Poll: Will you be more likely to renew or buy tickets next year?

[Da Coach]

Will you be more likely to buy or renew season tickets or individual game tickets to games next year after seeing the recruiting class brought in by the coaching staff?

[LongTimeFan]

Unfortunately, I can't vote as I am on the west coast. When I lived in Peoria, we always had season tickets even during some of the lean years. After all, there wasn't an awful lot to do during the winter in Peoria then.

[Cellus]

This successful recruiting class may have made a difference for me. I'd still like to wait to see the nonconference schedule, though probably the renewal deadline will happen before we see that. But like a lot of season ticket people in my section, I was thinking of dropping my seats. I've been greatly disappointed by both the schedule and the team these last couple years and it has not been fun to watch them lose to teams we should beat.

[tornado]

I talk with BU fans every day and from what I have seen over many years - only 5-10% of BU's fans pay any attention to recruiting...
the most common question I hear fans asking every fall is..
"who do we have coming in?".....even with all the hype recently - most fans don't know and won't care much until they see them on the court....
so I doubt many are gonna buy season tix based only on a little hype during the signing period in April....
it's gonna take wins and lots of wins in December, January, February, and especially March.

[mrcoachdude]

I was buying mine anyway...I don't care if BU wins or loses...its a social event for me

[Braves2006]

I talk with BU fans every day and from what I have seen over many years - only 5-10% of BU's fans pay any attention to recruiting...
the most common question I hear fans asking every fall is..
"who do we have coming in?".....even with all the hype recently - most fans don't know and won't care much until they see them on the court....
so I doubt many are gonna buy season tix based only on a little hype during the signing period in April....
it's gonna take wins and lots of wins in December, January, February, and especially March.

I agree T. I've talked to some people who know how good JC is supposed to be, but that doesn't matter to them, they say the damage has been done. Also to some who are sick of hearing how good the team is going to be only to finish in with an abysmal record and playing on Thursday night. It will take lots of wins and maybe a few years before attendance catches back up.

[tornado]

but this is why those early season events are crucial....to entice the marginal fans into buying into the upcoming season.....to give them something to come & meet the team!

Then not having the season tickets available for fans to pick up at the early season events is a HUGE mistake...
If you want them at the Red-White scrimmage and the early exhibitions, then have the tickets there to hand out to them!!

Then we really need the ITOO supper - it's like a REUNION for all the older fans - they all looked forward to it immensely and met the team and connected with their old friends and classmates...
Plus having the players come and sit down right in the middle of the fans and chat was something many fans still remember and talk about to this day.

....the Red-White as a free standing event and not tacked on last to a string of other events like the BU women scrimmaging against a couple of men on a scout team or players and fans shooting for a free TV...
If you run the men's Red-White last after 9PM, there were people leaving!!!

If you take away the most popular events that all the old time fans loved - do not be surprised if season ticket sales are down again despite the incredible free hype they get every year from some of the cheerleading local media.

[bradleyfan124]

The Itoo Hall gathering was like the kickoff for the season. Everyone looked forward to it. Meet the team, hear the coach talk, talk with other fans, start to get excited.

[Braves2006]

Also really miss the scrimmage at the Fieldhouse too.

[mexicobufan]

IMO for the first time in years we have a chance to get on a roll. We will have some high level kids coming in for visits and games and they need to see the support Bradley has from its fans. We need to see Carver back over 10K fans instead of 5K. I am afraid that if these kids come in and see a half empty Carver we will miss out on the chance to get back on top. Let's hope season ticket sales are up and that people come out!

[Big Mike]

That's one thing I really miss that made Bradley Basketball what it was.....TRADITION.....quit trying to put your stamp on something that wasn't broken......your not re-inventing the wheel because if you are it's not round, it's square! Make the fans feel like they belong to the team again like family, ITOO spaghetti dinner, red/white scrimmage, something public with the players that's free and not just about the "almighty $$$$$" for once and fans will come back!

[tornado]

lots of money being spent on marketing and yet ticket sales & revenue are way down....
The fans right here have been asking for years to see more fan friendly events, the ITOO, the men's Red-White as its own event and not tacked on to the end of a bunch of carnival silliness, even the very popular pre-season community events that were discontinued after just one season...
All the money we've spent on marketing and all we have to show for it is THIS and THIS

[Da Coach]

That's one thing I really miss that made Bradley Basketball what it was.....TRADITION.....quit trying to put your stamp on something that wasn't broken......your not re-inventing the wheel because if you are it's not round, it's square! Make the fans feel like they belong to the team again like family, ITOO spaghetti dinner, red/white scrimmage, something public with the players that's free and not just about the "almighty $$$$$" for once and fans will come back!

Agree 100%

[wizard1]

Poll: Will you be more....

t.....Great post and right on the money!! The preseason events are critical to hyping and generating interest and game attendance. The ITOO Supper and the Red & White MUST be reinstated as they were years ago before MC & JG changed them. The Red & White must be run as a stand alone event without any womens basketball or volleyball.
The ITOO supper was always the kick-off to the season. Somehow, MC & JG must read your post, put their egos in their pockets, and stop meddling and micro-managing great pre-season events that generate fan interest and game attendance.
Wiz

[tornado]

wiz - They'll say "but what do you know, we've got marketing consultants and knowhow - we know better..."

and they really believe that despite the 40-50% decline in attendance by loyal fans if we just give them enough time they will have everything fixed in a few more years....

Both KW's excuse column and the recent chat with Dr. Cross blamed the fans for expecting too much too soon - the problem is bad and fixing it is hard (boo-hoo) and it's just gonna take several more years.

All of this flies in the face of Kirk Wessler's own admission publicly in a message board post that he was unwilling to show the same patience or even any patience at all when JL was hired......and that he soured on Jim Les right away then began beating the drum (those we his own words) to fire Les in "YEAR TWO" because he saw the limited potential for improvement or success....and then continued his negative coverage and calls for firing JL thereafter.


Fans like you and I are the long time, most loyal fans but I really get a strong sense they are trying to kick us to the side of the road and take off in another direction.