MVC fan bases...

[tornado]

One measure of how great each MVC team's fan base is -- can be seen by how many we draw when we do things right...
when we have a quality opponent, have it on a prime night (like Saturday night or a good week night) and promote it well...
These people who show up in the biggest numbers are the ones who'd come REGULARLY if things were done right REGULARLY!

of the 10 current MVC teams, here are the TOP dozen or so home crowds in the past two seasons - not counting WSU who draw 10,500 to most games
I went back two years because there really weren't a lot of quality non-con opponents!

11,019 Michigan at Bradley 12/1/12
10,257 WSU at Bradley 2/25/14
9,088 ISU at Bradley 1/29/13
8,931 Loyola at BU 2/22/14
8,923 SIU at ISU 2/2/13
8,813 Creighton at ISU 1/2/13
8,668 Wichita at ISU 2/17/13
8,443 InSU at Bradley 2/16/13
8,417 BU at ISU 2/13/13
8,345 Creighton at InSU 2/6/13
7,895 Creighton at MSU 1/11/13
7,756 MSU at BU 1/19/13
7,730 Creighton at BU 2/27/13
7,534 Drake at BU 12/29/12


I think one could conclude that Wichita, Bradley & ISU really are among the TOP fan bases in the MVC.
And Wichita draws a bunch regularly but BU and ISU do not- and draw well only occasionally and it's getting less and less frequent.
(note how few of the big draws were in 2014)
I hate to be the messenger - but I would love to see BU and ISU get back to where they each regularly drew 8-10,000 and more......
This big dropoff in attendance is troubling - other schools are beginning to pass us by..
I think there have been some bad moves that are responsible for the dropoff, and things need to get back to how they were.



On the other end of the scale....
Here are the dozen WORST home crowds in the last year...(only have to go back a year to find some really, really bad crowds!)

I am not counting Loyola home games as they would take all but one of the worst ten spots - ISU would still take #2

All but two of the TWELVE involve Drake, Evansville, or ISU hope their AD's are listening...
1060 SIU at ISU 1/5/14
2080 Morehead State at ISU 3/24/14
2910 Murray State at Missouri State 3/19/14
3054 WMU at Drake 12/18/13
3071 Evansville at Drake 1/1/14
3145 Savannah St. at UNI 12/10/13
3151 ISU at Evansville
3222 UNI at Evansville 1/8/14
3251 Texas A&M at ISU 3/26/14
3256 Iowa Wesleyan at Drake 11/12/13
3288 New Mexico St.at Drake 12/14/13
3305 Miami (OHO) at Evansville 12/7/13

[Nacho]

These numbers are not comparable, as attendance is not counted the same way at every school. ISU counts butts in seats- not tickets sold. This actual favors ISU's case in regards to the higher attended games. The lower attended games were CBI games or a snow game.

[tornado]

I knew there'd be nitpicking but it's hard to deny the overwhelming 3 points I just made...

#1 - BU (& ISU as well) simply doesn't draw the BIG crowds and sure doesn't do it as regularly as they once did & it would be nice to see that happening again.
Bradley does draw very well but not very often any more BUT the potential for HUGE crowds is there. But bad basketball, losing, revolving door of players, ticket price hikes, and long time season ticketholders having their seats taken from them is the exact opposite of what we need.

#2 - It's a credit to the fan bases of teams like WSU, ISU, & BU that when there is a good game we still see 8,000 & 10,000 - so it CAN be done - and I am tired of hearing excuses about why it is NOT being done.
I have documented numerous time how we regularly had crowds over 10K and sellouts (right up to 2009 & 2010)- but those occasions have ground to a halt and are now non-existent.
Again - I have heard all the excuses and finger pointing - but five years into Dr. Cross' tenure, it is time to stop whining about how bad things were laid in your lap and take charge.

#3 - Bradley still has lots of the best fans in all of college basketball - but they are fed up with mediocrity and last place finishes, there are going to be an astounding number of empty seats this year.

[NSBF]

1060 SIU at ISU 1/5/14
3071 Evansville at Drake 1/1/14
3222 UNI at Evansville 1/8/14

Can't exactly say what happened for the Evansville/Drake or the UNI/Evansville games, but if my memory serves me correct all three games were played at or around that whole "Polar Vortex" thing.

I know the SIU/ISU game should have been cancelled, so kudos to the brave 1000 or so souls who made it out to that game. They're better fans than myself.

[DUBulldog]

1060 SIU at ISU 1/5/14
3071 Evansville at Drake 1/1/14
3222 UNI at Evansville 1/8/14

Can't exactly say what happened for the Evansville/Drake or the UNI/Evansville games, but if my memory serves me correct all three games were played at or around that whole "Polar Vortex" thing.

I know the SIU/ISU game should have been cancelled, so kudos to the brave 1000 or so souls who made it out to that game. They're better fans than myself.

The UE/DU game was on New Year's Day.....not sure who thought that was a good idea.

[letsgobears]

Your top list needs some additions:
12/30/12 SIU @ MO State 7,662
1/11/14 WSU @ MO State 10,776


Regarding the Murray St. @ MO State game in the bottom - that was the CIT tournament, horrible pricing structure, horrible marketing, horrible date, ........

I think your conclusion that BU & ISU have a couple of the best fan bases in the MVC is valid but BU's is eroding by the minute.

MO State has a good fan base but the pricing structure for JQH Arena, the repeating cycle of bad/ok/good seasons under Cuonzo & Lusk , and an increasing atrocious non-conference home schedule has combined to really decrease home attendance. The Bears will be lucky if they break 6k for ANY non-conference home game this season.

letsgobears!

[tornado]

I know - MSU also among the up-and-comers -- would love to see all MVC schools building their fan base & enrollment...

[Da Coach]

I've been to Springfield many times, and seen BU play SMS/MSU. The fan support peaked and was unbelievable for a few years when Charlie Spoonhour was the coach. Then after a couple down years under Mark Bernsen, the fan support peaked again for a couple years under Steve Alford, and then a few years later again when Barry Hinson had his best success. The old arena was really loud and rocking during those successful seasons.
For some reason, the new arena has not seen that kind of enthusiasm, but like Bradley, I am sure the great fan base is still there.

[Braves2006]

I have been JQH the past 2 seasons for the BU games and the arena itself is nice. BUT the ticket prices are RIDICULOUS..

[wufan]

I think that having a winning team will draw out the fans more than prime slots or marquee opponents, at least with the teams mentioned above. Sure Evansville, Drake, and Loyola would fill their arena with two or three of the best years in the schools history, but Braves and Redbird fans would be fighting over tickets for a 25 game winner, regardless of the competition.

I'm not sure either team has the right coach in place (they might), but they are certainly recruiting some high level athletes, and that's good for the program and the conference.

[tornado]

agree - time to put a quality product on the floor and win - not just finish a few games improved over last year (cuz the leftover players had good senior seasons) but win

[tornado]

former affiliate MVC member (soccer) SMU .. has sold out their home arena for the entire upcoming basketball season!
Last year they sold out 7 games, an all time record, but all EIGHTEEN home games are already sold out!
Just TWO years ago (2-12-13) they were drawing barely over 3000 - less than HALF their home arena capacity.
The year before that they drew a paltry 2013 fans per game, and the year before that just 1900!!! Wow - it CAN be done!!

they also sold way more in alcohol sales at their home games than expected and this year are selling alcohol at football games..(on campus)

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/park-cities/headlines/20140728-smu-basketball-sees-350k-in-beer-wine-sales.ece

[RoyalShock]

former affiliate MVC member (soccer) SMU .. has sold out their home arena for the entire upcoming basketball season!
Last year they sold out 7 games, an all time record, but all EIGHTEEN home games are already sold out!
Just TWO years ago (2-12-13) they were drawing barely over 3000 - less than HALF their home arena capacity.
The year before that they drew a paltry 2013 fans per game, and the year before that just 1900!!! Wow - it CAN be done!!

they also sold way more in alcohol sales at their home games than expected and this year are selling alcohol at football games..(on campus)
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/commu...wine-sales.ece

Out of curiosity, I wonder how many of those seats were sold before their prized recruit decided not to attend?

[Chico]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think ISU ever did draw as well as you seem to think unless it was a Bradley game.