Improve Mason home game experience discussion

[GM Logo Guy]

I thought the DJ and hype guy were great last night, had the students the most engaged I've seen since the KE days.

I liked the addition of the DJ, but we need more Green Machine. It’s a tough balance, but the band is one of Mason’s most unique and exciting features. The DJ was a nice touch, but the crowd really came alive when the Green Machine played Rage Against the Machine at the end of the game.

 

[Jack Strop]

Not taking a stand here but the name of the company is Sodexo.

You bear me to it. Well done,.sir!

 

[Verdad]

You bear me to it. Well done,.sir!

Not taking a stand here but the name of the verb is “beat”.

 

[jkh1978]

I think someone needs to teach the students what to do. They were loud at obvious times and when camera was on them but there was many other times they were still. Hand out chants and other instructions on paper.

 

[GMU79]

I think someone needs to teach the students what to do. They were loud at obvious times and when camera was on them but there was many other times they were still. Hand out chants and other instructions on paper.

This is so sad that this keeps being an issue with the students. They don't know how to cheer and be loud and annoying!!?? Heck, my friend and I almost got tossed by the refs on several occasions. It's not that hard!!

 

[jkh1978]

I think the DJ is helping with the energy but during the Planet Fitness promotion did they have to play "Sexy and I Know It" and show so many young kids?

 

[Stoolguy]

Wow. When did that happen? They always used to allow it...

Yes, the next concessions contract has to include some major changes. The pricing model is atrocious.

I believe Sodexo cracked down last year because they lost the contract with GMU as a whole and are contracted through playfly and monumental. EBA is their only income at GMU now so they want to squeeze as much as possible out.

 

[GMU_Polevaulter]

I'm coming from North Carolina. Where do you hail from?

As for the Gold Room experience, gm 1 I hardly noticed a difference except it felt like less tables, though I know the others were just outside. But I'm not expecting much, so maybe that's why I don't notice much difference. I'm there to support the team, and drink 'free' beer, and talk with my basketball friends. Check, check, and check. I have a great time.

Central VA- about 1:50 minutes to 2 hours each way.

 

[jessej]

All things that existed in years past when we could pull in more than 3k, I’m not buying it. Our fanbase was never making the trip our from DC, it’s always been from the burbs.

There is a different perspective for those who are not die-hard Mason alumni fans - as represented by many on this board.

Currently the USG is shut down, and I know of some former government employees who are tightly controlling their budgets and spending. The free tix are nice, but if you have kids, you know what the real costs are. $10 popcorn and $5 soda will leave many families on a tight budget at home.

Aside from that GMU BBall is competing for Entertainment dollars. Is the total product experience worth the money?

For example - this is the last year of my 5-year ticket contract I have with Georgetown BBall. I have been protected from price increases but have already seen some of the expected price increases for next season. Cheap lower-level seats for the Maryland at Georgetown starting at $159 per seat. A likely OOC schedule consisting of 5+ KenPom 300 and higher teams. I am not interested in sitting in the 200 nor 400 level seating which likely means I will be sitting at home and watching those games on TV.

another example - University X now only sells their game tix online only - no walkup sales. The additional online surcharge along with the hassle of getting downtown - either driving and parking or riding the subway and walking increases both the hassle and costs. So now a ticket to their below average Women's program is now costing me $30-$40 and is not worth it to me, so I will also watch on TV.

I moved here in 1995 and have attended GMU men's bball games since 2000 - albeit sporadically in the beginning. Ticket Pricing has been ok in terms of reasonable costs for a non-diehard alumni fan until this season. I cannot see paying more than $10 a ticket to see a game against a D2 team or a KenPom 300 and higher team.

The concessions are overpriced and i think that in 20+ years of attending games I have purchased one soda. I usually go to the Giant in the Mall across the street and buy dinner there. One of the main positive benefits is free parking.

NIL has forced an increase in ticket pricing and as basic economics go - an increase in price forces a decrease in demand for most common goods.

My personal belief is that winning or not - the non-student attendance will be a max of 3000 until the A-10 season starts or the OOC games of ODU and JMU.

Just My Opinion

 

[MasonFanatic]

Hand out chants and other instructions on paper.

They've done this (and maybe still do). It doesn't seem to help as much as we'd hope.

When I was a student, we have a group of passionate students who organized cheers organically and shamed everyone else into participating.

 

[Where's the party?]

Shout out to my boy, Miles. He's doing a great job in the Gold Room given his limited resources and even more limited flexibility from the venue. He's there all the time, and willing to talk with (and listen to) the all the patrons. I even like his plowing ahead with the chant, even though it seems to get more laughs than participants

For the Green and the Gold!!

 

[Patriotsince81]

EBA (Patriot Center) opened in the 85-86 season. In the 20 years that followed we had 3 seasons averaging in the 2,000s, 15 seasons averaging in the 3,000s, and just 2 seasons averaging over 4,000.

Our greatest years from the standpoint of attendance began with the 05-06 season. Between 05-06 and the 11-12 seasons (7years) we averaged in the 4,000s once, over 5,000 three times, and over 6,000 three times. NCAA appearances in 2006, 2008, and 2011. NIT and CIT appearances also during that era. So, even during the pinnacle of our success we couldn't come close to selling out.

We haven't been relevant since the 10-11 season nationally. We kind of rode the Larranaga years for a while between the 12-13 and 19-20 seasons, a stretch of 8 years averaging over 4,000. Since the Covid year we've averaged in the 3,000s.

In the 40 years since opening, not counting this season, there have been 556 games at EBA with a total attendance of 2,222,880 (rough estimate based on averages over time). That is an average of 4,071 per game over our history. Win or lose, good times or bad, great economy or lousy economy, the team has never really been supported by a rabid fan base. I don't expect that the building will ever be full, much less half full on a great night.

Too much else to do? A transient population that takes many graduates away from the area? Has NIL and the portal driven away some? How will the price increases this year influence future attendance? I don't know that we'll ever know for sure.

One final thought. The A10 tourney last year was impressive in every regard as far as attendance and enthusiasm was concerned. The fan base that showed up there was loud and proud. I would love to have that passion and that many attend regularly, but I'll have to save that for my dreams.

 

[GunstonsGhost]

A transient population that takes many graduates away from the area?

Solid post. Just wanted to comment on this one point, since I recently heard Dr. Ajay Vinze, dean of the college of business say last month at a conference that 80% of our alumni live within a 50 mile radius of the Fairfax campus.

 

[Patriotsince81]

Solid post. Just wanted to comment on this one point, since I recently heard Dr. Ajay Vinze, dean of the college of business say last month at a conference that 80% of our alumni live within a 50 mile radius of the Fairfax campus.

Wow. Interesting. No excuse then, get your butts out to EBA. LOL

 

[GSII]

If you win alot, alot more will come watch. And, the people in our area want big names to come into EBA to play us. Seems like a no win situation in the short term. Long term, become the Gonzaga of the East, and everything else will fall into place.

 

[Portlandian]

I am still in favor of just blocking off the upper portions of the stadium and just focusing on filling in the lower portions as much as possible. It's a good event/concert space.

For a basketball space something like that only holds or allows about 4k would be perfect given the historical level of interest/attendance for GMU basketball.

 

[Pablo]

Win or lose, good times or bad, great economy or lousy economy, the team has never really been supported by a rabid fan base.

Excellent post, but I must disagree with you with respect to the 2006-07 season (following the Final Four season) with a school record average home attendance of 6,834. I don't know how many season tickets were sold, but the announced attendance for the exhibition game vs. D-III Marymount was 3,679 - https://gomason.com/documents/2015/4/30/masonexh.html

the team's final game was the CAA championship game (losing to vcu), as it finished with a record of 19-15 (10-8 at home). IMO, this was the season that you could not question fan support. Sure, the support was primarily attributed to the the excitement of the Final Four run. But, it was still impressive for this non-GMU alum who experienced so many previous poorly attended games here as a long-time season ticket holder.

It's a shame that the school did not continue to capitalized on its Final Four run to the extent that vcu did.

 

[GMU79]

Solid post. Just wanted to comment on this one point, since I recently heard Dr. Ajay Vinze, dean of the college of business say last month at a conference that 80% of our alumni live within a 50 mile radius of the Fairfax campus.

That is surprising, at least for me, considering the diversity of the student population.

 

[GMU79]

If you win alot, alot more will come watch. And, the people in our area want big names to come into EBA to play us. Seems like a no win situation in the short term. Long term, become the Gonzaga of the East, and everything else will fall into place.

Yes. Winning and playing a quality OOC schedule will do a lot to increase the numbers and the rabitity of the fans.
All of that, though, is a big ask. Especially in an era of one and done and NIL.

 

[DRK331]

"If we win, people will come"

We won the A10 regular season last year, there should be more people at the games.

If you live within 1 hour of EBA, please come to the games! Watch Kory Mincy go off!