundraising and raising prices?
They use to have the fraternities and sororities have greek night each year. They use to hang banners and everything. I wonder if they will do that again this yearLike most have said winning is the most important factor to attendance. I think other things are continuity with the team so fans and students feel more connected with who they are going to watch. For students it does take much more effort than it used to, I’m not a student anymore so not sure what goes on but having the coaches talk to fraternities/sororities or other student groups helped when I was there. Also if there’s a big game coming up maybe ask different school departments to give a little extra credit if students go to the game. Happy I was in school when we had some good teams and really good student attendance for the most part
I remember the awesome drummer the pep band had back years ago. He could really get the crowd going.ISU needs to go back to the future. Want a DJ and piped in music, go to a professional sports team. Want a true honest college experience, fire up the band and bring back the tubas. Not going to see that at the bulls game. Fill halftime with student and possibly alumni introductions. People will show just to see their friends family etc. Go watch a 1980s game and bring it all back. Not just a retro night but a retro season. Definitely be something the students have not experienced before. Have a game “reserved for every college and or departments on campus. Invite students and alumni to go to the game. Try a few games with just the band and no piped in DJ music, advertise that and see how it draws. Try something!!!
I just don’t have the confidence in our department right now. Halftimes have been boring. Every ticket promotion they just post on social media with a code for any and everyone. Twice this season someone has had their tickets printed and were exactly the same as mine. I tried to meet with the fundraising people in athletics and didn’t get a reply. Marketing the same thing. It feels harder and harder to connect with anyone at the university at a time when there was momentum again.ISU needs to go back to the future. Want a DJ and piped in music, go to a professional sports team. Want a true honest college experience, fire up the band and bring back the tubas. Not going to see that at the bulls game. Fill halftime with student and possibly alumni introductions. People will show just to see their friends family etc. Go watch a 1980s game and bring it all back. Not just a retro night but a retro season. Definitely be something the students have not experienced before. Have a game “reserved for every college and or departments on campus. Invite students and alumni to go to the game. Try a few games with just the band and no piped in DJ music, advertise that and see how it draws. Try something!!!
I remember the awesome drummer the pep band had back years ago. He could really get the crowd going.