Plenty of good seats available...

[IrwinFletcher]

at West Virginia. I know its only TCU, but that place has a lot of empty seats tonight

[CaribouJim]

I noticed that too - really cavernous - like you said, even considering that it was TCU and they were pounding them it was really a sorry crowd.

[IWB]

I got a text from someone last night who was watching the Texas Tech vs Iowa State game, and he made the same comment. What is it with some of these fan bases? If you are a major program, BCS or reputable mid major, there is no reason why your arena shouldn't be 65% full or more for any conference game.

[Goose85]

I got a text from someone last night who was watching the Texas Tech vs Iowa State game, and he made the same comment. What is it with some of these fan bases? If you are a major program, BCS or reputable mid major, there is no reason why your arena shouldn't be 65% full or more for any conference game.

I watched a few minutes of the Texas Tech v. Iowa State game. It looked like a crowd you would expect 1/2 hour before tip off. The lower deck was empty. I looked up announced attendance and it said 7,900. My guess is 4,000 of them never cam in from the concession area.

[MU/Panther]

There are some people who see 13,000 for a Marquette game and say it's a small crowd. MU does play in a 19,000 seat arena.
Looking at USC, Texas Tech, Georgia, Penn State, Wake Forest, they are playing in an arena that is 70% empty.

[IWB]

And with the exception of Wake Forest, those schools have 4 x the students, 4 times the alums and 10 x the 'other' fans.

[TedBaxter]

USC is a head scratcher. I understand that their campus isn't in the best part of LA, but they have a nice on-campus arena, a large alumni base in the area and are only averaging under 4,000 in attendance this year. People think some of the B-7 conference candidates aren't worthy and then you look at some of these other programs in BCS conferences.

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

Also with the exception of Wake those are all major football schools, and on top of that they aren't very good, and that part includes Wake. Lets face it USC is very much a football school and their basketball program will get people to show up if they are good, if they aren't then they will be a complete after thought. The schools that draw the best are the ones that win and win on a regular basis. That applies to almost any sport, even here in Milwaukee people will go watch Bucks games if they are good, same with the Brewers. However if they are just mediocre or bad people will stop showing up.

[MU/Panther]

Wake Forest, used to fill up their arena. I get it, they are not as good as they once were. It was only 4 years ago they were ranked #1 in the polls.

UCLA doesn't get big crowd. They should be selling out almost every game.


That is why I like watching games on NBC Sports Network & CBS Sports Network. I like watching schools like VCU, UNLV, San Deigo St., Wichita St, New Mexico, Xavier, Dayton, Northern Iowa, BYU. Schools that draw very well and the fans get really into the games.

[Goose85]

I get football schools not having much love for hoops, but you'd think league games in BCS conferences would still draw some fans.

Wisconsin used to be that way too, but hockey was the sport, not football.

I recall when I was in college visiting friends at Madison and after college too (1980's). The hardest ticket to get was Badger Hockey, you could easily get football and basketball tickets.

Look at what the football (Alvarez) and basketball success has done for Wisconsin. Badger football is no longer a decide day of game to go with some friends and grab some decent seats, same with basketball.

[TheSultan]

Growing up in Madison, I probably went to 40 or so hockey games in my childhood, and about 20 football games. I went to exactly 2 basketball games - and one was a church youth group outing.

But honestly, I think a lot of it is that it is very expensive to attend these games now. If you are putting out a quality product, it simply isn't worth the $$ any longer. Not to mention that you can stay home and watch a dozen games on a Saturday afternoon if you want to.

[Gato78]

My sports geek nephew and his buddies, who all graduated from Wisconsin about 6 years ago, stopped going to games their senior year. They had a reunion game this year for football and rented out an area of the KK rather than go to the actual game. Their theory is that the games are for the people that are into the ritual cheeriing stuff, and that is fine for them, but they are into the game and the ritual cheering takes away from it so they watch on TV. Game on the line and an "O sucks" cheer breaks out and they get PO'd.They love Bucky but not the silliness--goes for hoops too. Not sure about hockey.

[Goose85]

My sports geek nephew and his buddies, who all graduated from Wisconsin about 6 years ago, stopped going to games their senior year. They had a reunion game this year for football and rented out an area of the KK rather than go to the actual game. Their theory is that the games are for the people that are into the ritual cheeriing stuff, and that is fine for them, but they are into the game and the ritual cheering takes away from it so they watch on TV. Game on the line and an "O sucks" cheer breaks out and they get PO'd.They love Bucky but not the silliness--goes for hoops too. Not sure about hockey.

Not sure if that is the case in areas away from the student corner of the stadium.