Game 21: George Washington University, Sunday, January 31st, Noon, NBCSN

[Snowflake Slayer of Seals]

I also think the problem is more in the environment created on campus/marketing directly to students to get them out. We have lots more students living on campus now then 10+ years ago and the overall population is larger, but it doesn't seem to translate to student butts in the seats.

I think the #1 one thing that needs to happen is the AD needs to figure out how to get those students to care about going to games, and obviously whatever is done now isn't working. Marketing to student groups (I know they have done in the past), players handing out schedules in the dorms/JC, shuttle around Patriot circle 30-60 mins before tip off, etc. Lots of small cheap thinks that can be done, and it can be mostly done with unpaid student interns.

BLAHABLAHABLAHBLAH everyone talk too much here!

Snowflake, free ice cream and white out get students! You retard or something?

 

[mkaufman1]

All these things would really be solved with winning. If the team wins, students come out, when students turn to alumni they keep coming. Obviously marquee games get more attention and always will (ODU, vcu, JMU whatever), but winning would also cure a lot of these issues.

 

[MasonSAE4]

All these things would really be solved with winning. If the team wins, students come out, when students turn to alumni they keep coming. Obviously marquee games get more attention and always will (ODU, vcu, JMU whatever), but winning would also cure a lot of these issues.

I think winning helps but my freshman year we had a good season (2010-2011) and while attendance was higher, I don't think it was anything crazier than what it is now. I think big name opponents help draw crowds. And while I understand we're in a good conference for this period in our history, it doesn't have the big name draws of other conferences. When UMass got up to #10 or whatever they were when they came to town two years ago the Patriot Center was noticeably fuller. Hell, Mason Stadium was packed when we played UVA in soccer. I just think (part) of the apathy stems from not getting hyped up about opponents like Colgate (and it sure doesn't help that we end up losing to those type teams either.)

 

[MasonSAE4]

I also think the problem is more in the environment created on campus/marketing directly to students to get them out. We have lots more students living on campus now then 10+ years ago and the overall population is larger, but it doesn't seem to translate to student butts in the seats.

I think the #1 one thing that needs to happen is the AD needs to figure out how to get those students to care about going to games, and obviously whatever is done now isn't working. Marketing to student groups (I know they have done in the past), players handing out schedules in the dorms/JC, shuttle around Patriot circle 30-60 mins before tip off, etc. Lots of small cheap things that can be done, and it can be mostly done with unpaid student interns.

Good point. I come from NH and the UNH hockey team always packs an arena of about 6,000 because they allow for a rowdy student section. And this is at a school of 12,000. PC should be a good time for families, but I feel like if students were able to get a little crazier it may create a better atmosphere and more of a home court advantage.

 

[mkaufman1]

I think winning helps but my freshman year we had a good season (2010-2011) and while attendance was higher, I don't think it was anything crazier than what it is now. I think big name opponents help draw crowds. And while I understand we're in a good conference for this period in our history, it doesn't have the big name draws of other conferences. When UMass got up to #10 or whatever they were when they came to town two years ago the Patriot Center was noticeably fuller. Hell, Mason Stadium was packed when we played UVA in soccer. I just think (part) of the apathy stems from not getting hyped up about opponents like Colgate (and it sure doesn't help that we end up losing to those type teams either.)

It wasn't until really after Homecoming 2012-2013 that crowds starting to shrink and the masses became annoyed with Hewitt's coaching. And then the A-10 had some novelty but the constant losing combo'd with losing to Cornell didn't help either.

I can assure you that attendance was much better during 2010-2011. During the 16 game win streak, Mason drew 8500 for a game on a weeknight against Northeastern I think it was.

Winning+Rivalry games + winning rivalry games and Homecoming will fix a lot. The Atlantic 10 will also do things for attendance once the team becomes competitive, because of the the nature of the opponents, even if not a rivalry, a chance to knock off the top team will always yield curiosity. I also expect the atmosphere to be better for more of the upcoming games now that school is back in session and some rivals are coming in the next few weeks (GW, Richmond, vcu).

 

[99 Patriot]

As a follow-up to my trip to Oklahoma this week, their arena was about 80% full on Tuesday night and they're the #1 team in the country (the arena is roughly the size of EBA) Talking to the locals I went with, their reasons for the non-sellout were:

• It's not a convenient drive from OKC on a weeknight down to Norman
• This is a football town. Basketball just isn't that big of a draw
• We sell out the Kansas, Iowa State and Texas games. The rest aren't that big of a deal
• We have the Thunder 20 minutes up the road, more people would rather go see them.

Our problems are not unique.

 

[gmutom]

Our problems are not unique.

99, I'm fairly confident an erect polar beer offering kids free ice cream at games makes us pretty f-cking unique.

 

[Vurbel]

Sold out the PC when UVA played GMU a few years ago in the first game of the season. I suppose the transient nature of NOVA has something to do with the attendance.

If we played a UVA/top 15 program every game I'm sure there would be a spike in attendance.

 

[Vurbel]

As a follow-up to my trip to Oklahoma this week, their arena was about 80% full on Tuesday night and they're the #1 team in the country (the arena is roughly the size of EBA) Talking to the locals I went with, their reasons for the non-sellout were:

• It's not a convenient drive from OKC on a weeknight down to Norman
• This is a football town. Basketball just isn't that big of a draw
• We sell out the Kansas, Iowa State and Texas games. The rest aren't that big of a deal
• We have the Thunder 20 minutes up the road, more people would rather go see them.

Our problems are not unique.

And we have bigger challenges, because there is more to do in D.C. than OKC. With that said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a program that has a 7,000 attendee ceiling. There's nothing wrong with that at all. Let's just call a spade a spade. Our best case scenario consistently (not counting UVA, JMU, vcu spikes) is 7,000.

 

[GMUSig03]

99, I'm fairly confident an erect polar beer offering kids free ice cream at games makes us pretty f-cking unique.

I think the normal human understanding of the meaning of "ice cream" may differ from what Snowflake's meaning of "ice cream" is, especially when erect...

 

[GMUgemini]

Sold out the PC when UVA played GMU a few years ago in the first game of the season. I suppose the transient nature of NOVA has something to do with the attendance. Lots of people - but how many with a connection to GMU? If GMU were to pull off a vcu type run of success - big attendance #'s would follow. Bandwagoners would pile on. Tough to do though and we missed a chance for that post '06 unfortunately.


About the game - I have a hunch Mason will keep it close. Hopefully Shevon is healthy and the team comes out extra motivated after 9 days off.

It's tough to do, but not impossible. Wichita State, the team we beat in the Sweet 16, didn't go back to the NCAA tournament again until 2012 -- a six year gap -- and then got huge after their 2013 run.

 

[psyclone]

Richmond with a 7-0 run at GW takes a 10 pt lead early in the second half. Game is on ESPNU

 

[liem.le.3388]

I'm watching the game also. I see a lot of empty seats in their 5K gym. It might just be a product of our area, there are just too many other options. WTH is there to do in Richmond, go out and get robbed?

 

[psyclone]

Richmond with a 7-0 run at GW takes a 10 pt lead early in the second half. Game is on ESPNU

GW feeding the post but missing in close, still trailing by 10 with 14 minutes left. Who do we root for?

 

[psyclone]

Richmond by 1 with 3 minutes left.

 

[psyclone]

Richmond by 3, 7 sec left, GW with the ball.

 

[psyclone]

GW's Jorgensen banks in a 3 to send the game to OT

 

[MasonFanatic]

GW ran out of gas and lost in 2OT

 

[psyclone]

So is it good for us that they played a double ot game and lost (tired, dispirited) or bad because they want to get back to winning ways and won't be sleeping on us?

 

[GSII]

could be good b/c they might be sloppy. but its not like we create many steals so even if they lose the ball they could actually, under our style of defense, get it back.