Another thing about the TU ...

[DaneFan2k3]

While we're on the topic of the Times Union being terrible ... or maybe just Ettkin ... why does Siena have its own special section on the timesunion.com web site?

 

http://localsports.timesunion.com/sports/c.../college/siena/

 

Is Siena the only Division I program in town? If you weren't from Albany and looked at their web site, you would think so.

 

So why isn't there a UAlbany site? It archives all the articles, there is a poll, information on the team, etc.

 

WHAT GIVES TIMES UNION?

[soup]

Maybe Siena's 15 wins in the NIT/NCAA tournaments over the last 10 years has something to do with it and the fact that there are a lot more people in the area are interested in Siena than UAlbany. Let's face it, you guys were playing a HUGE conference game today and only 1200 people showed up.

[AlbanyObserver]

2004 Albany Cup Winners -- UAlbany Great Danes

 

How's that MAAC power rating????

[AlbanyObserver]

Speaking of attendance, atleast we report the right numbers and not add an additional 800 each game like they do down at the Pepsi.

[alumni '92']

Is Siena the only Division I program in town? If you weren't from Albany and looked at their web site, you would think so.

So why isn't there a UAlbany site? It archives all the articles, there is a poll, information on the team, etc. - DaneFan2K3

I called and asked about that last year ... TU sports dept. stated that is satisfying "the current market" ... the day will come ...

Maybe Siena's 15 wins in the NIT/NCAA tournaments over the last 10 years has something to do with it and the fact that there are a lot more people in the area are interested in Siena than UAlbany. Let's face it, you guys were playing a HUGE conference game today and only 1200 people showed up. - Soup

how many did you get this football season? ... oops ... a few years back i was unsure about UA becoming a real threat to siena basketball from a business standpoint, i don't feel that way any longer ... the days are numbered ... it may still be a few seaons off, but even now the UA athletic dept. trumps siena ... in the short run ... how about that 21 point beating the danes laid on the saints? ... can't wait for nov. 2005 ... and beyond

"It's not just basketball, it's siena basketball."

Edited January 3, 2005 by alumni '92'

[Dane96]

Speaking of attendance, atleast we report the right numbers and not add an additional 800 each game like they do down at the Pepsi.

And school is not in session.

[soup]

Football? Who cares about football? Non-scholarship D-IAA is on the same level with RPI and Union.

 

With school in session, UAlbany is lucky to draw 1800 for the last two games. I know you guys have a loyal student following -but it's really only a couple of hundred that show up - if that. Even with a solid base of 2000, UAlbany would have to more than triple their base to get near Siena's. The reason Siena is playing at The Pepsi is because they have more season ticketholders than they do seats at the ARC (4500 capacity).

 

Also, UAlbany certainly has the potential to expand their athletic programs - much moreso than Siena. However, I just don't see Albany getting 3000 or 3500 on a regular basis - even with a potential 20 win team. Even with 3500, you guys are still 1500 short of a sellout. There is nothing in Albany's past support that would show that. Seems that Siena grads stick around the area following graduation - probably because they have a large local student base, while the bulk of UAlbany grads head back to Long Island/NJ/NYC etc - so the alumni core in the area isn't as strong.

 

I know the MAAC put the squash on "announced" attendance. There were MAAC programs that were using the date of the game as attendance (12/20 = 1220). I know that Siena counts tickets collected at the gate now. Look at the MAAC tournament attendance the last couple of times it was in Albany and the 2003 NIT attendance - pretty average numbers (7k or so). If Siena is padding numbers by "800"....they would still average 6k+ without the 800.....and that's with an awful team.

 

Whichever team has the better guards is going to win the Siena/UAlbany match-ups. I don't see Siena being able to handle you guys next year in the backcourt.....not until Siena's frosh are a little more experienced.

 

If you guys were ever going to start drawing 2500, 3000 this would be the year. As it can not get any worse at Siena right now and it's probably going to get worse. I'm really shocked that you guys didn't draw more the last two games - 1300 and 1200 is putrid for a team that is playing it's best ball in 6 or 7 years - even if the kids are out on break. My brother is a UAlbany senior and he goes to more Siena games than he does UAlbany games. He hasn't been to 5 RACC games in 3.5 years.

Edited January 3, 2005 by soup

[Dane96]

We averaged over 3000 for the last month of our DIII 1993 squad. I think a succcesfull DI team, with tradition slowly being built, can get 4500 students in about 5-10 years...on a regular basis. Look at Binghamton. Same kids, same bars, same issues.

 

If you remotely think SIENA gets more than 2000 students at a game...I got a uranium field to sell you.

 

Your argument lacks substance. Siena has a 20 year head start. UALBANY cant expect fans to flock in the first year they have a real DI team. It starts slow my man...but even if we got 10% of the students to show up, that would be 2000. Plus family, high schools, locals, opposing teams. That is at least another 1200 or so. AND THOSE ARE LOW END FIGURES. We get 4000 for the BPG.

 

 

NEXT!

[DaneFan2k3]

The fact that the TU is "satisfying the market" is sad ... since Siena is a hoops-only school. So basically they are saying that no on in the Capital Region cares about anything but hoops? What?

 

Is the TU saying that all the thousands of kids who play lacrosse in this region don't care about the fact that we're an up-and-coming mid-major power with a real chance at the NCAAs every year?

 

Aside from that argument, which is terrrrrrrible, you know how much work maintaining that Siena page probably takes? NADA. They probably have an intern do it. You set it up once, and then you link up to stories that are already in the sports section archives. WHOOOOPIE!

 

It's a LACK OF RESPECT BABY.

 

And while I'm on the rant ...

 

The TU gives a great big giant handjob to the River Rats and the Conquest ... ok, let me tell you something. It's a secret, don't let the folks out near the airport in that big building know this ...

 

NO ONE EFFING CARES ABOUT THE CONQUEST. Literally no one. It's a joke ... they give away as many tickets as they sell. IT'S MINOR LEAGUE ARENA FOOTBALL!

 

It's not even the top tier of Arena Football. If the CFL and NFL Europe are the equivalent of AA football (come on, D-IA college = AAA) ... then what does that make Arena League? Single-A? And then af2 would be ... Rookie League, Short-Season??

 

So what "market" are they satisfying there??

 

Bottom line: UAlbany, Siena, RPI Hockey, Union hockey. They should all have "special sections" on the TU web site. D-I only. No St. Rose. Nothing else for RPI or Union. Cut-and-dried.

[soup]

We averaged over 3000 for the last month of our DIII 1993 squad. I think a succcesfull DI team, with tradition slowly being built, can get 4500 students in about 5-10 years...on a regular basis. Look at Binghamton. Same kids, same bars, same issues.

 

If you remotely think SIENA gets more than 2000 students at a game...I got a uranium field to sell you.

 

Your argument lacks substance. Siena has a 20 year head start. UALBANY cant expect fans to flock in the first year they have a real DI team. It starts slow my man...but even if we got 10% of the students to show up, that would be 2000. Plus family, high schools, locals, opposing teams. That is at least another 1200 or so. AND THOSE ARE LOW END FIGURES. We get 4000 for the BPG.

 

 

NEXT!

I never said Siena gets 2k students to games...they get about 50. When they played at the ARC they would get 1500-2000 students. The last month of the 1993 DIII squad was all for the NCAA tournament games - which I don't believe you guys will be hosting any of them anytime soon.

 

You guys should be ashamed of yourselves if the Vermont/Northeastern games don't draw 4k.

[UAalum72]

Football? Who cares about football? Non-scholarship D-IAA is on the same level with RPI and Union.

 

 

Maybe $iena's football program was at that level - wait, that's giving the 'aints too much credit.

 

Seems that Siena grads stick around the area following graduation - probably because they have a large local student base...

I always did consider Siena kind of an extension of Catholic Central

 

The Troy Record doesn't have any trouble giving UAlbany football and basketball their own links, along with the local college sports link, and they've got a lot fewer resources than the T-U.

[Dane Pound]

Come on guys, show Soup some compassion. Their attendance is the last remaining vestige of the once proud Siena hoops program. Despite their troubles they still draw well-I guess misery really does love company.

[Dane96]

Football? Who cares about football? Non-scholarship D-IAA is on the same level with RPI and Union.

 

With school in session, UAlbany is lucky to draw 1800 for the last two games. I know you guys have a loyal student following -but it's really only a couple of hundred that show up - if that. Even with a solid base of 2000, UAlbany would have to more than triple their base to get near Siena's. The reason Siena is playing at The Pepsi is because they have more season ticketholders than they do seats at the ARC (4500 capacity).

 

Also, UAlbany certainly has the potential to expand their athletic programs - much moreso than Siena. However, I just don't see Albany getting 3000 or 3500 on a regular basis - even with a potential 20 win team. Even with 3500, you guys are still 1500 short of a sellout. There is nothing in Albany's past support that would show that. Seems that Siena grads stick around the area following graduation - probably because they have a large local student base, while the bulk of UAlbany grads head back to Long Island/NJ/NYC etc - so the alumni core in the area isn't as strong.

 

I know the MAAC put the squash on "announced" attendance. There were MAAC programs that were using the date of the game as attendance (12/20 = 1220). I know that Siena counts tickets collected at the gate now. Look at the MAAC tournament attendance the last couple of times it was in Albany and the 2003 NIT attendance - pretty average numbers (7k or so). If Siena is padding numbers by "800"....they would still average 6k+ without the 800.....and that's with an awful team.

 

Whichever team has the better guards is going to win the Siena/UAlbany match-ups. I don't see Siena being able to handle you guys next year in the backcourt.....not until Siena's frosh are a little more experienced.

 

If you guys were ever going to start drawing 2500, 3000 this would be the year. As it can not get any worse at Siena right now and it's probably going to get worse. I'm really shocked that you guys didn't draw more the last two games - 1300 and 1200 is putrid for a team that is playing it's best ball in 6 or 7 years - even if the kids are out on break. My brother is a UAlbany senior and he goes to more Siena games than he does UAlbany games. He hasn't been to 5 RACC games in 3.5 years.

Soup,

 

You discussed the student base of Albany. Then you discussed Siena's "base". Forgive me for tying to logically interpret the fact you were trying to make.

 

As for the DIII squad....umm, no chief, UA only hosted three games: St. John Fisher, Stockton State, NYU. I was talking the entire last month AND the playoffs. I think I would know....I sat at the end of that bench!

 

Again, Siena fans make me YAWN. BTW...your brother shows his affiliation well. WHATS HIS EXCUSE FOR NOT MAKING THE RACC?! My guess, the same as others....NO TRADITION YET!

[KingDane]

Soup says he does not expect the Danes to be hosting any NCAA games any time soon. Sooner, though, than Siena might. An established D-1 program with a long and storied history, losing by 21 to the crosstown newcomers must be a tougher pill to swallow than first thought.

[soup]

Soup says he does not expect the Danes to be hosting any NCAA games any time soon. Sooner, though, than Siena might. An established D-1 program with a long and storied history, losing by 21 to the crosstown newcomers must be a tougher pill to swallow than first thought.

Not tough considering I picked UAlbany to wipe the floor with Siena's freshman guards.