Big Sky Attendance

[Skippy]

Here are the current numbers for Big Sky men's basketball attendance, in average attendance per home game:

Weber State -- 6795
Montana--3034
North Dakota--1559
Montana State--1500
Idaho State--1399
Eastern Washington-1313
Southern Utah--1161
Northern Arizona--1111
Northern Colorado--1041
Idaho--894
Sacramento State--496
Portland State -- 491

The average attendance for a Big Sky game so far this season is 1,764. If you subtract Weber State's figures, the average attendance for a game not played in Ogden is 1,246. Big Sky attendance peaked in the 1988-89 season, when the average game drew 5,025 fans. With a few minor spikes, attendance has gone down steadily ever since. While I anticipate average attendance to go up somewhat as the conference season goes on, the current average of 1764 fans per game would be the worst attendance since the conference began keeping records in 1975-76. The 2010-11 season set the current record with just 2,289 fans per game.

 

[Spudhead]

The women's is decreasing too. I caught some of the ISU game online today, and there were LOTS of empty seats. I checked the Big Sky's website, and ISU is down about 500 fans a game from just 2 or 3 seasons ago. Losing does that to you.

Does anybody even care about basketball at ISU? The men's program has been down for eons. The women's program has been mediocre for the last 2 seasons now.

I also watched the men play at NAU today. Also LOTS of empty seats. And I shudder to think what happens next year without Hansen and Solarin. By the way, NAU's production and broadcaster are the best in the Big Sky, by far. They do a great job.

 

[PBP]

ISU averaged 1000 fans this past week for the women's two home games just FYI.

"Losing" and "mediocre" are relative terms... while the women didn't repeat as Big Sky champs, they still made the Big Sky post season tournament the past two seasons and had winning records in the conference.

I suspect part of the reason attendance is down is because fans are taking a 'wait and see' attitude with this bunch. 12 freshmen, redshirt freshmen or sophomores on the roster. Waiting to see how they develop.

Just my opinion but at this point I suspect the women have a more dedicated fan base following than the men.

Oh just FYI as well, the women were fourth in the conference in average attendance the past two previous seasons so it's not like they are falling off the face of the Earth.

Could another factor be ticket prices? I've seen some posts here from time to time from fans saying they are to high for the men and women.

PBP

 

[notabengalalum]

I prefer attending the Women's games to the men's games at ISU. Yes, they've had more success over the past years but their venue (Reed Gym) is much more enjoyable to watch a basketball game than the Holt. It's warmer (temperature wise) and closer to the action. The Reed concessions could use some MAJOR improvements but the Holt's approach to that is stagnant anyway - both football and basketball. In addition, Seton does a good job of being approachable and friendly and that helps the fans relate to him and his team. He attended the IF Chukars night and brought along and introduced his new coaching staff.

Ticket prices seem to be pretty much comparable to equivalent basketball around the country. Better than spending that money on a movie IMHO. And, the ticket takers and staff are very pleasant and personable.

You want to work on improving fan interaction and interest? Jeff Tingey & crew could take a lesson from Paul Bubb. Bubb was out there talking to fans before and after games and thanking them for coming to the football or basketball games. Small thing? Maybe. But , a smile, nod, handshake, or pleasant comment to arriving & departing fans (read that as "customers") at the Holt or at Reed couldn't hurt at all. :twocents:

 

[Skippy]

Maybe I've lived in Idaho so long I've lost touch with the rest of the world, but I was shocked to see my alma mater, Northwestern, is charging $45 a ticket for basketball these days. Plus you have to pay for parking and I'm sure concessions are ridiculous. With just about every major conference game on television these days, it's no wonder live attendance is suffering.

 

[letuknow]

Concessions at Holt and Reed are a joke. Also have the ushers ever heard of customer service?

 

[sasquatch]

One of the problems with ISU's ticket site is when you go to the site, it leads you to believe all tickets for men's games are $17.

The women's site is similar and makes you believe all tickets are $12. But, when you click on the game you're interested in, men's or women's, you can choose your seat and you see a range of prices. Prices are actually lower than the $17 or $12 the ISU ticket site shows. That's a problem. I know of a few who have said they won't pay $17 for a ticket, especially when they can be entertained at the movies for $10, give or take.

ISU needs to fix that main page and include the range of prices, rather than the one general admission price. It's not the lone reason for poor attendance, but it has discouraged a few.

P.S. Please don't tell me that ISU can't afford to change that, that other schools have better resources to better fix this type of problem and we can't, or any other B.S. excuse.

 

[spudbowl]

The Women's attendance is fine. The reality is that a certain number of fans won't follow a team as they rebuild. In my view, it is incredibly fun to watch young players develop and get to see them down the line in championship games. However, I know many people that went to the women's games in spring 2012 and have not returned during the last two rebuilding years. Yet, there is a base of fans for women's bb that are there all the time, win or lose. There is a good variety of fans in the women's base (young, old, female, male, students, business people, faculty, etc.).

I am more worried about the men's fan base because it is getting smaller and it is full old guys like me that go to games out of historical loyalty. However, I had the same concern about the football fan base (and Holt as a facility) and winning has moved toward fixing that very quickly in 2014. In regard to men's bb, I also would prefer Reed (it is bright and inviting, though I wish they would put backs on the seats in the upper deck). Holt is dark and cold. Yet, again, if the Bengals were competing for a Big Sky title, I would go to games even if they were held in a warehouse on first avenue and sold stale popcorn for concessions. As a kid in the 1970s, I did not complain about the basketball court in the the Minidome being in the middle of the football field with the football lights being used. Watching Cook, Hayes, Thompson, and company win championship games and NCAA tourney games made me not pay attention to all of that (and we had the same small concessions and hallways and restrooms back then).

In short, just win and we won't pay attention to bad concessions, darkness, coldness, etc. How many complaints did you hear about the concessions at Holt or the disfigured roof, or the old half broken 1970s seats, during the Cal Poly football game? It was the last thing on my mind that day.

 

[JJB]

Some good points by all. The issue of $17 tickets was brought up before on here, and nobody refuted the price. Even those affiliated with ISU who post on here didn't do it. I'm sure other fans on here have season tickets and aren't familiar with the individual price.

http://www.bigskyfans.com/bengals/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=5941" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I prefer Holt for basketball, and I remember Bubb mentioning that he was looking into such things as mobile (industrial) heaters and curtains to surround the court/bleachers, just as they do up in Moscow. It's a Band-Aid, but I wonder if anything ever came of that?