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Asses In The Seats?


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I figured let's take this off the Siena thread since it has nothing to do with them. The less topics involving the better, I say.

 

So the question is, with Benson around, what has he done to reach out to the community so far? Has anyone noticed anything?

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I figured let's take this off the Siena thread since it has nothing to do with them. The less topics involving the better, I say.

 

So the question is, with Benson around, what has he done to reach out to the community so far? Has anyone noticed anything?

 

Ask not what UA can do for you but what you can do for UA! After-all it's your job as a fan to hound the school with suggestions.

 

In all honesty and seriousness, we have a nice program going, with some great fans. This takes time, we are heading in the right direction. There are always things to work on and that won't change.

Edited by Clickclack
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Taking this quote from the other thread:

 

godanesgo99, on 09 Jan 2015 - 12:36 PM, said:

 

Well before earlier this year, I had no idea you could enter from those doors in the back. They are always closed and there are no signs saying you can go in that way. I went to the school, I live less than a mile from campus, and I attend a half dozen or so games a season - and I did not know you were allowed to enter there. So you are right 'Why on earth would anyone walk around?' is a great question. The answer is because most people don't know they can enter another way. This is my biggest complaint - the SEFCU is not very welcoming - especially for a casual fan that only goes a few times a year.

This is true. Before the last game I was Across the Street and a guy at the next table was asking where to park, etc. He had a Saratoga track hat on so I assume he's from the area, but had never been to a game before. It reminded me how hard it is to give directions to either park in the SEFCU lot and then walk around the building, or else how to get to the Dutch parking lot and walk over, and almost as easy to leave the car at the Pub and hike.

 

Season ticket holders have been able to enter from the lot for several years, but it's a pain if you buy your tickets one game at a time.

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Thanks for moving this thread.

 

I have to admit, whenever I read about the "attendance problem" on our board I suspect there are people who are repeating some of the potshots Siena posters take at us on their board. That might be why some people here get so "defensive" about it.

 

That said, there are some legitimate things being said, especially about the arena. One of the main problems I have with the way Sefcu is laid out is that the main entrance basically faces the old gym and not either of the way most fans actually enter. There's not much changing that now. Honestly, rather than piecemealing things, I'd rather see one common, shared concession area built between Sefcu and Ford Field but that may be just my fantasy.

 

No offense to the people who are unhappy with the walk from Dutch Lot to Sefcu but it seems pretty standard, if not better than most other places I've seen games. Others on this board have been to far more road games than I have but I don't think it's bad. CCSU, Quinnipiac, Vermont, Bing all have about the same distance and the bigger venues (Syracuse, TUC) are more of a schlep.

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No the current admin hasn't. But I also know he is focusing on getting his staffing correct before he does anything else. I assume after the department makes its changes then we'll see what you're looking for. ~MsGDG



Taking the above from the other topic, so no, the current administration hasn't but how about the previous administration? There is a solid narrative about how the fans are not doing enough...so I'd like to know when the school has done anything. Again, when has the athletic department done anything in terms of soliciting fan involvement or is it in your opinion not their job.


Edited by Clickclack
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Outside of Syracuse and the TUC - I think we actually have better attendance than most if not all of those schools as well. It is a walk to the TUC from wherever you park, but it is on city streets with bars and restaurants and structures to block the brutal winds. Then you walk up to a huge welcoming entrance and enter into an arena with dozens of places to grab a bite or a tasty beverage.

 

Getting students to go is one topic. Getting people with decent incomes, possibly kids, say the 25-55 crowd to go to the games is another. I fall in the second category, and some of the suggestions I made would get me to go more often. I brought the whole family to the Maine game - and my wife asked me if we could go to a Siena game next because she likes going to the TUC better. We didn't talk for the rest of the half LOL

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Hey, hey, hey Bigpurplefans lets all get our undies untangled here. Biting sarcasm and truths from Mrs. always hurt like a Great Dane chomping on your privates;). My beer, attendance, and whimpy walking statements were relevant in that I thought the idea was a "beer garden" like football has where you can watch the game live with a frosty, we should always look for ways to improve the experience / attendance not settle for comparisons with other AEast schools, and it seems I'm not alone in the parking suggestion - I'm really trying to think like the average Joe who needs reasons to come and campus and a good experience to come back. There's nothing that can easily be done about the parking but it still should be part of planning.


Finally, if Benson has time to consistently reply to fan emails he should be fired because he needs to focus on the bigggggg picture and bigger $. Associates, interns, ... that's what they should be very attentive at.



Can't wait to see the arena more full when the students come back!


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I think at the end of the day, we all want the same things for the program...even if we want it at different times (screen first, seats first, concessions first) or if we go at each others e-throats on the interwebs lol. I mean no disrespect to anyone I call out or disagree with. Just putting that out there. That includes you, MsGDG. ;)

Edited by Ilko
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Posted this in the wrong topic. Oh the irony.

 

 

New/upgraded arenas bring new fans. Look at the attendance at the Bofo for the first season (terrible team) vs. the second season (much better team). If you think it's just about the quality of ball on the court, you're mistaken. We averaged 7000 in 2013 and i think around...5000? in 2014.

Obviously this isnt just in Albany. Every new baseball team that builds a new stadium increases attendance pretty dramatically. The Miami Marlins drew 700,000 more fans in their first year in a new stadium. That was a team that could barely draw flies, let alone catch them.

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Speaking of going to games and buying tickets. Anyone know how to order the courtside tickets, or are they all sold out for the season? When I go to Ualbanysports.com and try to click on that section it says it can't find the section. Would love to get front row seats for when we beat Stony Brook in February.

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I've never sat up there, and I posted in the LCC thread about how badly I wanted to win seats in the courtside leather couches back in the mid 90's but never could win the spot. Would love to try and get courtside for a game like SB if I could, but would even settle for another game.

Edited by godanesgo99
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I think they only had "Couch Potato of the Game" for one season. I thought they could've picked up a few bucks with sponsorship - "The La-Z-Boy Couch Potato..."

 

Haven't sat courtside for the women's noon game, the seats are only really good when the action's in front of you; it's a long look down the length of the court craning your neck when the ball's on the other end of the floor. But you know the refs can hear you.

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Well I just bought courtside for the Stony Brook Game. Used the directory on uasports page to contact the sports department ticket manager. Apparently they don't sell them on-line because they are so limited. $28 each and going to be mailed to me.

 

442-DANE is the box office direct. I couldn't find that number anywhere - so now I have it.

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