Robins Center Attendance Watch

[97spiderfan]

No because I care about the UR fans who have seats next to mine.

There was nowhere near 6000 people in attendance. Maybe 5000 max. Also remember that we were giving BOGO specials all week just to get it there and kids Club got in free. Also saw a number of retirement home vans picking up attendees after the game, I wonder if we floated a special to them or if they just took advantage of $5 tickets for an ACC game.

If we were good an playing an ACC team that place would have been packed and they could have sold the normal $12 priority, $22 premium tickets and made a pretty mint.

 

[spider fan]

6076 for Saturday night game against ACC opponent.

How was the Amazing Tyler?

Tyler could balance everything he brought with him on his chin and lower lip including a wheel barrow ....entertaining......................

 

[SpiderK]

No because I care about the UR fans who have seats next to mine.

Wish some of our fellow season ticket holders felt the same way.

 

[MolivaManiac]

Announced 4220 tonight.

 

[Spider B]

I went. I would say 2000 max. One of the worst crowds I have seen at the RC in my 25 years of following the program

 

[spiderstudent17]

It’s a Wednesday night game against an 0-10 Coppin State team. These attendance numbers aren’t out of the ordinary. I’m watching VCU at Texas right now and the stadium is looking pretty empty too.

 

[MolivaManiac]

It’s a Wednesday night game against an 0-10 Coppin State team. These attendance numbers aren’t out of the ordinary. I’m watching VCU at Texas right now and the stadium is looking pretty empty too.

Well, we schedule slop and this is the result.

Compared to last year, we appear to be about 10% off (announced), thus far. If that continues over a 15 game schedule, you're talking about roughly 6000 fewer tickets sold and the corresponding concessions and merchandise purchased.

 

[spiderstudent17]

Well, we schedule slop and this is the result.

Compared to last year, we appear to be about 10% off (announced), thus far. If that continues over a 15 game schedule, you're talking about 6000 fewer tickets sold and the corresponding concessions and merchandise purchased.

Every team in the country our level or higher has these random weeknight OOC games against no name opponents. We do have a very weak schedule but we always have had these games every year (just not as many as this year). Had we been 8-0 going into this game, I don’t think the attendance for this game would have been drastically different. Furthermore, having lower than average attendance numbers for these kind of games is not unusual for any team in the country.

 

[MolivaManiac]

Every team in the country our level or higher has these random weeknight OOC games against no name opponents. We do have a very weak schedule but we always have had these games every year (just not as many as this year). Had we been 8-0 going into this game, I don’t think the attendance for this game would have been drastically different. Furthermore, having lower than average attendance numbers for these kind of games is not unusual for any team in the country.

10% less than last year just a "throw your hands up whatever" to you? What about a completely barren student section?

I respect your views but this one is the sort of defeatist view that Mooney has programmed into us. I feel bad for you that you never experienced anything different in school.

 

[Spider B]

Agree Mo. We can do much, much better.

 

[Wood Hall]

If the 10% decrease you cite is due to a dropoff in student attendance, then we don't lose anything in gear and concession sales, since students don't buy this stuff.

And isn't it finals week?

 

[spiderstudent17]

10% less than last year just a "throw your hands up whatever" to you? What about a completely barren student section?

I respect your views but this one is the sort of defeatist view that Mooney has programmed into us. I feel bad for you that you never experienced anything different in school.

I’d love the RC to be packed every game. However, that isn’t realistic. Doesn’t mean the administration shouldn’t care or make efforts to do so. To me, though, seeing a 10-20% drop off in attendance to a wake forest team or if we play a good conference opponent like Dayton or Rhode Island (VCU is always packed) sends more of a message than a Wednesday night game against Coppin State. Those no name opponent games aren’t accurate gauges to see if our poor results these past few years have driven fans away.

My bigger concern with Mooney is that he will do just good enough to continue being the coach by beating the Coppin States of the world. In the bigger picture being able to get a better coach should be Hardt’s top priority and not selling a few more $5 BOGO tickets or whatever just so we have 3500 instead of 3000 people in one of these nobody opponent games. Winning cures all.

By the way, may not have been at school during the Spiders golden years in basketball, but still love them nonetheless. Was part of that Miami NIT game though. Best atmosphere for a non VCU game I went to.

 

[MolivaManiac]

If the 10% decrease you cite is due to a dropoff in student attendance, then we don't lose anything in gear and concession sales, since students don't buy this stuff.

And isn't it finals week?

I have no idea how the students get counted. The pictures I saw suggested a pathetic crowd of students and non students alike.

We were 1200 under capacity against an ACC opponent on a Saturday night. So was that a big game or not?

 

[MolivaManiac]

I’d love the RC to be packed every game. However, that isn’t realistic. Doesn’t mean the administration shouldn’t care or make efforts to do so. To me, though, seeing a 10-20% drop off in attendance to a wake forest team or if we play a good conference opponent like Dayton or Rhode Island (VCU is always packed) sends more of a message than a Wednesday night game against Coppin State. Those no name opponent games aren’t accurate gauges to see if our poor results these past few years have driven fans away.

My bigger concern with Mooney is that he will do just good enough to continue being the coach by beating the Coppin States of the world. In the bigger picture being able to get a better coach should be Hardt’s top priority and not selling a few more $5 BOGO tickets or whatever just so we have 3500 instead of 3000 people in one of these nobody opponent games. Winning cures all.

By the way, may not have been at school during the Spiders golden years in basketball, but still love them nonetheless. Was part of that Miami NIT game though. Best atmosphere for a non VCU game I went to.

You are arguing a lot of points that I am not making.

I didnt say the arena should be packed every night.

Look at the Wake Forest Saturday night crowd. What does that tell you?

I did not say you didn't love the Spiders. Having to cite that Miami debacle as am "experience" from your time there is a shame for you. You deserved better.

 

[Spider B]

Even CM’s free admission fan club behind our bench was only about 1/3 full.

 

[spiderstudent17]

You are arguing a lot of points that I am not making.

Ok, let me try again.

10% less than last year just a "throw your hands up whatever" to you? .

No it is not a "throw my hands up whatever" to me. 10% or more less over an entire season means something. 10% less against Wake Forest, Dayton, Davidson VCU teams in conference means something. However, I am referring to this particular game. No, only having 3000 or so people at this game isn't that big of a deal for me.

What about a completely barren student section?

Students have been like this for as long as I was in school. Wish every student goes to all the games like I did. However, its finals week, we are 3-5 and we are playing a bad Coppin State team on Wednesday. Not exactly going to entice students to come out on a cold December night. Winning will help this.

I respect your views but this one is the sort of defeatist view that Mooney has programmed into us.

I am right along side you to fight the good fight that Mooney has set the bar low and is making most fans accept mediocrity as a result and constantly sends us in a perpetual cycle of longing for next year. A coaching change is at the epicenter of many of these other secondary problems. Lets focus our energy on that.

 

[MolivaManiac]

A coaching change is at the epicenter of many of these other secondary problems. Lets focus our energy on that.

Tell me how you would reccommend I do that.

FWIW, this string of messages isnt zapping me of much of my energy.

My strategy here is to debunk the "fake news" regularly generated by Spider Men's basketball. I would classify Mooney's inability to answer O'connor's "state of the program" question and ensuing exchanges as "program generated fake news". That has been a conversation piece for the last 2 weeks and they have been playing defense on the subject.

I also view the attendance figures we produce as fake news.

The attendance figures are down an its inarguable. Yet, here we are arguing something about it. Not sure why.

 

[spiderstudent17]

Tell me how you would reccommend I do that.

FWIW, this string of messages isnt zapping me of much of my energy.

My strategy here is to debunk the "fake news" regularly generated by Spider Men's basketball. I would classify Mooney's inability to answer O'connor's "state of the program" question and ensuing exchanges as "program generated fake news". That has been a conversation piece for the last 2 weeks and they have been playing defense on the subject.

I also view the attendance figures we produce as fake news.

The attendance figures are down an its inarguable. Yet, here we are arguing something about it. Not sure why.

I never said lack of attendance isn't a way to send a message. It is. Lack of attendance to a game like Coppin State isn't a good indicator of whether that message is being sent.

I have been on record saying that the best thing we can do as fans is to continue emailing Hardt, calling in the AD, telling Spider Club that you will lower (or not give) any donations if we don't make a coaching change.

Like Hardt said on Black and Drew last week, I think being at the games and supporting the players/team even at rough patches is a great thing we fans can do. Hardt strikes me as someone who is able to not confuse fans supporting their team/players by attending games with "this must mean Mooney is great and everything is perfectly fine" In other words, I expect Hardt is evaluating a potential coaching change with respect to on court results irrespective of fan attendance. Because of that, even though a drop in attendance can be a way to send a message, I would always encourage spider fans to go support the team at the games and then contact Hardt, the athletic department, etc. with any displeasure about coaching.

Don't get me wrong, I can be wrong about my assemssment of Hardt. But based on the limited connections I have with the athletic department, the message he gave on Black and Drew last week, and his actions thus far as AD, he seems to get it and is committed to doing what it takes to turn our program to an A10 championship and regularly appearing NCAA tournament caliber team

 

[SpiderK]

If the 10% decrease you cite is due to a dropoff in student attendance, then we don't lose anything in gear and concession sales, since students don't buy this stuff.

And isn't it finals week?

A 10% drop off in student attendance would only be from 10 down to 9. That’s about all that show.

 

[mr.spider]

Low attendance numbers do show disappointment. We would normally have larger #s even against the Coppin States of the world, which happen to be our entire schedule this year. Tonight also had very low fan enthusiasm even for a Coppin State.

Guarantee if we were 8-0, it would have been entirely different tonight.

 

[nathanw19]

It was puppy night... How do we have a down attendance for puppy night?!?! #ThanksObama

 

[KWeaver]

This just sucks.

 

[keefusb]

Like Hardt said on Black and Drew last week, I think being at the games and supporting the players/team even at rough patches is a great thing we fans can do.

Clearly, if the AD is "inflating" the attendance figures, then attendance is an important success metric to them. Communicating your displeasure/frustration, etc. to Hardt's office should always be the first step. But I feel like boycotting the games is another important tool in our "unhappy fan toolbox" that gets the attention of the powers that be. And I want to dispel the notion that the players look up and see the empty seats and think that the fans are being mean to them. They know that the empty seats are not about them, it's about the coach and it's about how crappy our program has been the last several years.

Losing hurts their feelings more than empty seats.

#NoMoreMooneyTruthing

 

[spiderman]

They know that the empty seats are not about them, it's about the coach and it's about how crappy our program has been the last several years.

they know that? you think these kids don't feel that if they win, the seats fill up?

 

[keefusb]

I think losing probably bothers them more than empty seats. They probably feel like winning will bring the fans back, but winning is going to be impossible given the current coaching staff and state of the program.

When I played for a crappy coach, I couldn't wait for a coaching change because I knew that was the only way things would get better.

#NoMoreMooneyTruthing

 

[MolivaManiac]

"unhappy fan toolbox"

Interesting FMM holiday idea...hmm...

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

As a player, I wouldn't have noticed a 10% drop in attendance. Furthest thing from my mind on game day.

Sure felt the losses, though.

 

[97spiderfan]

If you go on the ticket site, the student sections are always blocked off. I wonder if we are counting those entire sections as sold in these counts. There was no more than 2000 people there last night. No where near 4200, that is completely ridiculous.

I'm sure internally they know how many butts in our actually in the seats. They can't be happy about it. I would love to see a revenue picture for the MBB for this year versus 5 years ago.

 

[spiderman]

... winning is going to be impossible given the current coaching staff and state of the program.

I know you're 100% committed to this line of thought and last year was a disaster, but the year before we were 22-13 and 13-5 in conference. and despite some who think recruiting is a disaster, our roster is starting to look really strong going forward. especially with Nick sliding back into the current sophomore class.

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

I know you're 100% committed to this line of thought and last year was a disaster, but the year before we were 22-13 and 13-5 in conference. and despite some who think recruiting is a disaster, our roster is starting to look really strong going forward. especially with Nick sliding back into the current sophomore class.

The future is very bright. ©2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

 

[spiderman]

The future is very bright. ©2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

we definitely didn't make the tournament those years.
doesn't change that I think our roster looks good if it stays together.

 

[MrTbone]

I’d love the RC to be packed every game. However, that isn’t realistic. Doesn’t mean the administration shouldn’t care or make efforts to do so. To me, though, seeing a 10-20% drop off in attendance to a wake forest team or if we play a good conference opponent like Dayton or Rhode Island (VCU is always packed) sends more of a message than a Wednesday night game against Coppin State. Those no name opponent games aren’t accurate gauges to see if our poor results these past few years have driven fans away.

I’m one of the biggest pragmatists around but this statement is just dead wrong. When I was at UR in what I’d deem was its basketball heyday (late 80s/early 90s) the average attendance was 7300. Pledges would go hours before the game to save rows of seats for their fraternity. The “Spidermen” would show up in their lettered shirts and boisterously rile the crowd.

Times change and I understand that and students have different opportunities now than in 1990 but if we had a strong successful program, students (and other fans) would come. Doesn’t matter what day of the week it was or who the opponent was. We don’t have a winning culture and that breeds a degree of apathy. I don’t blame those folks for not being committed, it starts with giving them a reason to be invested.

 

[Ulla1]

I’m one of the biggest pragmatists around but this statement is just dead wrong. When I was at UR in what I’d deem was I t’s basketball heyday (late 80s/early 90s) the average attendance was 7300. Pledges would go hours before the game to save rows of seats for their fraternity. The “Spidermen” would show up in their lettered shirts and boisterously rile the crowd.

Times change and I understand that, but if we had a strong successful program, students (and other fans) would come. Doesn’t matter what day of the week it was or who the opponent was. We don’t have a winning culture and that breeds a degree of apathy. I don’t blame those folks for not being committed, it starts with giving them a reason to be invested.

Nope. Times and students have changed. Work with students at UR daily and I can tell you their involvement in sports is radically different from prior times,

 

[mr.spider]

So, just give up, don't expect anything great. If that is honestly your mentality, why bother. Good grief.

 

[MrTbone]

Nope. Times and students have changed. Work with students at UR daily and I can tell you their involvement in sports is radically different from prior times,

Please explain to me why then the student sections at places like duke or even vcu have students who literally camp out for seats. Do they have fewer options and obligations than UR students?

This notion that you can’t get students to games because of XYZ is disproven at any number of universities across the country.

 

[Spider B]

Students are not showing up for the same reason fans are not showing up. 8 years of no NCAA, regular losses to lower conference teams, early exits from the A10 tournament, and a 12 win season to top it off. People like following winners, and we are not winning.

 

[SpiderRick]

I miss the "Rocky" theme song playing while a male student would rip off his shirt, Sprint to the top of the stadium, and lead the crowd in a cheer. That ALWAYS got the crowd going.

Maybe they should show a replay of that in the pregame highlights of old...it might inspire some students.

 

[Spiders05]

Three things...

1. Was on campus before Wake. The game was being advertised on the TVs and signs in the commons. You can ensure they're informed, but you cant make them go.

2. VCU had a thread on their board earlier this season discussing their student attendance issues. Winning certainly is a huge piece of the puzzle but it's not everything. Today's UR student is very different than when I was there.

3. When I took over the Rowdies in JW's first year, we had 50 members. Two years later, we had over 500 and they paid $20 to join. We focused on the freshmen. They had no idea what to expect. We went door to door the first week of classes and took a couple of SpinnURs to the guys dorms. Set it up so they could put it on their SpiderCard (no out of pocket money) and made them feel like they belonged to something. Lastly, we boozed before games, made it a social event and had fun.

Rowdies have no social media presence I can see (their IG appears to be run by Athletics). They certainly don't have any leaders at games.

Generally, I think the AD does a lot to entice students. My interactions with students recently have left me less than impressed. I can't put that on the AD.

 

[nathanw19]

Three things...

1. Was on campus before Wake. The game was being advertised on the TVs and signs in the commons. You can ensure they're informed, but you cant make them go.

2. VCU had a thread on their board earlier this season discussing their student attendance issues. Winning certainly is a huge piece of the puzzle but it's not everything. Today's UR student is very different than when I was there.

3. When I took over the Rowdies in JW's first year, we had 50 members. Two years later, we had over 500 and they paid $20 to join. We focused on the freshmen. They had no idea what to expect. We went door to door the first week of classes and took a couple of SpinnURs to the guys dorms. Set it up so they could put it on their SpiderCard (no out of pocket money) and made them feel like they belonged to something. Lastly, we boozed before games, made it a social event and had fun.

Rowdies have no social media presence I can see (their IG appears to be run by Athletics). They certainly don't have any leaders at games.

Generally, I think the AD does a lot to entice students. My interactions with students recently have left me less than impressed. I can't put that on the AD.

I was at UR during the dark years (end of JW, beginning of CM). I think those years killed a lot of the momentum that had been established. CM’s early years were PAINFUL to watch, especially the first where he was forcing JW’s recruits to stop trying to run and gun and instead run the Princeton offense. I remember CM yelling at Buckner to stop trying to fast break...

I imagine the NCAA years helped rejuvenate a class or two of students, but I think those dark years really helped kill a lot of fans. Hopefully these past few years aren’t having the same effect.

 

[keefusb]

Well, we schedule slop and this is the result.

More like "mush" to use a popular Cooperism.

#NoMoreMooneyTruthing