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Attendance

B

brocks

New member
Watching this game on ESPN+, I can only hope nobody else was watching this pathetic excuse for a home court "advantage" or fan interest. What an absolute disgrace. I live in Tampa, Florida, so I have an excuse. You people in central Illinois should be ashamed of yourselves. Those empty seats all over the lower bowl--for a team that won a CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP--holy good night. PATHETIC.
 
Attendance was only 4,813. Yes, pathetic. Maybe this is the new normal? Maybe the free and/or low cost streaming is keeping people home?
But we now have people at Bradley bragging about crowds of 5,400. I remember not many years ago, if we drew under 9,000, it was a disappointing crowd.
It's no secret and most people here know who I place the most blame on for the massive drop in attendance, donations, and other support. The current administration, coaches, etc. are doing everything they can do, but the people responsible dug way too deep a hole a few years ago, and destroyed what was one of the best midmajor programs in the country.
 
I can't remember the last time I saw the ENTIRE section behind the visitors' bench EMPTY. It's devastating to see on TV. I don't recognize BU hoops anymore.
 
I am not a fan of the 6 p.m. starts. I'm a longtime season ticket holder but neither my wife nor I could make it tonight because we both had to work late.
I can't imagine area restaurants like the early starts, either. Makes it impossible for many working people to go out to eat before the game.
Thanks to those who were there for cheering the Braves to victory. We'll be back Friday night.
 
Hey Brocks, be a part of the solution. Move back up here to God’s country and help us out. We are doing all we can.
 
I don’t know how everyone else feels about these 6:00 o’clock starts but I think they stink! A lot of people are barely getting home from work at that time and if you want to go out and get a bite to eat before the game you have to be at the restaurant by 4:30 at the latest! Moving these week night games back to 7:00 would surely help the attendance IMO.....
 
Bradley3342 said:
I don’t know how everyone else feels about these 6:00 o’clock starts but I think they stink! .....
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Agree 100%. It needs to change. There is still time to eliminate all the 6 pm starts the rest of the season, and put them back at 7 pm. It is a terrible idea.
You listed several reasons, and I could list a bunch more why 6 pm starts are a really bad idea. But the lousy attendance should be enough reason by itself to fix this before we lose even more fans who just give up and stop coming to games.

Who thought this was a good idea? And why? And if it is such a good idea, why is there virtually not a single other sports team, pro, college, or otherwise in any sport that starts weekday games at 6 pm?
 
I agree, the 6pm start is bad for attendance. That just isn't enough time to have dinner and make it to the game if you have to work.
 
Dub said:
Hey Brocks, be a part of the solution. Move back up here to God’s country and help us out. We are doing all we can.
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You might not believe this, but I'd trade Tampa for Peoria in a heartbeat. My heart is in Peoria, and I miss the seasons, and I want a white Christmas!

Sounds like the BU marketing people are to blame here as well. They should have brought in busloads of high school kids if necessary to avoid what was nothing short of a PR disaster tonight. If you saw the ESPN feed, you know what I mean. BU looked like the basketball equivalent of a banana republic. NO recruit seeing that pathetic display would even CONSIDER attending BU. Is there anyone at BU being paid to address this? If not, I'll do it. I'll leave my cushy law prof job and move to Peoria and do it myself for half the money I make. Not kidding. I would do it without thinking twice.
 
Add me to the list of those who hate the 6pm starts. I saw a lot of people buying food who normally don't (including me), so perhaps the Civic Center concessions benefit. Although I also think the 6pm starts lower attendance, which means less concessions. Whatever.....I hope they go back to 7pm.
 
I agree Da Coach. I don’t know who brainstormed this idea either but it needs to be rethought. Is there time to change it and who would you petition to get it changed? Any thoughts from you all?
 
Classof77 said:
Add me to the list of those who hate the 6pm starts. I saw a lot of people buying food who normally don't (including me), so perhaps the Civic Center concessions benefit. Although I also think the 6pm starts lower attendance, which means less concessions. Whatever.....I hope they go back to 7pm.
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For the record, unless something has changed in the agreement that Bradley has with the Civic Center, but in the past, Bradley didn't get anything from the sale of concessions. So the only people who might benefit from making fans come early and buy more food is the Civic Center.
But even when the Civic Center schedules their events, they don't schedule any of them to start at 6 pm.

And as far as a petition, I doubt it would do any good.
I would suggest fans call the Bradley Athletics office and register your displeasure with the early start times.
Bradley Athletics Office- (309) 677-2666

It might also be just as helpful for fans to post their complaints here. I know the ticket people read this board, because they have clipped quotes from here in the past and tweeted about them.
 
As someone who works downtown and lives about 20-25 minutes away, I love the 6 pm start. It’s so easy for me to get off work at 4:30, grab something quick to eat then head to the game. Plus I’m still getting home earlier to do a few things before going to bed. I guess I’m in the minority though.
 
No, those are all publicly listed email addresses, so I take it that they are all OK with people emailing them, and we will allow them to remain posted here.
I would encourage all fans who are so moved to either call, or email their dissatisfaction with the 6 pm start time.

I just sent an email to Bobby Parker as follows-

There have been a number of fans posting on the BradleyFans message board who are questioning why Bradley games on weekdays now start at 6 pm. There are many who are unhappy with the early (6 pm) game times.
I am unable to give any answer. Can I ask why there was a decision to change from the decades-long policy of starting games at 7 pm, and moving the start time back to 6 pm? I suspect you have heard from fans that it makes it difficult if not impossible for many fans to get to the games on time, or to be able to eat dinner before coming to games.
Could it be affecting the attendance? I believe it is.
I have also heard from fans who simply watch the games on ESPN3 or ESPN+ that they are not happy with the 6 pm start times.

Also, could you please convey to Dr. Reynolds and others in charge that I also personally find these 6 pm start times a great inconvenience. I arrived late tonight to the game, and will be arriving late and possibly even missing some games that I have paid for because I cannot always make it by 6 pm.
In addition, I will be less likely to renew my season tickets in the future if the 6 pm start times continue in future years.

I would encourage everyone who feels the same to email Bobby Parker ([email protected]) and ask that your complaint be forwarded to those in charge of game times. Or email Karla Bothast ([email protected]) who is the administrative assistant for Bradley AD Dr. Chris Reynolds, and ask that your complaint be forwarded to Dr. Reynolds.
 
6 pm start: there was an act that started a 7:30 (Jersey Boys?) going on the same evening; I think the 6 pm starts are to coordinate the entrance into the Civic Center. There was a previous game with a 6 pm start earlier this year.
 
Does anyone know what the attendance average has been for the last decade (or more) by year? I'd be curious how this team is faring right now comparatively.
As far as the 6pm start time goes, I like it because I can still get home at a decent hour after the game, but it no doubt has an adverse effect on attendance, though being a Tuesday game, I'm sure that had as much to do with the low attendance as the start time (let's not kid ourselves). That being said, I imagine the 6pm start time probably keeps the younger crowd from coming out (that's not based on data, that's just my gut feel).

Any way you look at it, we all would love to see Carver arena back to the 9,000+ crowds, but clearly that's going to take some time. The old guard really did a number on the program.
 
Bradley's record book is on its website, and it lists results/attendance of every game:

https://bradleybraves.com/documents/2016/10/3//Bradley_Basketball_Records.pdf?id=4407

Through 3 homes games attendance is best since 2015-16 (Wardle's first season). I think 7pm start times are better because it allows couples to get off work at 5 and go out to eat before the game but I can see young families liking 6pm because young kids go to bed earlier. Overall it's probably more beneficial to schedule more 7pm's.
 
Tommy said:
Does anyone know what the attendance average has been for the last decade (or more) by year? I'd be curious how this team is faring right now comparatively....
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Below is the average attendance each year since 1978, along with how Bradley's home attendance ranked nationally, and the yearly changes.
The attendance will pick up as we get farther into the season, but as of now, the average attendance this season is the lowest it has ever been since Bradley moved from the Peoria Armory to the Fieldhouse in 1949, and it keeps heading downward!
Yes, Bradley still lead the MVC in attendance last season, but there are some worrying trends that should not be ignored.

A couple findings that are notable- there was a massive drop in attendance during the Geno Ford years and shortly after (from 2011-2015). It started with the final Jim Les season when the administration overruled multiple doctors and would not let Taylor Brown play, and they lied to the Maniscalco family and told them Jim Les would not be fired after the season if Sam would redshirt. That lead to a 12-20 season after 4 straight 20+ win seasons, and a drop in attendance. But the real damage came with 4 horrendous seasons under Geno Ford where home schedules became among the worst in Division 1, the team went 46-86, finished dead last twice in 4 years, and set all-time records for losses and lowest winning percentages in history.
That brought it from a consistent 9,000+ range where it had been for decades, down to the 5,000+ range.

The other surprising finding is that everyone claimed that if Bradley just starts winning again, the fans would come back. They were wrong.
Despite the revival of Bradley basketball, 2 straight 20-win seasons, an MVC Championship, an NCAA team last year, and a team this season picked higher than it has been picked in decades, the attendance continues to drop. That is why I think Bradley should be doing everything possible to market the team and try to increase attendance, instead of ever-changing and variable start times that hurt attendance.

Year_rank_Gms_total_avg_change
2020..........3..15,742..5,247 down 182 (all games at Carver)
2019........16..86,871..5,429 down 270 (all games at Carver)
2018 .......15..85,489..5,699 up 212 (all games at Carver)
2017 #96 15 82,318 5,487 down 466 (all games at Carver)
2016 #91 15 89,299 5,953 up 227 (all games at Carver)
2015 #94 16 91,614 5,726 down 882 (Carver average 5827)
2014 #74 17 112,335 6,608 up 51 (Carver average 6,984)
2013 #79 18 118,024 6,557 down 1,083
2012 #68 16 122,245 7,640 down 807
2011 #56 16 135,148 8,447 down 892
2010 #52 15 140,079 9,339 up 229
2009 #55 18 163,981 9,110 down 490
2008 #52 19 183,392 9,600 down 128
2007 #53 17 165,376 9,728 up 508
2006 #54 14 129,086 9,220 down 117
2005 #51 15 140,065 9,337 up 159
2004 #52 15 137,667 9,178 down 173
2003 #47 14 130,907 9,351 up 279
2002 #47 13 117,935 9,072 down 50
2001 #51 15 136,683 9,112 down 1,066
2000 #41 14 142,495 10,178 up 646
1999 #44 15 142,980 9,532 down 237
1998 #41 13 127,001 9,769 up 144
1997 #41 14 134,755 9,625 down 47
1996 #44 13 125,733 9,672 up 151
1995 #47 14 133,288 9,521 up 707
1994 #46 16 140,700 8,794 up 1,523
1993 #67 13 94,523 7,271 up 278
1992 #78 13 90,904 6,993 down 391
1991 #70 13 95,995 7,384 down 357
1990 #65 13 100,632 7,741 down 1,177
1989 #51 13 115,939 8,918 down 1,098
1988 #36 16 160,263 10,016 up 1,307
1987 #41 14 121,922 8,709 down 199
1986 #37 14 124,712 8,908 up 1,366
1985 #60 15 113,124 7,542 up 350
1984 #62 15 107,881 7,192 down 1,821
1983 #38 16 144,209 9,013 up 1,730
1982 #56 17 123,810 7,283 down 33
1981 #55 14 102,430 7,316 up 63
1980 #59 16 116,050 7,253 up 503
1979 #64 14 94,500 6,750 down 113
1978 #56 16 109,800 6,863
 
You can't compare the attendance the first 3 games here vs a full season's worth of games in other seasons. There's no doubt this season's number is going up once we play ISU, SIU, Loyola etc.
 
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