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Thought this deserved a new topic because I think this can be a very big deal. We need to determine,in the new future, the direction of our athletic program. We have continuously won the commissioner cup for years and I believe we have outgrown the AE. We need to come up with a way to enlarge our fanbase . Having 2300 people at the Binghamton game sucks !!!!! Attendance at football games is not much better.

 

We really need to come up with a real solution or just be content in the AE.

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It's tough to significantly bump up the attendance without extended success (as in 1 loss/undefeated in conference) over multiple seasons. Only other way to do it is steal a couple of games against high majors in a single season the way Monmouth did. Problem with that is the excitement dies down pretty quickly and their attendance has already taken a pretty decent hit from the second half of last year to this year.

 

The student fanbase does go a long way in the fact that even those 200-300 bodies are usually the loudest if engaged. If you can get students hooked while they're attending as we all know it leads to people being more supportive after they graduate. The student angle is tough since you're not making much (any) money, but hoping it pays off in the long run.

 

It's tough to get the casual fan to support unless there's extraordinary circumstances (national attention for whatever reason) or there's excitement surrounding a particular matchup.

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It's tough to significantly bump up the attendance without extended success (as in 1 loss/undefeated in conference) over multiple seasons. Only other way to do it is steal a couple of games against high majors in a single season the way Monmouth did. Problem with that is the excitement dies down pretty quickly and their attendance has already taken a pretty decent hit from the second half of last year to this year.

 

The student fanbase does go a long way in the fact that even those 200-300 bodies are usually the loudest if engaged. If you can get students hooked while they're attending as we all know it leads to people being more supportive after they graduate. The student angle is tough since you're not making much (any) money, but hoping it pays off in the long run.

 

It's tough to get the casual fan to support unless there's extraordinary circumstances (national attention for whatever reason) or there's excitement surrounding a particular matchup.

Compare our attendance visually with what we see when the team goes on the road to other mid-majors, and while ours isn't where we want it, we're certainly way ahead of the Canisius/UNH, etc of the world.

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So 2015 to 2016 Monmouth jumped from 1,768 to 3,628 (+1,860)

 

Last year we averaged 3,160 in 15 home games...we were at 69.4% capacity for last season

 

Bradley - 5953 (2016- 5-27, 2015- 9-24)

once drew 9,000+ for 13 consecutive seasons, ignore them...capacity is 11,060

 

Charlotte - 4667 (2016- 14-19, 2015- 14-18)

capacity is 9,000 so they were at 51.85% for 2016

 

East Carolina - 4444 (2016- 12-20, 2015- 14-19)

capacity is 8,000...55.55% for 2016

 

Evansville - 5147 (2016- 25-9, 2015- 24-12)

capacity is 11,000...46.79% for 2016

 

George Mason - 4300 (2016- 11-21, 2015- 9-22)

capacity is 9,523...45.15% for 2016

 

Hampton - 4359 (2016- 21-11, 2015- 17-18)

capacity is 7,200...60.54% for 2016

 

Marshall - 5473 (2016- 17-16, 2015- 11-21)

capacity is 9,600...57.01% for 2016

 

Missouri St - 4140 (2016- 13-19, 2015- 11-20)

capacity is 11,000...37.63% for 2016

 

Toledo - 4478 (2016- 17-15, 2015- 20-13)

capacity is 7,300...61.34% for 2016

 

Tulsa - 4745 (2016- 20-12, 2015 23-11)

capacity is 8,355...56.79% for 2016

 

UNC-Wilm - 4199 (2016- 25-8, 2015- 18-14)

capacity is 5,200...80.75% for 2016

 

Wright St. - 4355 (2016- 22-13, 2015- 11-20)

capacity is 12,000...36.29% for 2016

 

Those are the comparable mid majors reaching around the 4,000 + average we'd be looking for.

 

For the most part you're looking at schools with loyal fanbases who performed well in the past. I'll edit and update it with conferences, years in divisions 1 and arena capacity and % occupied when I get a chance.

 

** I'll do the 3 and 5 year averages when I get a chance

Edited by ZLK
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It's tough to significantly bump up the attendance without extended success (as in 1 loss/undefeated in conference) over multiple seasons. Only other way to do it is steal a couple of games against high majors in a single season the way Monmouth did. Problem with that is the excitement dies down pretty quickly and their attendance has already taken a pretty decent hit from the second half of last year to this year.

 

The student fanbase does go a long way in the fact that even those 200-300 bodies are usually the loudest if engaged. If you can get students hooked while they're attending as we all know it leads to people being more supportive after they graduate. The student angle is tough since you're not making much (any) money, but hoping it pays off in the long run.

 

It's tough to get the casual fan to support unless there's extraordinary circumstances (national attention for whatever reason) or there's excitement surrounding a particular matchup.

The students at UA are the worst. There was a greater student turnout by the Siena students than UA at the Albany Cup this year. It's pathetic.

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Look what program at our level mid-major sells out a 4500 arena consistently? How do they do it?

I'll poke around at the figures now

 

Was just checking the NCAA stats myself. Our attendance of 2,824 ranks 147 of 351 - top half. Since they were mentioned, we're only 149 behind Monmouth, 122 behind Stony Brook, about 500 behind Buffalo. Attendance would be 2nd or 3rd in the MAAC, Ivy, Colonial,WAC. Middle of the pack of MAC or C-USA. More than anyone in the Patriot and a lot of other low majors.

 

Or another way - we'd be last only in the ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12 and SEC.

 

$iena attendance is down to 5400 this year, if you believe their numbers. I don't know if they count all the luxury boxes at the TUC as sold out every game. Only 4788 at the Rider game Tuesday.

 

Our women are ranked 94th.

 

So our attendance isn't that bad compared to all of D-I, it depends on what you expect. Without going to another league, especially one where we could count on the visitors traveling a little,(Bing brought almost nobody last night) I don't know how to boost it to what you seem to be aiming at 90% capacity every night.

 

I don't think students drive attendance at many schools either.

 

Current year stats at http://stats.ncaa.org/rankings/change_sport_year_div Attendance is under the "Misc Reports" tab after specifying Men's Basketball and Div. I

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Look what program at our level mid-major sells out a 4500 arena consistently? How do they do it?

I'll poke around at the figures now

Was just checking the NCAA stats myself. Our attendance of 2,824 ranks 147 of 351 - top half. Since they were mentioned, we're only 149 behind Monmouth, 122 behind Stony Brook, about 500 behind Buffalo. Attendance would be 2nd or 3rd in the MAAC, Ivy, Colonial,WAC. Middle of the pack of MAC or C-USA. More than anyone in the Patriot and a lot of other low majors.

 

Or another way - we'd be last only in the ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12 and SEC.

 

$iena attendance is down to 5400 this year, if you believe their numbers. I don't know if they count all the luxury boxes at the TUC as sold out every game. Only 4788 at the Rider game Tuesday.

 

Our women are ranked 94th.

 

So our attendance isn't that bad compared to all of D-I, it depends on what you expect. Without going to another league, especially one where we could count on the visitors traveling a little,(Bing brought almost nobody last night) I don't know how to boost it to what you seem to be aiming at 90% capacity every night.

 

I don't think students drive attendance at many schools either.

 

Current year stats at http://stats.ncaa.org/rankings/change_sport_year_div Attendance is under the "Misc Reports" tab after specifying Men's Basketball and Div. I

I understand the poor attendance for a weeknight game against Binghamton, but why can't every Saturday night home game have a big purple growl atmosphere??? Do the feast thing, have a band play, do the whole Great Dane game day thing.

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Look what program at our level mid-major sells out a 4500 arena consistently? How do they do it?

I'll poke around at the figures now

Was just checking the NCAA stats myself. Our attendance of 2,824 ranks 147 of 351 - top half. Since they were mentioned, we're only 149 behind Monmouth, 122 behind Stony Brook, about 500 behind Buffalo. Attendance would be 2nd or 3rd in the MAAC, Ivy, Colonial,WAC. Middle of the pack of MAC or C-USA. More than anyone in the Patriot and a lot of other low majors.

 

Or another way - we'd be last only in the ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12 and SEC.

 

$iena attendance is down to 5400 this year, if you believe their numbers. I don't know if they count all the luxury boxes at the TUC as sold out every game. Only 4788 at the Rider game Tuesday.

 

Our women are ranked 94th.

 

So our attendance isn't that bad compared to all of D-I, it depends on what you expect. Without going to another league, especially one where we could count on the visitors traveling a little,(Bing brought almost nobody last night) I don't know how to boost it to what you seem to be aiming at 90% capacity every night.

 

I don't think students drive attendance at many schools either.

 

Current year stats at http://stats.ncaa.org/rankings/change_sport_year_div Attendance is under the "Misc Reports" tab after specifying Men's Basketball and Div. I

I understand the poor attendance for a weeknight game against Binghamton, but why can't every Saturday night home game have a big purple growl atmosphere??? Do the feast thing, have a band play, do the whole Great Dane game day thing.

 

to me the answer is the AD...you gotta work on marketing to get people in the seats.

 

I agree with the UA students being ehhh with sports. It was a problem when I was a student. That's why when we made the AE title game, I was lucky to be in the arena calling the game for WCDB. But it kinda annoyed me that these "student fans" showed up for that game, and were non existent the rest of the year except for BPG. The AD gives out these "Daneger Zone" shirts and then that's it. WORK TO GET THESE STUDENTS EVERY DAMN GAME. It sounds crazy, but you gotta offer them stuff if need be.

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