The attendance question

[ancona flash]

Folks, the economy was (and I realize this is somewhat debatable) actually worse last year at this time wasn't it? That is a minor issue - still an issue - but a minor one. Our attendance figures revolve directly around wins and losses and perceived excitement around the team. It's true of any sports team, pro or college. Even the Cubs are seeing it. You can only suck for so long before people don't give a rip.

Look at the 3 teams named in this post having down #'s.

WSU- I don't have WSU's exact numbers, but if they have almost 10K in season tix holders, they have some pretty serious interest. I find it hard to believe that they are down from a year ago. No facts to base that on, just hard to believe.

Creighton- A .500-ish season last year and Altman leaving, not surprising they've dropped. Again, directly resulting from lower on court performance.

ISU- Have you seen them play? Go from a couple NIT seasons (NCAA bubble a few years back) to now, when they will battle with us for the toilet bowl. Hammered by over 30 to UNLV, losing to Ohio U.......of course they are going to drop in attendance.

Fact is, there has been a steady decrease in interest in Bradley basketball in the past 2-3 years and the snowball is growing and increasing in forward speed with each game this year. The casual fan in Peoria could care less.

I've been a JL apologist for years, and always a diehard BU fan, I hate it that we have so many empty seats. But it's the truth.

[electricmayhem]

Koch (WSU) shows their capacity at 10,506, which they hit for just about every conference home game. This year, they show a higher average because they played Tulsa at the InTrust Bank Arena, and drew better than 14,000. Take that game out, and assume they would have drawn 10,506 at Koch, and the numbers are about the same as last year.

[Braved10]

There is a very real decrease in attendance due to the economy. And there is a very real decrease in attendance due to our team's play.
Now the economy could present some opportunities (ie go to a BU game instead of a more expensive pro game) but we are not good enough for that crowd. I also think there has been a very real reduction on marketing, promotions and seating deals,( thus lower attendance, but perhaps same or higher net revenues?).

I do not believe the team can be singled out as the only reason. A significant factor but not the only one, any talk needs to include all reasons...

Do the math: don't you have to assume less tickets sold means less revenue and thus less money for advertising, promotions and halftime entertainment. Cant imagine the AD would cut an advertising budget if they had the money. I would like to know how many of the regular contributors here even go to the games or would go if you lived in town. You cant expect free tickets- no school does that and if they do they are probably losing money. All I know is that if there were more people there the games would be a more exciting atmosphere regardless.

[ph]

Cutting marketing when you want to make more money does not make much sense. (Marketing should mean more sales). Now its possible the marketing team was doing a poor job and the cut was merited..but I'm not sure.

There used to be a few 1/2 price admission deals advertised in past seasons, but not last season, and not yet in this season. I went a few more times a year due to those deals. Full price tickets are hard for a family.

I think the whole marketing deal is odd. The season is how many months old, and its only been in the last week that I've seen/heard "I am a brave" TV and radio ads. We know that phrase was the slogan months ago so why take so long to execute?

[Big Mike]

I would also like to see BU making an effort like the Rivermen....targeting large groups, half price to Vetrans upper bowl..churches , grade schools...anything. When the product on the floor isn't bringing in the masses, something else has to step in! Food specials might also work but we need to get some fans in the arena! I know one thing...if the seat is empty there will be no money spent....if someone is in the seat maybe you get some back by concession sales!

[real fan]

Of course he did. Corporate held tickets have always gone largely unused in many seasons.

SRW is right, especially when you see how quickly attendance numbers grew from the end of the Albeck Era and year 4 of the Molinari Era. When Molinari's teams started to decline, so did the actual attendance. Yet the numbers do not accurately reflect that drop off as BU always continued ranking among the nation's leaders in attendance. While BU still drew legitimately well, there was some artificial inflation.

Just the way there is now because season tickets are being counted every game, even though we've probably only had that actual number maybe 2 times this year.

You have to count tickets sold because it is the revenue that counts, I realize that there are some no shows but not even close to how many empty seats we have had this season, K.K. should not be blamed for what is happening now.

[BuB]

You have to count tickets sold because it is the revenue that counts, I realize that there are some no shows but not even close to how many empty seats we have had this season, K.K. should not be blamed for what is happening now.

Does Bradley or the Civic Center ever announce the actual attendance and not the ticket sold figure?

[Braved10]

Cutting marketing when you want to make more money does not make much sense. (Marketing should mean more sales). Now its possible the marketing team was doing a poor job and the cut was merited..but I'm not sure.

There used to be a few 1/2 price admission deals advertised in past seasons, but not last season, and not yet in this season. I went a few more times a year due to those deals. Full price tickets are hard for a family.

I think the whole marketing deal is odd. The season is how many months old, and its only been in the last week that I've seen/heard "I am a brave" TV and radio ads. We know that phrase was the slogan months ago so why take so long to execute?

Im going to say that the timing has something to do with the new marketing person i met at the autograph session. My wife works at a marketing firm so I just asked her a few basic questions about what she is doing to help sales and she seemed to know what she is talking about- at least her responses were similar to things my wife and i talked about. She did say that discounting tickets was not going to be an option moving forward and thats going to go across the board for all sports. I understand not giving away the product so that part doesnt bother me.

[real fan]

Discounting tickets will not help when fans do not go because the team is not winning.

[dogsrus]

Would you rather sell 11400 tickets,the full revenue of $125,000 and the arena totally empty or $50,000 in hand and a packed house....?

I mean the answer is a no brainer IF revenue is what REALLY matters......

[real fan]

Would you rather sell 11400 tickets,the full revenue of $125,000 and the arena totally empty or $50,000 in hand and a packed house....?

I mean the answer is a no brainer IF revenue is what REALLY matters......

You have to have revenue, and the empty seats are mainly because of the corporate no shows, if the money was not important then we would not be having this conversation as someone would have been fired and the students would be sitting at mid-court. Were you at the game Tues. night?

[Chico]

You have to have revenue, and the empty seats are mainly because of the corporate no shows, if the money was not important then we would not be having this conversation as someone would have been fired and the students would be sitting at mid-court. Were you at the game Tues. night?

Yeah, all 100 students who show up would be sitting at half court.

[jrish12]

Yeah, all 100 students who show up would be sitting at half court.

Ding ding! The problem is, is how the ticket situation was made when Bradley started playing downtown, and the actual set up of the arena make it very difficult to have a real student presence. With how they did tickets, you cant have a great student section and keep the big donors happy. Its just the nature of the beast if you want to have a top notch basketball program at an off campus arena. How poor the team is performing only throws salt in the wound.