Another possible round of conference changes

[Vent]

I think that's the season the Braves lost the last game of the season at St. Louis. We all thought Coach Orsborn was the one who turned down the bid. I do know there were a lot of upset fans, no matter who made the decision.

It was the 1965-66 season, and Joe Stowell's first season as head coach, that the Board of Trustees turned down the invite to the N.I.T. The previous season 1964-65 , "Ozzie's" last season as head coach, the Braves lost to New York University in the first round of the N.I.T. in New York City. The previous season of 1963-64, Bradley was the N.I.T. champion as Leven Tart earned the tournament's MVP. The 63-64 season was the only season Tart and "Big" Joe Strawder played together at BU, even though they were in the same graduating class and the same freshmen class. Both went on to play in the A.B.A. and N.B.A. Unfortunately both former BU greats have passed on. After resigning as head coach, "Ozzie" was the athletic director until his retirement and replaced by Ron Ferguson.

[Local Brave Fan]

Local Brave Fan

It is great to read about where some of us were in 1965 and how good your memories are. But it makes me wonder about the age of the fan base. Are we just old men living in the past. I myself have retired from the Fire Department, I'm no longer a young man. Most of us can recall being at great games in the past. Where are our replacements? Are there opinions being expressed on this board? Maybe that is the reason why were are where we are?

[Vent]

The reason the program is in the gutter has nothing to do with the age of the fans attending games. It just boils down to losing and losing badly to mediocre teams. The fan base is getting older, but there is no way they're gonna get younger fans to attend unless they win, do a better public relations job and not treat people that don't contribute or only contribute what they can, as if they are second class citizens.

[amckillip]

The reason the program is in the gutter has nothing to do with the age of the fans attending games. It just boils down to losing and losing badly to mediocre teams. The fan base is getting older, but there is no way they're gonna get younger fans to attend unless they win, do a better public relations job and not treat people that don't contribute or only contribute what they can, as if they are second class citizens.

It is absolutely an issue. And a big reason for the state of this program. Not THE reason, but a big reason. I was a season ticket holder at age 23, and I would regularly bring new, non-BU affiliated people to games, they would remark how weird our atmosphere was - that you were expected to stand at certain times that were unknown to everyone, and got judged if you didn't. But after a big play or when we needed a big defensive stop blue hairs would yell at you to sit down. Many BU fans act as if the young fans haven't 'earned' the right to like BU as much as them because they didn't know Joe Stowell, or remember the early day of DV, and they haven't been there since the Robertson Fieldhouse. (There are many, many exceptions to this rule, and I can tell a great story about a couple f influential posters here making BU fans that they probably never knew, but I digress).

Between the way my guests were treated, the declining product on the floor, and the increase in ticket prices, I moved my seats back, and then dropped them as I began to travel extensively for work and am pursuing my masters.

BU has great fans, and will continue to, but they have to be more accepting and welcoming of newcomers, particularly of 20-something young professionals - people who are respectful, enjoy sports, will eventually have families in the Peoria Area and, quite frankly, have cash . As I approach 30, I have largely given up trying to turn my friends in to BU fans due to all of the current issues. But if the program turns around, and if the fans come back, they'll need to bring in a new wave of Red-and-White, and if we maintain the status quo, I'm not sure where those will come from.

[Chico]

The so-called blue hairs are the ones keeping the program alive. Barely, but alive.

[Vent]

It is absolutely an issue. And a big reason for the state of this program. Not THE reason, but a big reason. I was a season ticket holder at age 23, and I would regularly bring new, non-BU affiliated people to games, they would remark how weird our atmosphere was - that you were expected to stand at certain times that were unknown to everyone, and got judged if you didn't. But after a big play or when we needed a big defensive stop blue hairs would yell at you to sit down. Many BU fans act as if the young fans haven't 'earned' the right to like BU as much as them because they didn't know Joe Stowell, or remember the early day of DV, and they haven't been there since the Robertson Fieldhouse. (There are many, many exceptions to this rule, and I can tell a great story about a couple f influential posters here making BU fans that they probably never knew, but I digress).

Between the way my guests were treated, the declining product on the floor, and the increase in ticket prices, I moved my seats back, and then dropped them as I began to travel extensively for work and am pursuing my masters.

BU has great fans, and will continue to, but they have to be more accepting and welcoming of newcomers, particularly of 20-something young professionals - people who are respectful, enjoy sports, will eventually have families in the Peoria Area and, quite frankly, have cash . As I approach 30, I have largely given up trying to turn my friends in to BU fans due to all of the current issues. But if the program turns around, and if the fans come back, they'll need to bring in a new wave of Red-and-White, and if we maintain the status quo, I'm not sure where those will come from.

I still don't think the age of the fan, has anything to do with the results on the floor. I've been going since the early sixties, still have an excellent memory, and I can't remember ever shooting a basket at a game. I've also never made a turnover. I couldn't care less if a person has seen Ozzie, Stowell, Versace or whoever coach, and I don't care if somebody stands and cheers the entire game. I used to be told to sit down by people sitting behind me. If I was standing to because the person in front of me was standing I'd continue to stand. If there was an exciting play made, I would stand to applaud the play and then sit down out of respect to those sitting around me, that may not be able to stand for an extended time. I still went to games and still do. I would not allow them to keep me from going.

BU has never marketed to a young crowd, in fact they've never had a need to market to any age group, until recently. It has nothing to do with the age of the person in the seats. It has everything to do with the product on the floor. If and when they ever start winning again, people will return to the games.

[tornado]

there are some who have sent the signal loud & clear that they care as much
about the "blue hairs" as they do the people who buy upper bowl tickets

[Chico]

They put seats there for a reason. Fans buy season tickets which includes a seat. Stand all you want when you are in the lobby. We all stand for exciting plays, but no reason to remain standing. I for one would ask you to sit back down after a certain period of time. If you want to stand and not obstruct other's view, there are plenty of sections at the Civic Center you can be accommodated.

[tornado]

but my point was that a lot of the blue hairs who have faithfully re-upped & paid their ever increasing ticket prices and maintenance for decades under the age old promise that doing so would MAINTAIN their season ticket location - only to find that suddenly now that promise is no longer true under this administration...
and that their seats can and will be taken and given to someone else with inside connections or someone who sponsors the kiss-cam or someone whose business advertises on the scoreboard - just because that's who they'd rather have in those lower bowl seats - even tho the fans come every year for multiple decades but some sponsors have a track record of coming and going like the weather...

[tornado]

not directly releated to conference changes but...

Auburn just reported their Athletic Department lost about $14 million in 2013-14!!
And now they're gonna start paying players??

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/02/auburn_athletics_department_re_3.html

Paying Bruce Pearl too much??

[Da Coach]

Hey, it's a publicly funded university.....it's not Auburn's money, and the taxpayers seem to have an endless supply of more.

[Vent]

The deficit at Auburn,in the athletic budget was created by just about all sports but football. Football had a surplus of $33.2 million dollars which was down $5 million from the previous year. The deficit was caused by just about every other sport, plus the construction and upgrades and several of the university's athletic facilities. Much of those facilities will not generate revenue because of their nature. Much like the new facilities built by Bradley.

[tornado]

UAB's Board of Trustees is meeting presently and their fans are furious about their decisions and dropping football...
as well as the loss of a lot of revenue in Athletics that is hurting their academics...
and they are protesting in large numbers at the Board meeting - they have very passionate fans

http://m.myfoxal.com/myfoxal/db_330638/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=CpIBv4wg

http://www.abc3340.com/story/2804460...-the-community

this issue will not go away....

now the UAB football fans are on a crusade to overturn the UAB Board of Trustees by pushing for amendments to the University system bylaws that would allow a re-structuring of the entire Board.
They also want to impose certain qualifications on Board members so it will be easier to boot them out if they are perceived to be failing in their obligations to the public.
A 3rd possibility would be to simply LEGISLATE the re-instatement of UAB Football!

Wow, I sure wish Bradley fans has this kind of clout!!

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2015/03/uab_supporters_rallying_in_mon.html

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/11/state_rep_jack_williams_lays_o.html

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2015/01/rep_jack_williams_to_propose_l.html

[Vent]

this issue will not go away....

now the UAB football fans are on a crusade to overturn the UAB Board of Trustees by pushing for amendments to the University system bylaws that would allow a re-structuring of the entire Board.
They also want to impose certain qualifications on Board members so it will be easier to boot them out if they are perceived to be failing in their obligations to the public.
A 3rd possibility would be to simply LEGISLATE the re-instatement of UAB Football!

Wow, I sure wish Bradley fans has this kind of clout!!

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2015/03/uab_supporters_rallying_in_mon.html

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/11/state_rep_jack_williams_lays_o.html

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/in...propose_l.html

If Bradley was located in the south and played BCS football, they would have that kind of clout. Football is king in the south, followed by baseball, golf and basketball. It is difficult to understand, unless you've lived down there.

My guess is, football at some point in the not so far future will be restored at UAB.

[tornado]

Some UAB football fans staged their own protest at UAB's NCAA game...
they are calling for the firing of their president

http://gamedayr.com/sports/college-ncaa/college-basketball/uab-fans-fire-ray-watts-134508/