weberwildcat
Active member
http://www.bigskyconference.blogspot.com/
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2009
A Look At Men's Basketball Attendance
The folks at the NCAA recently sent over the men's basketball attendance figures, broken down by conference and teams. The figures might be shocking to some, but to those really in touch with college basketball, probably not so much.
I read on message boards and in the media regularly about poor attendance numbers in Big Sky men's basketball arenas. In reality, our numbers are not much different than many of the other "mid-major" conferences in Division I basketball.
During the 2008-09 season, a total of 122 games were played during the regular season at Big Sky basketball arenas with an average attendance of 2,292. Weber State led the way, averaging 4,598 fans, followed by Montana at 3,713, Montana State at 3,387 and Idaho State at 2,755.
Eight Division I conference failed to average 2,000 fans at home games, and the Mid-Eastern (2,005) and America East (2,036) just surpassed that mark.
The Big West's home attendance average was 1,871 led by Pacific at 2,904. The Northeast Conference averaged 1,130 fans per home game. The Southland Conference, a similar conference to the Big Sky in terms of playing FCS football, averaged 1,568. The Southern Conference, also similar to the Big Sky, averaged 2,421 fans per home game.
Here's a sampling of other "mid-major conferences"
Patriot - 1,693
Ivy League - 1,792
Big South - 1,785
Atlantic Sun - 1,987
Ohio Valley - 2,500
Sun Belt - 2,533
West Coast Conference - 2,964
Summit 2,689
Mid-Eastern 2,005
Part of the reason many believe Big Sky attendance numbers lack when compared nationally is perception. We are inundated with televised basketball games on CBS, ABC, and the ESPN family of networks, many with sold-out arenas. The vast majority of those games feature teams from the six major conferences, featuring teams like Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Syracuse, Louisville, and Kansas. It's no surprise that the six major conferences (SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, Big East) and Pac-10 are the national leaders in attendance.
The Big 10 averaged 12,519 fans at its home games, followed by the SEC at 11,625. The ACC, Big 12 and Big East were all between 10,000-11,000. The Pac-10 averaged 8,541 fans per home game, just a notch above the Mountain West at 8,280.
Sold-out venues in men's college basketball is the exception, not the norm. The list if filled with teams who failed to average 2,000 fans, and many who failed to average 1,000. In fact, of the 328 counting Division I members, 104 (almost 32 percent) failed to average 2,000 fans. Just 60 (about 12 percent) averaged more than 10,000.
No team in the Northeast Conference averaged 2,000. St. Francis of New York averaged 477 and Fairleigh Dickinson, an NCAA Tournament team in 2005, averaged 533. Colgate of the Patriot league averaged 405. Tulane from Conference USA averaged 1,733. Eastern Michigan from the Mid-American averaged just 830.
Weber State's average home attendance of 4,598 topped such programs as Miami, Fla., Houston, SMU, Southern Mississippi, Central Florida, UW-Green Bay, Valparaiso, UW-Milwaukee, Ball State, Kent State, Northern Iowa, Colorado State, TCU, San Diego, Santa Clara, Saint Mary's, Boise State and San Jose State.
Former Big Sky member Idaho averaged 1,741 fans per home game, which was fewer than the 1,880 averaged by Eastern Washington. Boise State, another former Big Sky member, averaged 4,044. Nevada, which has been very successful in recent years, averaged 6,953.
Only one team from the West Coast Conference can say it averaged better attendance than a Big Sky team, and of course that's Gonzaga. The Zags, another former Big Sky member that has gained national prominence over the last decade, averaged 6,411 fans per game. Take away those figures from the West Coast Conference, and the league averaged 2,529 fans per game.
It's no secret that basketball attendance has slipped at many schools across the nation. In 1979-80, the Big Sky averaged a record 5,360 fans per home game. That was in the day before ESPN and cable television. Many students don't have the luxury of being able to attend sporting events, as they must work part-time to help pay tuition costs. The economy this past year certainly didn't help matters.
Sure, the Big Sky would love to see more fan support across the league, but the bottom line is our attendance numbers are similar like-sized conferences across the nation.
Jon Kasper - Big Sky Conference
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2009
A Look At Men's Basketball Attendance
The folks at the NCAA recently sent over the men's basketball attendance figures, broken down by conference and teams. The figures might be shocking to some, but to those really in touch with college basketball, probably not so much.
I read on message boards and in the media regularly about poor attendance numbers in Big Sky men's basketball arenas. In reality, our numbers are not much different than many of the other "mid-major" conferences in Division I basketball.
During the 2008-09 season, a total of 122 games were played during the regular season at Big Sky basketball arenas with an average attendance of 2,292. Weber State led the way, averaging 4,598 fans, followed by Montana at 3,713, Montana State at 3,387 and Idaho State at 2,755.
Eight Division I conference failed to average 2,000 fans at home games, and the Mid-Eastern (2,005) and America East (2,036) just surpassed that mark.
The Big West's home attendance average was 1,871 led by Pacific at 2,904. The Northeast Conference averaged 1,130 fans per home game. The Southland Conference, a similar conference to the Big Sky in terms of playing FCS football, averaged 1,568. The Southern Conference, also similar to the Big Sky, averaged 2,421 fans per home game.
Here's a sampling of other "mid-major conferences"
Patriot - 1,693
Ivy League - 1,792
Big South - 1,785
Atlantic Sun - 1,987
Ohio Valley - 2,500
Sun Belt - 2,533
West Coast Conference - 2,964
Summit 2,689
Mid-Eastern 2,005
Part of the reason many believe Big Sky attendance numbers lack when compared nationally is perception. We are inundated with televised basketball games on CBS, ABC, and the ESPN family of networks, many with sold-out arenas. The vast majority of those games feature teams from the six major conferences, featuring teams like Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Syracuse, Louisville, and Kansas. It's no surprise that the six major conferences (SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, Big East) and Pac-10 are the national leaders in attendance.
The Big 10 averaged 12,519 fans at its home games, followed by the SEC at 11,625. The ACC, Big 12 and Big East were all between 10,000-11,000. The Pac-10 averaged 8,541 fans per home game, just a notch above the Mountain West at 8,280.
Sold-out venues in men's college basketball is the exception, not the norm. The list if filled with teams who failed to average 2,000 fans, and many who failed to average 1,000. In fact, of the 328 counting Division I members, 104 (almost 32 percent) failed to average 2,000 fans. Just 60 (about 12 percent) averaged more than 10,000.
No team in the Northeast Conference averaged 2,000. St. Francis of New York averaged 477 and Fairleigh Dickinson, an NCAA Tournament team in 2005, averaged 533. Colgate of the Patriot league averaged 405. Tulane from Conference USA averaged 1,733. Eastern Michigan from the Mid-American averaged just 830.
Weber State's average home attendance of 4,598 topped such programs as Miami, Fla., Houston, SMU, Southern Mississippi, Central Florida, UW-Green Bay, Valparaiso, UW-Milwaukee, Ball State, Kent State, Northern Iowa, Colorado State, TCU, San Diego, Santa Clara, Saint Mary's, Boise State and San Jose State.
Former Big Sky member Idaho averaged 1,741 fans per home game, which was fewer than the 1,880 averaged by Eastern Washington. Boise State, another former Big Sky member, averaged 4,044. Nevada, which has been very successful in recent years, averaged 6,953.
Only one team from the West Coast Conference can say it averaged better attendance than a Big Sky team, and of course that's Gonzaga. The Zags, another former Big Sky member that has gained national prominence over the last decade, averaged 6,411 fans per game. Take away those figures from the West Coast Conference, and the league averaged 2,529 fans per game.
It's no secret that basketball attendance has slipped at many schools across the nation. In 1979-80, the Big Sky averaged a record 5,360 fans per home game. That was in the day before ESPN and cable television. Many students don't have the luxury of being able to attend sporting events, as they must work part-time to help pay tuition costs. The economy this past year certainly didn't help matters.
Sure, the Big Sky would love to see more fan support across the league, but the bottom line is our attendance numbers are similar like-sized conferences across the nation.
Jon Kasper - Big Sky Conference
