Where were the students??

[Chico]

Don't you think that it is alarming that we have had multiple posts on this thread from different people stating that the Athletic Department has done next to nothing to promote games etc to the students? This is not a new problem. It really would not be very difficult for a representative or an intern from that department to visit different organizations on campus and get input as to how to promote the events to students in a way that would be of interest to the campus. I do not think that this would be terribly expensive and it would make the job for people like Red Sea Elite a lot easier! If I remember correctly, one poster on this board posted that the Red/White scrimmage was not mentioned in the weekly student activities email! I think that is terrible and is a clear illustration to the disconnect that currently exists. People differ from generation to generation. Your generation is different from mine, and both of our generations are different from the generation of students who now attend BU. IMO what is important is to find ways for the Athletic Department to change their ways and be inclusive to the current students. It is something that will take time to achieve. The effort applied now could pay dividends down the road with a larger more diverse fan base and potential donations.

I'm done beating this dead horse. If you're a sports fan, you know when your team is playing. It's up to you to decide if you want to support them or not. Don't care how old you are. GO BRAVES, you can depend on the "blue hairs".

[SFP]

I'm done beating this dead horse. If you're a sports fan, you know when your team is playing. It's up to you to decide if you want to support them or not. Don't care how old you are. GO BRAVES, you can depend on the "blue hairs".

The problem the vast majority of this generation are not true sports fans like the last few. They have grown up with so many other entertainment options it is not even funny. The competition for their mind share is greater then ever. It is that simple and if BU wants to continue their basketball legacy then someone needs to find a way to get these kids away from a virtual screen and participate in an event with real people. All this talk of them being Cub fans or Bears may be true but how many of those games do they attend when home? BU students are no different then any other and I'm sure there are countless of other schools with the same issue.

[amettrick]

Sorry, but nobody who grew up an hour from Peoria and is supposedly a "huge" sports fan and planning on attending Bradley, is going to convince me they didn't know about Bradley basketball. Why do you have to be recruited to go to a game your school is playing? If the students are sports fans they know the schedule.

Believe what you will, but it's true. I chose Bradley for it's proximity to home and it's academics. Like I said, I was an Illini fan, I didn't give 2 craps about Bradley's athletics until I experienced them firsthand.

Attending a college doesn't create an automatic allegience to that school's athletic teams, at least not anymore. Maybe it did in your time, but it's just not true these days. For most students, you have to convince them that the team is worth watching and get them to the games. That's step one. Step two is providing a quality product on the court that keeps them coming back. The problem is BU is ignoring step one completely.

You might not like it, but it's reality.

[LG281]

For most students, you have to convince them that the team is worth watching and get them to the games. That's step one. Step two is providing a quality product on the court that keeps them coming back. The problem is BU is ignoring step one completely.

You might not like it, but it's reality.

Agree for the most part...but lets make sure we have our priorities straight.


STEP 1 - PROVIDE A QUALITY PRODUCT ON THE COURT

STEP 2 - Get the students to a game to experience said "Quality Product".

[unbekannt]

I'm done beating this dead horse. If you're a sports fan, you know when your team is playing. It's up to you to decide if you want to support them or not. Don't care how old you are. GO BRAVES, you can depend on the "blue hairs".

How well do you remember college? I had a difficult major, and I rarely remembered when Bradley was going to play next. There are a lot of things in college that come before going to a basketball game, and college students need to be repeatedly reminded of an event to get them to attend. My friends from college follow Bradley basketball more now than when they were in college.

[thefish7]

How well do you remember college? I had a difficult major, and I rarely remembered when Bradley was going to play next. There are a lot of things in college that come before going to a basketball game, and college students need to be repeatedly reminded of an event to get them to attend. My friends from college follow Bradley basketball more now than when they were in college.

I echo this sentiment.

[Future Walk-On]

I echo this sentiment.

I don't...I and others I know plan our class schedules around the basketball schedule.

[amckillip]

I don't...I and others I know plan our class schedules around the basketball schedule.

People like you and I were/are not the norm.

[SFP]

I don't...I and others I know plan our class schedules around the basketball schedule.

Study, pre-party, give ourselves enough time to roll down the hill, grab a beer and find our seat.

Then again there was no game boy or whatever, internet, text messaging and the games was a place where we knew everyone was going to be hanging out. It sort of was like Saturday night mass in HS.

[Buesch N Chips]

It's about winning, plain and simple.

Although BB says the same thing every time he posts, in this case it is true.

[DeltaBrave03]

I don't...I and others I know plan our class schedules around the basketball schedule.

Didn't take long to learn to try to avoid night classes and at all costs no Tuesday or Wednesday night classes. Heck I changed classes at the beginning of my Frosh year so I wouldn't miss the MSU game for my Monday night math class.

Some people would rather sit in their rooms and play COD Black Ops by themselves for 6 hours instead of interact with other people. It's just the way my generation has developed, and thankfully I am in the minority when it comes to this.

[amckillip]

Study, pre-party, give ourselves enough time to roll down the hill, grab a beer and find our seat.

Then again there was no game boy or whatever, internet, text messaging and the games was a place where we knew everyone was going to be hanging out. It sort of was like Saturday night mass in HS.

I honestly think you are on to something here, the game was a way to meet up. Like HS football games. With all students having cell phones now, I think that aspect is entirely gone.

[theBUer]

I honestly think you are on to something here, the game was a way to meet up. Like HS football games. With all students having cell phones now, I think that aspect is entirely gone.

Maybe not so much technology as it is culture. Chicagoland is pro sports first, and when you consider the traffic for students it is probably not worth it to make it a go to a football/basketball game at their high school.

I come from a rather large town in Illinois (not Peoria), and HS football is huge. It is definitely culture though, since traffic is light in the night and there is nothing else going on sports wise. Even with cell phones and FB and whatnot, plenty of my classmates made sure others went out to the football/basketball games. In fact, there was a student group for basketball games that had a guy dress up in various costumers (not a pep squad mascot).

I get what Chico is saying, but it really only applies if you are a large state school where the athletics is talked about all throughout the state/country OR a private school that is well-known for its athletics. You can't expect students to spend time looking for sports. It's not because of new technology, it's because they likely have more going on in school right then and there that they can't afford much time to look. That is where advertising comes into play.

Bradley is more or less known as an academic school, and in my hometown folks know of its basketball based on the fact they play ISU or that they used to play at the Field House. That's pretty much it.

[Future Walk-On]

Some people would rather sit in their rooms and play COD Black Ops by themselves for 6 hours instead of interact with other people. It's just the way my generation has developed, and thankfully I am in the minority when it comes to this.

Like Brandon Miller

[AZ BU Fan]

How many Bradley students are Cub fans? (rhetorical question) If they can support that franchise, then why not BU?

Cub attendance was pretty crummy in the mid 80's.

When the stadium and Wrigleyville became known as a place to drink and party, before, during, and after the games, people started showing up.

Don't think it had much to do with baseball....