The idea was a success!

[bigdaddystuck]

I agree with this being a once a year thing, but I still don't understand how one game could scare people off, or make season ticket holders upset when there will still be 14 or 15 more games at the CC. See my post above which explains this more.

My meaning was that many people may think/suspect/believe that a ticket would be hard to come by. Myself, I am not a season ticket holder, I usually buy a few game tickets based on my schedule. I would be worried about ticket availability, IF more games would be played up there during a season. I understand that this season there is the regular number of games downtown.

[buschsquirrel2011]

Tell me about it. I walked many times from W.Peoria to the Fieldhouse, including the game against Creighton when all the side streets were impassable. Many other times we parked several blocks away and made the walk. Wouldn't try it now. Many of the fans you brought up still go to Carver, but the Fieldhouse days were 30 years ago and just like walking several blocks, things have changed. The blue hairs aren't the cause of the fan base becoming a myth.

The quality of basketball on the court has changed along with how much winning has been done recently at Bradley. Look no further than that.

[mrcoachdude]

The quality of basketball on the court has changed along with how much winning has been done recently at Bradley. Look no further than that.

Really? I am thinking we can look much further than quality and amount of wins.

[Chico]

The quality of basketball on the court has changed along with how much winning has been done recently at Bradley. Look no further than that.

Hard to disagree, but even with that the number of season ticket holders continues to impress. May not get the 10000 crowds anymore for every game, but many have been coming for years and will continue and most have to come alot further than the campus.

[78Brave]

There is no doubt that winning will make a big difference. But Bradley didn't always win - mid 70s etc and the crowd enthusiasm was much better than it is now. Alot of the fans at the Fieldhouse were older too. There is also no doubt that the student support is not near what it was when I was a student or before and shortly after. There is no one factor but it seems clear that there has been a significant drop in the excitement level at the games. It is not only the lack of students. Bradley needs to continue to do whatever they can to increase student interest. And the non students need to get more into the games. Oh and Pandering? I don't think so but if it is check out the cost to attend Bradley. Bradley should be pandering to them.

[buschsquirrel2011]

Really? I am thinking we can look much further than quality and amount of wins.

What do you mean? I think pretty much over the history of Bradley basketball the excitement level, attendance, student involvement etc. has pretty much trended with the level of play on the court and how much winning has been done.

To me it's kinda tough to argue that. Is there evidence to suggest otherwise?

Of course, to be fair, its been over 10 years since Bradley has played a meaningful home game after Jan. 15 so maybe people have forgotten whats its like to go to an MVC game in February that mattered.

Hopefully that changes soon.

[Beninator]

Of course, to be fair, its been over 10 years since Bradley has played a meaningful home game after Jan. 15 so maybe people have forgotten whats its like to go to an MVC game in February that mattered.

Hopefully that changes soon.

So I guess the February 14, 2006 game vs SIU didn't matter in the grand scheme of things when it came to selection Sunday a few weeks later? I guess that team cold have taken that game off and everything would have been the same.

[buschsquirrel2011]

So I guess the February 14, 2006 game vs SIU didn't matter in the grand scheme of things when it came to selection Sunday a few weeks later? I guess that team cold have taken that game off and everything would have been the same.

I don't want to get into it again. However, after Jan. 15 or so in the last 11 years Bradley hasn't played a home game with any type of conference championship implications on the line. You can try and cherry pick games all you want and nitpick the issue.

And that also gets off the point of the conversation.

Winning leads to excitement which leads to big crowds which leads to student involvement, etc.

I just don't see how this issue is hard to grasp or understand.

[Buesch N Chips]

Of course, to be fair, its been over 10 years since Bradley has played a meaningful home game after Jan. 15 so maybe people have forgotten whats its like to go to an MVC game in February that mattered.

Hopefully that changes soon.

Here we go....

[Beninator]

I don't want to get into it again. However, after Jan. 15 or so in the last 11 years Bradley hasn't played a home game with any type of conference championship implications on the line. You can try and cherry pick games all you want and nitpick the issue.

And that also gets off the point of the conversation.

Winning leads to excitement which leads to big crowds which leads to student involvement, etc.

I just don't see how this issue is hard to grasp or understand.

Not a difficult concept to grasp at all. But games with conference championship implications was not mentioned as your original criteria. Therefore my response.

[Chico]

There is no doubt that winning will make a big difference. But Bradley didn't always win - mid 70s etc and the crowd enthusiasm was much better than it is now. Alot of the fans at the Fieldhouse were older too. There is also no doubt that the student support is not near what it was when I was a student or before and shortly after. There is no one factor but it seems clear that there has been a significant drop in the excitement level at the games. It is not only the lack of students. Bradley needs to continue to do whatever they can to increase student interest. And the non students need to get more into the games. Oh and Pandering? I don't think so but if it is check out the cost to attend Bradley. Bradley should be pandering to them.

I think they pander as much as they can. Cheap seats, free transportation to the games, etc. They gotta want to go. In the Fieldhouse during timeouts there wasn't constant commercials on the scoreboard or goofy promotions or constant mean nothing chatter by the PA guy. Watch what happens tomorrow night during the timeouts before the band is allowed to play and when the Braves are on a run and ND calls a timeout. You have to be allowed to show excitement and it's hard to do right now.

[buschsquirrel2011]

Here we go....

Not "going anywhere" Buesch.

I was just responding to the topic about fan support. Instead of trying to overanalyze why the fans don't come, why the "excitement" isn't there at home games then you need to look no further than wins and losses and on court success. My answers have to do with that, nothing else.

All the other stuff is window dressing and fluff and works only on random instances. I don't care about marketing, playing on campus, going to the dorms, giving away free tickets, where the game is played, etc.

Win, they come. Lose, they don't. Pretty easy.

[shaunguth]

Not a difficult concept to grasp at all. But games with conference championship implications was not mentioned as your original criteria. Therefore my response.

I also feel that home games against Top 25 teams are of importance.

[shaunguth]

I was just responding to the topic about fan support. Instead of trying to overanalyze why the fans don't come, why the "excitement" isn't there at home games then you need to look no further than wins and losses and on court success. My answers have to do with that, nothing else.

Last season was a really bad one and I believe we had pretty big crowds at the end of the season. I'm guessing most of those people paid more than $1 and didn't have free transportation provided.

[78Brave]

I think they pander as much as they can. Cheap seats, free transportation to the games, etc. They gotta want to go. In the Fieldhouse during timeouts there wasn't constant commercials on the scoreboard or goofy promotions or constant mean nothing chatter by the PA guy. Watch what happens tomorrow night during the timeouts before the band is allowed to play and when the Braves are on a run and ND calls a timeout. You have to be allowed to show excitement and it's hard to do right now.

I agree with you completely about the promos, commercials, band, etc.