Ren. Col.

[wizard1]

It appears that BU fans do not like going to games in the Ren. Col. Virtually every basketball event is not at all well attended and there may be some very good reasons for this.
1. The seats are VERY uncomfortable and loose. Its hard to move past seated people.
2. Fans have to climb a long set of stairs to enter the arena or take a hard-to-find elevator. Why not open the lower floor doors and let fans enter that way?
3. No beer or wine.
4. Need more cocktail tables on the upper level so fans can eat a hot dog while standing at the table and watch the game.
5. Bad starting times---Keeps families and kids away.

Another suggestion---Would it be possible to combine the Spaghetti dinner and the Red & White. Have the dinner on the practice court--Allow players to mingle with fans, then have the Red & White in the main arena.
Start the dinner at 5:00 or 5:30 and the game at 7:00. I'd bet the attendance would soar if this were done.
Wiz

[tornado]

for many ticketed events - if everyone comes in a floor level then it's hard to keep people from sitting in better seats than they paid for...but I hear ya on events like last night that were gen. admission

Would it be possible to combine the Spaghetti dinner and the Red & White..
Wiz

this has been done in the past - in fact -- the biggest Red-White crowd we've had in the past 30 years was when this was done the final year of the Fieldhouse
before demololition, 2007-08-
nearly 4000 attendance - LINK
..but it could get messy if people carried plates of spaghetti into the basketball arena

..sadly, wiz, here's what I think - I think being popular with the PC-folks trumps being sensible and being productive - thus we will probably never again see the
men's preseason Red-White as a separate event from the women's. I know you and I will take the heat for having this conversation - BUT - you and I were THERE and supported the team - we didn't miss the event like a lot of people who still "boycott" the events at RC.
If the women's Red-White was held on its own - you and I both know they'd draw 50 at best - and I know I'll get hated for saying that but at least I am bold enough to state the obvious.
By moving the men's event to the tail end of the combined event, really hurt attendance, especially for families with younger kids. I even saw a substantial part of the crowd leaving before the men's (3rd period) game was done - and some were remarking on how late things ran - starting with people lining up at 6:30 to greet and get an autograph from Chet and not ending the event and departing the parking deck 'til 10:30PM.

Other schools who have a similar Red-White (or whatever) draw thousands when it is a men-only event...the Illini drew almost 5000 to a MID-WEEK event.

[Canton BU fan]

Maybe Friday night during high school football season is a bad idea.

[Chibearsfan10125]

It also didn't help that the Cardinals were playing a clinching game (or at least potentially clinching game) to go to the World Series. I chose the R/W scrimmage over both High School Football and the baseball playoffs, but I know a lot of people would rather watch a meaningful game than "just a scrimmage".

[Future Walk-On]

It also didn't help that the Cardinals were playing a clinching game (or at least potentially clinching game) to go to the World Series. I chose the R/W scrimmage over both High School Football and the baseball playoffs, but I know a lot of people would rather watch a meaningful game than "just a scrimmage".

I stayed home to watch the baseball.

[Bradleyfan1]

It also didn't help that the Cardinals were playing a clinching game (or at least potentially clinching game) to go to the World Series. I chose the R/W scrimmage over both High School Football and the baseball playoffs, but I know a lot of people would rather watch a meaningful game than "just a scrimmage".

I choose the red white game!

[Bradleyfan1]

i stayed home to watch the baseball.

booooooooo

[Canton BU fan]

booooooooo

If it had been the Cubs playing nobody would have been at the basketball game. Anyway, the baseball game being at the same time can be hit and miss from year to year but football is always on Fridays.

[bigjimmy]

Count me among the many who will not be going to any games at the RC. I went to 1 game the first year it was open and it was by far the most uncomfortable I have ever been at a game. I thought Robertson was cramped but the RC makes Robertson look like the Superdome. Not even if they host a post season game would I come. I'll be more than happy to listen to Dave Snell on WMBD and talk about it on the bradleyfans in game thread. As far as the Red/White scrimmage is concerned it is what it is. Maybe you combine the women's bb with a women's volleyball game and combine the men's bb with a meet and greet afterwards.

[Big Mike]

If it had been the Cubs playing nobody would have been at the basketball game..

I like your style!


I for one will only attend the Red/White @ .the R C.........that's it, will be @every game @ CA....."HOME of the BRAVES" with my season ticket package, will not go to in season games and pay extra.... Just my take a D 1 team should not play in that small of venue!

[Chibearsfan10125]

Just my take a D 1 team should not play in that small of venue!

You are completely entitled to your opinion, but there are several D-1 schools that play in arena's much smaller than the RC. I have no problem having games on campus a couple times a year. Admittedly, I think it stinks for season ticket holders to not have a game included, but I love watching basketball at both Carver and the RC. Any chance I have to watch the Braves, I'll be there; exhibition, Scrimmage, or regular game.

[Chico]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought having games at the gym on campus was suppose to bring more students to the games. Obviously most of them could care less. I'm with Big Mike on this one. Sure there are schools that play in smaller gyms, but does that mean Bradley has to when there is a first class arena right down the hill.

[tornado]

we all know what the #1 reason is that some games are being played on campus even though that reason is not mentioned publicly - it is financial..

but the #1 stated reason for the games on campus is this..
".. improving our student attendance and experience"

Last year when one of the games drew only 3151 - among which were extremely few students... it was labelled
"a disappointment"

the extremely low student turnout was blamed on "exams, intramurals, and other events"
..the newspaper tried to help out with this line among others...
"across America - generally - student attendance is down at college basketball games."

Here are Dr. Cross' expanded answers during the chat..
"The decision to put a men's basketball game on campus is driven
largely by a consistent theme that we've heard regarding the need to
improve student engagement at Carver Arena, both from our students
and from our other supporters. Other than men's tennis, not one of
Bradley University's men's teams competes on campus. The opportunity
to "return to our roots" and allow our students to experience a game on
campus in a magnificent facility is one that we believe will result in long-
term benefits for our program.

The primary benefit is engaging a new generation of Bradley Basketball
supporters. Nationally, attendance trends for students are not great, so
providing a unique opportunity to experience Bradley Basketball that
eliminates distance as a barrier and enhances the campus environment
will hopefully be viewed as a high point in the collegiate experience of
every student who attends."


BTW - last year when we drew 3151 for the UTPA game - 1,700 tickets were "made available" to the students of Bradley University.
Dave Reynolds kindly reported that "some of the tickets were given away free" but the truth is more clearly stated by the column in the BU Scout...
According to the article in the Scout:
- 450 were given to Red Sea members
- "1,000 student tickets were given to students free of charge the week prior to the game"
- and only 250 were purchased for the ticket price of $1 each!
Most observers judged that only a couple hundred students at best were there - meaning perhaps 90% of those tickets went unused.




As noted - many other schools host games in more than one arena or occasionally use a smaller on-campus arena - but
you will not find any of them with the turmoil surrounding such a decision as we have here at Bradley....
I went back and read several threads the past two years when we played our on-campus games, and the banter that went back and forth between fans
proves that the way it was done here at Bradley provoked a far different fan reaction that we see at DePaul, UW-M, and the other schools that did exactly what we did.
Again - I think it is clear that it isn't what is being done, but the way it is being done.

[wily coyote]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought having games at the gym on campus was suppose to bring more students to the games. Obviously most of them could care less. I'm with Big Mike on this one. Sure there are schools that play in smaller gyms, but does that mean Bradley has to when there is a first class arena right down the hill.

I have to agree with Big Mike and Chico on this one. I have bought my last tickets to the RC .Money is not the object here but principle is. I don't mind paying $20 to see our Braves but when they tell me the only seats available are in the endzone and I do understand why, as it has been explained to me but I will not be going. to the RC after this year.

[LongTimeFan]

I'm in the Peoria area on the 10th and we are trying to get tickets for that game. Since I can only see 6 games in person, including those at Vegas, I will not pass up a chance to see them play in person.