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Big Sky Attendance for October 1
- Thread starter Alan1
- Start date
BroadwayVik
Active member
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Why do you suppose Portland largely rejects Portland State athletics?
Why do you suppose Portland largely rejects Portland State athletics?
BroadwayVik said:
I don't think Portland largely rejects PSU athletics. Portland just doesn't notice PSU athletics. Just as it doesn't notice the Big Sky Conference. In football, the only team we play at home every other year is Eastern. All the others we play at home once every four years. Just great for building fan awareness and rivalries. In basketball our facility is worse than some area high schools. We play softball and soccer out of town and I don't think the stadium is even on a Tri-Met route. Track and Field? I have no idea if we even host events. By and large our coaching hires have been as uninspiring as their coaching. Generally the athletic teams that I have noticed are mediocre or worse. People in Portland are not going to notice PSU athletics just because we field teams. If we regularly offered excitement and wins, then maybe.
Think Alan is a little down on PSU. Over last few years, Vikings have been at the top or near the top of the Big Sky in football, volleyball, soccer and golf. Men's and women's tennis in on the upswing. Men's basketball has been an upper echelon team and women's basketball looks as if it might be this year. Women's soccer is young this year but has good talent. Women's softball has been out of contention for the last few years, but was a powerhouse before that...and there's a new coach this year. Volleyball has a legitimate shot at the Big Sky title this year. And, we've produced some Big Sky champions in track and field.
Our football coach was last year's national Championship Division Coach of the Year. Our Soccer and Volleyball coaches have consistently had their teams in the top of the league. Our men's basketball coach has been winning the last couple of yeas and, as noted, the women's coach is new. Football and the two basketballs are the ones likely to draw larger crowds.
As to attendance...Viking Pavilion will help the two basketballs...winning is the key to football attendance.
Our football coach was last year's national Championship Division Coach of the Year. Our Soccer and Volleyball coaches have consistently had their teams in the top of the league. Our men's basketball coach has been winning the last couple of yeas and, as noted, the women's coach is new. Football and the two basketballs are the ones likely to draw larger crowds.
As to attendance...Viking Pavilion will help the two basketballs...winning is the key to football attendance.
Good points. I've been following volleyball. Last year we had only one returning starter; this year we have four, and it shows. The team this year is mostly freshmen and sophomores and we're starting the season better than we have in the last 3-4. Yes, there's some inconsistency but that's to be expected of a young team. We'll be in the tournament at the end and then, who knows? You didn't mention golf. Once again we're playing up near the top of conference, and we have two freshmen starting! For a "mid-major" school, I'd say we're doing very well.
Portland State is part of a larger phenomenon.
Sports reporting used to be local. In that environment grew Mouse Davis. At the tail end of that environment, Pokey Allen thrived here... and he knew how to corral that.
Sports reporting is no longer local. The major networks and ESPN (who is a major network thanks to Disney/ABC, frankly) simply drew away sports fans. Everyone else is now pissed at where their cable TV payments are going (NFL, MLB, even NBA, maybe the Big 10 and SEC) and want blood.
(That's one thing right there. Local media has compensated by turning attention away from sports altogether, and not just in Portland. Whole leagues used to be able to pay their way on the backs of casual fans. Those casual fans are disappearing.)
The rise of the Oregon program makes it look like it took away any thunder Portland State had. The truth is that it hit the big time at JUST the right time; just when people who were sports fans stopped watching the local news and started watching the national sports reports. Portland State probably sensed the need to push up (hence the bleachers on the east side that one season), but that was probably a year too late. I think, BTW, it would be trifling to blame PSU administrators for lack of foresight... these trends are always hard to see.
Besides, Portland had a major youth influx from out of state, driving up the cost of living, and that's become a problem.
On that national front:
You have Nick Saban complaining that Alabama students aren't going to games. The top schools fear for their future. Hence they will try to distance themselves from everyone else. If the Big 12 Conference is successfully shuttered (it's run like crap, Texas and Oklahoma are thought to want out, and the other conferences MIGHT see the 4-team playoff and a 4-power-conference structure as the ultimate), look out.
Schools like Fresno State are reporting crowds of 31,000 and 23,000 and probably not actually drawing any more than what Portland State is reporting. Memphis, the Florida directional, most G5 schools have sucky attendance in everything but what's reported in the box score. Ticket prices are the primary issue, television quality is so good that it no longer pays to attend (and pay inflated ticket prices at that) to be out in questionable weather.
The Pac-12 isn't getting a significant part of the money the new contract promised because the dishes won't put them on.
College sports are rapidly becoming a wreck. Why should Portland State be any different?
Sports reporting used to be local. In that environment grew Mouse Davis. At the tail end of that environment, Pokey Allen thrived here... and he knew how to corral that.
Sports reporting is no longer local. The major networks and ESPN (who is a major network thanks to Disney/ABC, frankly) simply drew away sports fans. Everyone else is now pissed at where their cable TV payments are going (NFL, MLB, even NBA, maybe the Big 10 and SEC) and want blood.
(That's one thing right there. Local media has compensated by turning attention away from sports altogether, and not just in Portland. Whole leagues used to be able to pay their way on the backs of casual fans. Those casual fans are disappearing.)
The rise of the Oregon program makes it look like it took away any thunder Portland State had. The truth is that it hit the big time at JUST the right time; just when people who were sports fans stopped watching the local news and started watching the national sports reports. Portland State probably sensed the need to push up (hence the bleachers on the east side that one season), but that was probably a year too late. I think, BTW, it would be trifling to blame PSU administrators for lack of foresight... these trends are always hard to see.
Besides, Portland had a major youth influx from out of state, driving up the cost of living, and that's become a problem.
On that national front:
You have Nick Saban complaining that Alabama students aren't going to games. The top schools fear for their future. Hence they will try to distance themselves from everyone else. If the Big 12 Conference is successfully shuttered (it's run like crap, Texas and Oklahoma are thought to want out, and the other conferences MIGHT see the 4-team playoff and a 4-power-conference structure as the ultimate), look out.
Schools like Fresno State are reporting crowds of 31,000 and 23,000 and probably not actually drawing any more than what Portland State is reporting. Memphis, the Florida directional, most G5 schools have sucky attendance in everything but what's reported in the box score. Ticket prices are the primary issue, television quality is so good that it no longer pays to attend (and pay inflated ticket prices at that) to be out in questionable weather.
The Pac-12 isn't getting a significant part of the money the new contract promised because the dishes won't put them on.
College sports are rapidly becoming a wreck. Why should Portland State be any different?
