(08-05-2013 11:53 AM)TOPPERSonTOP Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 11:24 AM)panama Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 10:27 AM)TOPPERSonTOP Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 09:02 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 08:27 AM)TOPPERSonTOP Wrote:  All I am saying is that if you ever want to be successful in basketball you need a larger arena. you don't need 15k, but 7-8 is a minimum. WKU's Diddle is too small.

If I am not mistaken, didn't a previous renovation at Diddle reduce the seating capacity? If it is too small, why did they reduce it further?

They put in premium seating.

He asked why, so I told him...

If its too small wouldn't it make sense to make it bigger AND add premium seating?

(08-05-2013 11:57 AM)panama Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 11:53 AM)TOPPERSonTOP Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 11:24 AM)panama Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 10:27 AM)TOPPERSonTOP Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 09:02 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  If I am not mistaken, didn't a previous renovation at Diddle reduce the seating capacity? If it is too small, why did they reduce it further?

They put in premium seating.

He asked why, so I told him...

If its too small wouldn't it make sense to make it bigger AND add premium seating?

Ever think that the structure wouldn't make it feasible?

(08-05-2013 12:02 PM)TOPPERSonTOP Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 11:57 AM)panama Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 11:53 AM)TOPPERSonTOP Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 11:24 AM)panama Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 10:27 AM)TOPPERSonTOP Wrote:  They put in premium seating.

He asked why, so I told him...

If its too small wouldn't it make sense to make it bigger AND add premium seating?

Ever think that the structure wouldn't make it feasible?

Ever think that nobody knows about your arena and this thread is about ours?

(08-05-2013 12:48 PM)panama Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 12:02 PM)TOPPERSonTOP Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 11:57 AM)panama Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 11:53 AM)TOPPERSonTOP Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 11:24 AM)panama Wrote:  

He asked why, so I told him...

If its too small wouldn't it make sense to make it bigger AND add premium seating?

Ever think that the structure wouldn't make it feasible?

Ever think that nobody knows about your arena and this thread is about ours?

Sorry to steal your 30 seconds of message board fame:

That is a beautiful arena!

It would be nice if you guys could get your attendance higher, sure would be an easier sell for the basketball fanbase for us. The average for 11 schools that will make up next year in 2012 (last year we have numbers) was 2,221. The MVC (replaced Creighton with Loyola talk about a big hit from 16k to 2k) was 5440. That average attendance would have put you behind the OVC and Southern Conference. I know you have better schools in basketball than what is being done IMO.

(08-05-2013 01:17 PM)MissouriStateBears Wrote:  It would be nice if you guys could get your attendance higher, sure would be an easier sell for the basketball fanbase for us. The average for 11 schools that will make up next year in 2012 (last year we have numbers) was 2,221. The MVC (replaced Creighton with Loyola talk about a big hit from 16k to 2k) was 5440. That average attendance would have put you behind the OVC and Southern Conference. I know you have better schools in basketball than what is being done IMO.

Its.The.South.

The issue with basketball attendance is clear. As evidenced from this board, the attention is diverted to football. What facilities have been expanded? What budgets have been expanded? I know at UTA, we have finally made it a bigger priority.

From 2011 to last year, our attendance average increased by about 250%. The first few games of the new arena against SLC teams were above 4,000. When we played in the WAC, there were a lot of ho-hum opponents and the attendance dipped. But when Utah State came in, a team that is recognizable, we drew almost 5,000. I would expect a better average now in the Belt when our third nearest isn't in another time zone. EDIT: When NMSU came in, it was over Christmas break.

I suspect as realignment lowers its momentum and a period of stability settles, the SBC will raise the average and the fan base gets to know the other teams.

(08-06-2013 07:48 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  The issue with basketball attendance is clear. As evidenced from this board, the attention is diverted to football. What facilities have been expanded? What budgets have been expanded? I know at UTA, we have finally made it a bigger priority.

From 2011 to last year, our attendance average increased by about 250%. The first few games of the new arena against SLC teams were above 4,000. When we played in the WAC, there were a lot of ho-hum opponents and the attendance dipped. But when Utah State came in, a team that is recognizable, we drew almost 5,000. I would expect a better average now in the Belt when our third nearest isn't in another time zone. EDIT: When NMSU came in, it was over Christmas break.

I suspect as realignment lowers its momentum and a period of stability settles, the SBC will raise the average and the fan base gets to know the other teams.

Attendance will wax and wane withe individual teams' fortunes. Win and goes up. Lose and it goes down. Non-football schools have all their eggs in that basket so thats is what alumni and students follow. In KY, TN and NC and VA you may even rise to the level of actually developing a basketball culture. But when you go into a package store or grocery store or barber shop or on the job, people in SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, AR, LA. and TX by an large the conversation will be about football. The difference in interest level in our program since football started is exponential. I imagine that USA is experiencing the same. Its football country. If UTA brings football back the same will happen,.

(08-06-2013 07:48 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  The issue with basketball attendance is clear. As evidenced from this board, the attention is diverted to football. What facilities have been expanded? What budgets have been expanded? I know at UTA, we have finally made it a bigger priority.

From 2011 to last year, our attendance average increased by about 250%. The first few games of the new arena against SLC teams were above 4,000. When we played in the WAC, there were a lot of ho-hum opponents and the attendance dipped. But when Utah State came in, a team that is recognizable, we drew almost 5,000. I would expect a better average now in the Belt when our third nearest isn't in another time zone. EDIT: When NMSU came in, it was over Christmas break.

I suspect as realignment lowers its momentum and a period of stability settles, the SBC will raise the average and the fan base gets to know the other teams.

This last version of the belt had been together for years. Did nothing to help attendance at any of the schools. Why do people come only when a recognized team comes to town? Do your fans come to see UTA or USU?

my biggest beef with the gsu arena is the photo i saw showed the hoops pulling out of the wall like lunchroom tables at an elementary school. worse than the old troy gym.

(08-06-2013 09:54 AM)dahbeed Wrote:  my biggest beef with the gsu arena is the photo i saw showed the hoops pulling out of the wall like lunchroom tables at an elementary school. worse than the old troy gym.

Soviets

(08-06-2013 08:13 AM)TOPPERSonTOP Wrote:  

(08-06-2013 07:48 AM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  The issue with basketball attendance is clear. As evidenced from this board, the attention is diverted to football. What facilities have been expanded? What budgets have been expanded? I know at UTA, we have finally made it a bigger priority.

From 2011 to last year, our attendance average increased by about 250%. The first few games of the new arena against SLC teams were above 4,000. When we played in the WAC, there were a lot of ho-hum opponents and the attendance dipped. But when Utah State came in, a team that is recognizable, we drew almost 5,000. I would expect a better average now in the Belt when our third nearest isn't in another time zone. EDIT: When NMSU came in, it was over Christmas break.

I suspect as realignment lowers its momentum and a period of stability settles, the SBC will raise the average and the fan base gets to know the other teams.

This last version of the belt had been together for years. Did nothing to help attendance at any of the schools. Why do people come only when a recognized team comes to town? Do your fans come to see UTA or USU?

I would assume it is the same as it is at WKU. Fans will come and root on their team when they play a big name or a regional rival within close proximity.

I looked to see if this phenomenon was just a local thing, as that is how it is at all the schools in the area and conferences I have been a part of and sure enough, even at WKU, that is the case. The highest attended game last year was MTSU at 7,326. The second was Arkansas St at 5,862. Third Ark-LR with 5,221. Fourth was Louisiana at 4,914.

The least attended games were against Southern Illinois (3,833) and Brescia (4,062).

I looked back to find the last "big name" that came to Diddle was South Carolina on 11-27-10. That game saw 6,012, which would have been second last year and would be about 2,000 more than any non-conference game.

So in games that meant something (conference, rival, bigger name) WKU brought in more than in other games. Same thing here. We brought in 6,421 for OU and 4,837 for Utah State, but only 1,082 for Seattle as school started.

However, since there was a time in the Texas Hall era where 1,082 would have been in the top three if not the highest attended game of the year, I am can at least feel we are making progress.