Basketball attendance

[MCsMGs]

Didn't want to hijack the WBB thread or diminish their accomplishments, but that thread got me thinking about a couple of things...

1)They have pretty much crushed the argument that we are in a "small market" and "can't" consistently pack the Hump.

2)They have certainly reinforced the argument about putting a winning team on the floor and the fans will show.

3)It's still pissin' me off that our fan base won't/hasn't supported the men's program better that we have. Apparently, many still don't realize that fan support has a very real effect on the quality of play, how big an impact it has on perception of the program in the media or how big an impact it has on recruiting, which again has everything to do with the quality of talent which leads to wins. We just saw Monday night how much it can affect a recruit! Vic constantly raves about how much that support has helped build that program.

Do I sound like a preacher that shares the same message every Sunday yet?

[Liverpooldawg]

One point of order: The women's team last year and this year is probably the best team in any sport MSU has ever fielded. That kind of stuff usually draws people in.

[msstate7]

Our men deserve much better than they get from us fans. It is past time for us to step up and fill the hump for both the men and the women.

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Two different fan bases....

[Liverpooldawg]

Two different fan bases....

Yep, the women's fan base is much more local. Tickets are cheaper and ordinary local folks can afford them and get them. That and how good the team is equals big crowds.

[MCsMGs]

Two different fan bases....

Not sure about this...I see and know a lot of people that show up for both.

[Liverpooldawg]

Not sure about this...I see and know a lot of people that show up for both.

I know a BUNCH of people who have been to very few if any men's games that go to nearly all the women's games. WAY more than I know that go to both.

[MCsMGs]

I know a BUNCH of people who have been to very few if any men's games that go to nearly all the women's games. WAY more than I know that go to both.

You're probably right about this...I think the group I'm referring to are a relatively small group of hardcores. I do know that there are many of the regulars at the women's games that travel good ways to get to the games.

[shannondawg]

I go to both, and its an mostly an entirely different crowd.

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

The women have nice crowds but I wouldn't say they have been "packing the Hump"

[BrunswickDawg]

The women have nice crowds but I wouldn't say they have been "packing the Hump"

Last season, they averaged 6600 people - good for 7th in the country. This season, they will average about 6900 - and will have sold out their final 4 games. That?s pretty much packing the house.

[IMissJack]

Didn't want to hijack the WBB thread or diminish their accomplishments, but that thread got me thinking about a couple of things...

1)They have pretty much crushed the argument that we are in a "small market" and "can't" consistently pack the Hump.

2)They have certainly reinforced the argument about putting a winning team on the floor and the fans will show.

3)It's still pissin' me off that our fan base won't/hasn't supported the men's program better that we have. Apparently, many still don't realize that fan support has a very real effect on the quality of play, how big an impact it has on perception of the program in the media or how big an impact it has on recruiting, which again has everything to do with the quality of talent which leads to wins. We just saw Monday night how much it can affect a recruit! Vic constantly raves about how much that support has helped build that program.

Do I sound like a preacher that shares the same message every Sunday yet?


The Hump was packed almost every at least SEC game I was in school for men's basketball early '90s. I don't know why there would be a perception it could not be regularly packed with a winning team.

[tireddawg]

The women have nice crowds but I wouldn't say they have been "packing the Hump"

Serious question. Do you argue just to argue? Trolling maybe? Worked on me, I guess.

[Liverpooldawg]

The Hump was packed almost every at least SEC game I was in school for men's basketball early '90s. I don't know why there would be a perception it could not be regularly packed with a winning team.

I was a season ticket holder that whole decade. The crowds were good for say, 90-92 and then again 94-97. Not so good otherwise. Better than now of course.

[Gutter Cobreh]

More enjoyable type of game to watch + better team = better attendance

Let’s be honest, the girls have EARNED their praise and greater attendance. It shouldn’t be a “given” just because the boys field a team that people should attend the games. I don’t see threads about the tennis or soccer attendance.

I have personally soured on these types of threads due to the nonsense spewed during football season about showing Lateral Move how much we were behind him and the team for early Saturday games....

[Lord McBuckethead]

Yep, the women's fan base is much more local. Tickets are cheaper and ordinary local folks can afford them and get them. That and how good the team is equals big crowds.

Also other than courtside, they are first come first serve. Men's games piss you off when there are only 200 tickets available and the lower bowl is 65% empty.

[Lord McBuckethead]

Serious question. Do you argue just to argue? Trolling maybe? Worked on me, I guess.

I would guess they pulled on average 1500 more fans every game. At least the ones I have been to this year.

[Dawg61]

Also other than courtside, they are first come first serve. Men's games piss you off when there are only 200 tickets available and the lower bowl is 65% empty.

Been saying this pisses people off for years now and I know they let people move down after ten minutes but most people choose to stay where they are once a game has started.

[nsvltndog]

The one thing that was different with football was the fans came to support Mullen even in season 1 when he had his turn at pulling us out of the depths of hell. I understand why attendance dropped under Rick Ray as there was a lack of talent, lack of recruiting, a controversial coaching change, and a general who the heck did we just hire situation. Doesn't mean he wasn't a good man, just an odd fit at an odd time.

Howland comes in and I looked at him as the basketball equivalent of the 1991 Jackie Sherrill hire. We didn't win right away, but recruiting picked up, team became more competitive, but we missed out on what we did in Mullen's first year where the fan base helped drive the transition of the program in a very positive manner by filling up the stadium every game. There was a lot of marketing effort behind making that happen under Byrne's watch that seemed absent in Howland's start. Maybe Stricklin was still smarting from having that decision driven down on him from above. So unlike football with Mullen and Sherrill, we have truly taken a show me approach with Howland. It is what it is, we can't go back and change it, but it's interesting to think about the parallels. Regardless of the past, I'm optimistic attendance is going to improve going forward as the team is showing a lot of promise for the future.

[DawgRockur]

Ticket prices help support also. Women?s team have sold out the next two games. Very few left for the Aubby game, so they?re going to sell out four games in a row.
A lot of this is due to tickets being 5 bucks each. People can take a family of four for what it would cost for one person to go to a men?s game.

[Liverpooldawg]

Also other than courtside, they are first come first serve. Men's games piss you off when there are only 200 tickets available and the lower bowl is 65% empty.

Yep, those belong to the big donars and cooperates. We need to renovate to get them out of view of the cameras. Give them suites that can hide the fact that they only show up to see Kentucky.

[Liverpooldawg]

The one thing that was different with football was the fans came to support Mullen even in season 1 when he had his turn at pulling us out of the depths of hell. I understand why attendance dropped under Rick Ray as there was a lack of talent, lack of recruiting, a controversial coaching change, and a general who the heck did we just hire situation. Doesn't mean he wasn't a good man, just an odd fit at an odd time.

Howland comes in and I looked at him as the basketball equivalent of the 1991 Jackie Sherrill hire. We didn't win right away, but recruiting picked up, team became more competitive, but we missed out on what we did in Mullen's first year where the fan base helped drive the transition of the program in a very positive manner by filling up the stadium every game. There was a lot of marketing effort behind making that happen under Byrne's watch that seemed absent in Howland's start. Maybe Stricklin was still smarting from having that decision driven down on him from above. So unlike football with Mullen and Sherrill, we have truly taken a show me approach with Howland. It is what it is, we can't go back and change it, but it's interesting to think about the parallels. Regardless of the past, I'm optimistic attendance is going to improve going forward as the team is showing a lot of promise for the future.
JWS DID win right away.

[Liverpooldawg]

Ticket prices help support also. Women?s team have sold out the next two games. Very few left for the Aubby game, so they?re going to sell out four games in a row.
A lot of this is due to tickets being 5 bucks each. People can take a family of four for what it would cost for one person to go to a men?s game.

In all honesty THIS is the TRUTH. Men's basketball is beyond the means of most locals. They have embraced the women's program.

[Dawg61]

Men's basketball is beyond the means of most locals.

Starkville isn't Tijuana. $20 is $20. People in Starkville can afford $20 just like everywhere else in Mississippi can afford $20. Come back to earth. Just cause your bitcoin earned you $7 last month don't mean you should start acting like King Henry.

https://i.imgflip.com/wdks1.jpg

[Howboutdemdogs]

For me, I have had season tickets for 18 years. To help attendance, is a two fold solution. First, winning does breed “seats in the seats”. We have not had been able in recent history to produce a good product for people to enjoy. That is quickly being rectified, so this does help.

Second, we need assistance from BH and JC to changed the perception of the program. I feel that BH needs to get more personable with the fan base. He needs to go out in the State and “sell” the program. Shake hands, attend alumni meetings, drink coffee, get involved with other sports programs and just let people get to know him and reintroduce the program. Have the fan base learn from him what we have and who he is. This needs to be done year round. JC could start a media blitz on promoting MBB. Show case the boys, program passion, and ingrain the idea of “Family”.

BH, although he is a good man, he is distant and not approachable as other coaches. Out of sight = out of mind. Plus, we could revisit a price alteration and Bulldog Club fee reduction to allow other fans to get a chance to see them. I really got turned off when RR started, and we had reseating and ticket / fee increases. The program went down, but cost went up.

[99jc]

The women have nice crowds but I wouldn't say they have been "packing the Hump"

Idiotku

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Too bad we don't have a concession operation in place to take advantage of the sellouts and make some $.... contracting out concessions to Aramark or whoever has it now basically gives them all the profit.

[msbulldog]

For me, I have had season tickets for 18 years. To help attendance, is a two fold solution. First, winning does breed “seats in the seats”. We have not had been able in recent history to produce a good product for people to enjoy. That is quickly being rectified, so this does help.

Second, we need assistance from BH and JC to changed the perception of the program. I feel that BH needs to get more personable with the fan base. He needs to go out in the State and “sell” the program. Shake hands, attend alumni meetings, drink coffee, get involved with other sports programs and just let people get to know him and reintroduce the program. Have the fan base learn from him what we have and who he is. This needs to be done year round. JC could start a media blitz on promoting MBB. Show case the boys, program passion, and ingrain the idea of “Family”.

BH, although he is a good man, he is distant and not approachable as other coaches. Out of sight = out of mind. Plus, we could revisit a price alteration and Bulldog Club fee reduction to allow other fans to get a chance to see them. I really got turned off when RR started, and we had reseating and ticket / fee increases. The program went down, but cost went up.

Post of the decade, thank you for logical solutions! +1

[PMDawg]

I remember waiting in line for tickets for 2+ hours for multiple games when I was a student in the 2000 - 2003 timeframe. I even had to sneak in a couple of times because of sell outs. The Hump used to rock for MBB games. That place was loud. It's a far cry from the crap we have today. The students used to show up in force and make it Hell on the other team. Today's students are too busy playing on their phones to get out and actually do anything.

[Dawg61]

Too bad we don't have a concession operation in place to take advantage of the sellouts and make some $.... contracting out concessions to Aramark or whoever has it now basically gives them all the profit.

They ain't contracting it out for $20

[Liverpooldawg]

Starkville isn't Tijuana. $20 is $20. People in Starkville can afford $20 just like everywhere else in Mississippi can afford $20. Come back to earth. Just cause your bitcoin earned you $7 last month don't mean you should start acting like King Henry.

https://i.imgflip.com/wdks1.jpg

Yeah, but they can't afford to take a family of 4 very often. 4 $20 tickets, 4 hotdogs, and 4 Cokes and you have spent $120. You se a lot of families with kids at the womens games.

[sleepy dawg]

The one thing that was different with football was the fans came to support Mullen even in season 1 when he had his turn at pulling us out of the depths of hell. I understand why attendance dropped under Rick Ray as there was a lack of talent, lack of recruiting, a controversial coaching change, and a general who the heck did we just hire situation. Doesn't mean he wasn't a good man, just an odd fit at an odd time.

Howland comes in and I looked at him as the basketball equivalent of the 1991 Jackie Sherrill hire. We didn't win right away, but recruiting picked up, team became more competitive, but we missed out on what we did in Mullen's first year where the fan base helped drive the transition of the program in a very positive manner by filling up the stadium every game. There was a lot of marketing effort behind making that happen under Byrne's watch that seemed absent in Howland's start. Maybe Stricklin was still smarting from having that decision driven down on him from above. So unlike football with Mullen and Sherrill, we have truly taken a show me approach with Howland. It is what it is, we can't go back and change it, but it's interesting to think about the parallels. Regardless of the past, I'm optimistic attendance is going to improve going forward as the team is showing a lot of promise for the future.

Interesting thought... There's no doubt, strong marketing campaigns like the ones we had early in Mullen's career can do a lot for the support of a program. Mullen had a very electric personality early on that helped drive some of it too. Men's BB attendance used to be very strong, but mostly when we were bad ass teams, or at least fun to watch. We were winning and competing for conference championships, going to tournys, seeding good in it a couple of times.

The women's team has great attendance now that they are great. As the men improve, the attendance will come back. This is obvious. Winning drives attendance. Attendance may drive winning, but very rarely will one exist without the other.

[Dawg61]

Yeah, but they can't afford to take a family of 4 very often. 4 $20 tickets, 4 hotdogs, and 4 Cokes and you have spent $120. You se a lot of families with kids at the womens games.

You doubling down on stupid? Don't insult Starkville residents.