an uncomfortable truth regarding basketball

[calidawg]

I'm already starting to see some grumblings about attendance at the 2 mens games despite us having a top 20 ranked team. The reality is there is not enough population in the Starkville area to support 2 good MSU basketball teams. A lot of local basketball fans have switched their basketball attendance to the women's games. It's too much to ask of local fans to attend both men's and women's basketball games throughout the year. Hope I'm wrong, but I think we will continue to struggle with fan support in mens hoops. Hopefully the big conference games can pack the hump like it used to be.

[ShotgunDawg]

Nah. The truth is that we lost a generation of fans by sucking for 10 years.

People found other things to do. It takes time

[99jc]

I'm already starting to see some grumblings about attendance at the 2 mens games despite us having a top 20 ranked team. The reality is there is not enough population in the Starkville area to support 2 good MSU basketball teams. A lot of local basketball fans have switched their basketball attendance to the women's games. It's too much to ask of local fans to attend both men's and women's basketball games throughout the year. Hope I'm wrong, but I think we will continue to struggle with fan support in mens hoops. Hopefully the big conference games can pack the hump like it used to be.

I believe you may be right I know I would rather watch the women than men right now.

[msstate7]

I'll be there Friday night. I haven't been so far, so i haven't complained. Not addressing OP bc he may have been, but it grinds my gears when people complain about attendance but don't show themselves

[gravedigger]

Nah. The truth is that we lost a generation of fans by sucking for 10 years.

People found other things to do. It takes time

Almost right. It?s also what preceded the 10 year sucking. The people that came every game got priced out of their seats. I know plenty that won?t be back over that.

[Tbonewannabe]

Almost right. It?s also what preceded the 10 year sucking. The people that came every game got priced out of their seats. I know plenty that won?t be back over that.

Probably a combination of the 2.

[Walkerhill]

Doubt it. If we ever field a team in the top quarter of the sec then the Hump will be full for SEC games. A men’s sweet sixteen caliber team will get plenty of attention. Teams that really struggle to break .500 in SEC do not. Totally understand if the fan base has a wait and see attitude right now given recent history.

The women’s team is great, but they are not sucking air out of the room for the men’s team. We have not been a top 8 seed (is top 25 caliber) team since 2004 and have not survived the first weekend of the Big Dance since 1996. The men’s teams of the last 10+ years sucked the air out of the room for the men’s team.

We host 3 current top 25 teams in January and February. If A) our squad is still ranked at the time and b) those games do not sell out, then maybe we have a problem.

[EdDawg]

For those that tuned in to the games last Friday, did you watch the women or men's game? If both which did you watch more of?

I caught myself watching the women's game over the men's. 5 years ago I would have never thought I'd be a fan of women's basketball, but now I always watch their games on tv.

[Tbonewannabe]

For those that tuned in to the games last Friday, did you watch the women or men's game? If both which did you watch more of?

I caught myself watching the women's game over the men's. 5 years ago I would have never thought I'd be a fan of women's basketball, but now I always watch their games on tv.

I haven't watched a women's game yet but have watched both of the men's games. I have enjoyed the womens games but just haven't known when they were on and haven't paid close enough attention.

[Rawdawg]

I went to the men’s.

[WSOPdawg]

For those that tuned in to the games last Friday, did you watch the women or men's game? If both which did you watch more of?

I caught myself watching the women's game over the men's. 5 years ago I would have never thought I'd be a fan of women's basketball, but now I always watch their games on tv.

Same here -- I watched the women's game then watched the replay of the men's game.

[Lord McBuckethead]

I would buy tickets to every single game and go to every single game, but all the lower bowls are sold out. Anyone on here have 3 seats close to the court for sale? I will buy the entire season depending on the seat and the location.

[Lord McBuckethead]

Also, both games were on football away game weekend. Bama weekend. I am sure the fans were pre-occupied.

[Matty Dispatch]

Men's basketball used to be the only show in town from 2002-2005. Stuff that has happened since the last time men's basketball made the NCAA Tournament:

9 straight bowl games for football
4 straight women's NCAA Tournaments and 2 Final Fours and 1 SEC title
5 Super Regionals, 2 CWS appearances and SEC Title in baseball

Men's basketball is running 4th for the MSU sports fan's time (and dollar when they aren't giving away tickets) to attend games. 14-15 years ago we are hyping the basketball team for month's before the first game's tip. Now the first game's tip is a footnote in our MSU sports intake.

The point about Starkville and surrounding areas being small is an issue. There are only so many people to attend all these games. And when they are all on TV it's a lot easier to stay home when you've already been on campus twice this week attending other games.

[Lord McBuckethead]

I hate going to the game, sitting in the upper level, looking down at 70% empty seats including the floor level.
Hell I was a Rick's Rowdies guy in college. Didn't miss a single game in 4 years, 2001-2005. Old people or companies own all the seats and no one goes unless its a big SEC weekend game. You want better crowds, do first come first serve during the entire non-conference and weekday SEC games. Let the season ticket holders RSVP for their seats, and the ticket office can put a hold on those seats during the free for all games.

[Maridian Dawg]

To me, one of the problems is that 50% of the people who sit in the lower bowl don't come. Hell, last year we played Tennessee for (potentially) a spot in the dance. Still, the lower bowl was 20% empty. They need to change the way they seat the hump. Something has to be done. I don't care if we make the upper bowl GA, we need to change something.

[Steakonastick]

1. Every game is on TV now. Before the SEC Network only a handful were on and it was usually when you played UK. If you wanted to watch you had to hop in the car and drive up.

2. We sucked at football in the 2000's. People looked forward to the start of Basketball because we won.

3. Its going to take a constant winner to get people back. A lot of fans have quit caring about Men's Basketball. People got fed up with the attitude, drama and lack of discipline during the late Stans years. And Rick Ray was a disaster of a hire.

[Jack Lambert]

If basketball turns around we will be a three sport college. Seems we are only good at one or two at a time. To be honest I keep the sabbath day holy. I am not doing sports on Sunday. If it is big enough I might sin. Sorry. Friday and other week days are hard to get off work. Go home then get to starkville in time and then drive home to go to work the next day. I am not 30 minutes away.

[Cooterpoot]

We played shitty teams. It’s like watching practice. No home football means a lot of students went home too.

[calidawg]

I hate going to the game, sitting in the upper level, looking down at 70% empty seats including the floor level.
Hell I was a Rick's Rowdies guy in college. Didn't miss a single game in 4 years, 2001-2005. Old people or companies own all the seats and no one goes unless its a big SEC weekend game. You want better crowds, do first come first serve during the entire non-conference and weekday SEC games. Let the season ticket holders RSVP for their seats, and the ticket office can put a hold on those seats during the free for all games.

After the 2nd TV timeout I believe they announce over the loudspeaker that seating is open and you can sit anywhere you want during non-conference games.

[BrunswickDawg]

The seating, the population, and the sucking for a decade are issues. But, I think the bigger issue is the men's game has become terrible to watch. Between the constant foul calls by the refs, terrible fundamentals throughout the game (not just at MSU), and the domination of a small pool of schools for the best talent, basketball is not the same game it was. That turns off a lot of casual fans. Not to sound like a codger - but give me a #3 or #4 ACC or SEC team from the 80's or 90's and they whip the ass of just about every team in the country right now. The passing, ball handling, shooting, and defense were all far, far superior. Today's teams wouldn't know how to handle them.

[msstate7]

The seating, the population, and the sucking for a decade are issues. But, I think the bigger issue is the men's game has become terrible to watch. Between the constant foul calls by the refs, terrible fundamentals throughout the game (not just at MSU), and the domination of a small pool of schools for the best talent, basketball is not the same game it was. That turns off a lot of casual fans. Not to sound like a codger - but give me a #3 or #4 ACC or SEC team from the 80's or 90's and they whip the ass of just about every team in the country right now. The passing, ball handling, shooting, and defense were all far, far superior. Today's teams wouldn't know how to handle them.

I agree. Not sure if we're just being nostalgic, but it certainly seems that way in my head

[Liverpooldawg]

I'm already starting to see some grumblings about attendance at the 2 mens games despite us having a top 20 ranked team. The reality is there is not enough population in the Starkville area to support 2 good MSU basketball teams. A lot of local basketball fans have switched their basketball attendance to the women's games. It's too much to ask of local fans to attend both men's and women's basketball games throughout the year. Hope I'm wrong, but I think we will continue to struggle with fan support in mens hoops. Hopefully the big conference games can pack the hump like it used to be.

Different crowds

[Matty Dispatch]

The seating, the population, and the sucking for a decade are issues. But, I think the bigger issue is the men's game has become terrible to watch. Between the constant foul calls by the refs, terrible fundamentals throughout the game (not just at MSU), and the domination of a small pool of schools for the best talent, basketball is not the same game it was. That turns off a lot of casual fans. Not to sound like a codger - but give me a #3 or #4 ACC or SEC team from the 80's or 90's and they whip the ass of just about every team in the country right now. The passing, ball handling, shooting, and defense were all far, far superior. Today's teams wouldn't know how to handle them.

agree - college basketball as a whole is not a very good product right now. If all our other sports sucked we wouldn't care, but all the other sports are good so it's a tipping point to decide not to go.

[Walkerhill]

agree - college basketball as a whole is not a very good product right now. If all our other sports sucked we wouldn't care, but all the other sports are good so it's a tipping point to decide not to go.

A lot of this just seems like poor us, sour grapes stuff.

It has been 23 years (!) since we went to the Sweet Sixteen. Not even talking Final Four. Sweet Sixteen. The average college senior was not born yet last time that happened. That is a really long black hole. There is an excitement around bubble watch and late season meaningful conference home games that this program has not experienced in a long time.

If we were consistent top 25 team then we would not be talking about college basketball not being a good product or the local population being insufficient to fill a 10k stadium or the women?s team stealing the fans.

And if we maintain a top 25 ranking and get 10 SEC wins this year (like this team can and should) then we will not be talking about it anymore this year.

[Doggie_Style]

Almost right. It?s also what preceded the 10 year sucking. The people that came every game got priced out of their seats. I know plenty that won?t be back over that.

This....happened to a good friend of mine, he was a prof. who had had the same seats for 20+ years, he was one day late paying for the new year and when he called they had sold his seats. They offered him some crappy seats for more money. He never attended another game.

[Cloak]

Once we start winning, attendance won't be an issue.

[Howboutdemdogs]

I have been a season ticket holder for 15 years. Every time I go, I keep asking why the stands are filled? I have no answers for this. But it is a shame for the boys. I really do think that the university must really promote and make the fans excited again,,, but how?

[StarkVegasSteve]

I have been a season ticket holder for 15 years. Every time I go, I keep asking why the stands are filled? I have no answers for this. But it is a shame for the boys. I really do think that the university must really promote and make the fans excited again,,, but how?

I don't necessarily think the university is doing a bad job of promoting the games. I think it's a myriad of problems in relation to poor attendance, but the main ones are:

1) Every game is on TV now
2) The big donors that own a lot of the seats don't come.
3) It's a lot cheaper for families to go to the women's game.
4) We've been bad for so long that it's not a priority to go to the games anymore. I think this is the main problem with poor student attendance.

[msstate7]

I have been a season ticket holder for 15 years. Every time I go, I keep asking why the stands are filled? I have no answers for this. But it is a shame for the boys. I really do think that the university must really promote and make the fans excited again,,, but how?

For garbage OOC games like the first few, maybe they should give a 1000 tix or so away to local high schools.

If a student attends every home game, he gets 5% off tuition.

First 750 that buy ticket at game get 1 free.

If season ticket holders aren't going to game, return tix. Whatever the ticket office sells the ticket for, credit the season ticket holder back a %

Don't know if any of these would work, but gotta try something

[WPDawg]

This....happened to a good friend of mine, he was a prof. who had had the same seats for 20+ years, he was one day late paying for the new year and when he called they had sold his seats. They offered him some crappy seats for more money. He never attended another game.

The power of money won out over the allegiance by long time attending local fans. The re-seating many moons ago broke up probably a consistent 2000-2500 attendance for every game. Lots of MSU faculty and Bulldog faithful from the Golden Triangle area would be there for almost every game good or bad. It was almost as much social gathering as it was a duty to support the team. You sat beside the same people you had sat by for years. It might be the only time of year that you got to sit and talk with your "neighbor" from West Point, Columbus, Macon etc..... Sure they may not have been your largest contributors monetarily, but they were the people who would follow Bulldogs sports thick or thin. Once the re-seating took place and a lot of people were moved to upper levels and scattered, it would seem many of the faithful followers lost some of their deep MSU love. Makes sense. Not sitting by old friends. Having to sit in upper levels and not close to the floor where they had been for years. All games were on TV now and it just wasnt a social gathering like it used to be.

The good thing for MSU is that all those empty seats are paid for and they secured what they wanted initially. More money and appeased big donors who want a great seat when they have time to come to a game.

As officials look back, maybe they can see ways that it could have been done differently and made everyone happy. I think college sports in general has driven away the common fan who would fight tooth and nail for their school but dont have the money to have great seats. The money side is important but what it has done has turned college sports in to a numbers game and taken away the personal side of the game, the players and the fans.

[testuser]

With every single game televised (football too) it is too convenient to stay home and be able to do 'other things' in advance of and following the game.

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

Hopefully the big conference games can pack the hump like it used to be.

It will and we need to stop beating this dead horse.

[tcdog70]

The power of money won out over the allegiance by long time attending local fans. The re-seating many moons ago broke up probably a consistent 2000-2500 attendance for every game. Lots of MSU faculty and Bulldog faithful from the Golden Triangle area would be there for almost every game good or bad. It was almost as much social gathering as it was a duty to support the team. You sat beside the same people you had sat by for years. It might be the only time of year that you got to sit and talk with your "neighbor" from West Point, Columbus, Macon etc..... Sure they may not have big your largest contributors monetarily, but they were the people who would follow Bulldogs sports thick or thin. Once the re-seating took place and a lot of people were moved to upper levels and scattered, it would seem many of the faithful followers lost some of their deep MSU love. Makes sense. Not sitting by old friends. Having to sit in upper levels and not close to the floor where they had been for years. All games were on TV now and it just wasnt a social gathering like it used to be.

The good thing for MSU is that all those empty seats are paid for and they secured what they wanted initially. More money and appeased big donors who want a great seat when they have time to come to a game.

As officials look back, maybe they can see ways that it could have been done differently and made everyone happy. I think college sports in general has driven away the common fan who would fight tooth and nail for their school but dont have the money to have great seats. The money side is important but what it has done has turned college sports in to a numbers game and taken away the personal side of the game, the players and the fans.


when reseating first took place and I was told I would lose the seats I had paid for for 25 years. I asked if it is a money thing--how much would it cost me to keep my seats (that was promised we could keep if we bought them every year). They told me -I couldn't keep them-it didn't work like that. So I said **** you. I won't buy another ticket. so did most of my friends who had tickets. And we came to every game-even the exhibitions.

[WPDawg]

when reseating first took place and I was told I would lose the seats I had paid for for 25 years. I asked if it is a money thing--how much would it cost me to keep my seats (that was promised we could keep if we bought them every year). They told me -I couldn't keep them-it didn't work like that. So I said **** you. I won't buy another ticket. so did most of my friends who had tickets. And we came to every game-even the exhibitions.

Yeah, thats too bad on how it was handled. They should have created a "ring of Allegiance" around the court for long time ticket buyers or at least put them in one section down low for those who had purchased for 20 or more years. Could have grandfathered them in. I used to have upper level seats in 2nd row and always was impressed by the number of faculty and lower level ticket holders who would be there for every game. Some I could remember were same ones that had been there in the Boyd years during my attendance for an education and that was not a very good basketball time for MSU...... But they were there until good times came along. Again, MSU missed the importance of the Social gathering aspect of the locals and what it meant to the fans personally to be there to support the team and university as proud long time ticket holders.

[DudyDawg]

As this board is mostly older folks, I?ll lend some of my perspective. Not sure about the re-seating and other issues, my problem is I just don?t care. I graduated a few years ago. I probably went to less than 20 games during my time because of how bad we were.

I love basketball. My career is in basketball. I didn?t watch a second of either of the first two games. When you are as bad as we were during my time in school, I just have no desire to invest my time in it. I didn?t build any connection to the program as a student. I?ll watch games this year on TV, but it will take a lot of winning for me to get invested as much as a recent grad who loves hoops should. The Rick Ray era pushed me to other sports and the quality of college ball in general pushed me to the NBA.

[shannondawg]

It's too far back for me to remember, but were there packed houses for ooc games before the reseating? I doubt it.

The reseating was a contentious issue for sure, but that was before SEC money, and we were in desperate need of funding to stay competitive with the other schools. There were a lot of relatively higher ranking Bulldog Club members wanting seats, and many of the original seat owners were not even members of the club.

Its a completely different situation now, but you start kicking out high level boosters, whether they use their seats or not is a situation that any sane AD would want to address. It wasn't too long ago that they were solicited to buy multiple tickets if they planned to use them or not. It use to be the same way at Scott field.

The ooc games will always go lacking, just because of the population in this area, but if winning continues which it certainly looks bright it will get better and I honest think now that the SEC games will certainly if not all sellouts will be vastly improved.

I'll admit that I was helped by the reseating, but its not that I don't see the other side, but just trying to explain why it was done. I remember the same uproar when they reseated Scott field and I think that was before Davis Wade.

The situation of seating especially for fans that were reseated to lower quality seats will never go away until they are gone to the great bulldog house in the sky.
I don't think there was such an uproar on the last reseating, at least I don't remember it.

PS: Listening to Finebaum, much talk about hitting knees, and one caller said that Gary Danielson should not be allowed to announce of another game. i'm still waiting to hear a specific address of the bad calls. This is the first time I tuned in in a long time, and the bad calls are the only reason I tuned in. I might be wasting my time. Several mentions of the fumble, but not one of the phantom block in the back in end zone that really was a blow to us.

[WPDawg]

It's too far back for me to remember, but were there packed houses for ooc games before the reseating? I doubt it.

The reseating was a contentious issue for sure, but that was before SEC money, and we were in desperate need of funding to stay competitive with the other schools. There were a lot of relatively higher ranking Bulldog Club members wanting seats, and many of the original seat owners were not even members of the club.

Its a completely different situation now, but you start kicking out high level boosters, whether they use their seats or not is a situation that any sane AD would want to address. It wasn't too long ago that they were solicited to buy multiple tickets if they planned to use them or not. It use to be the same way at Scott field.

The ooc games will always go lacking, just because of the population in this area, but if winning continues which it certainly looks bright it will get better and I honest think now that the SEC games will certainly if not all sellouts will be vastly improved.

I'll admit that I was helped by the reseating, but its not that I don't see the other side, but just trying to explain why it was done. I remember the same uproar when they reseated Scott field and I think that was before Davis Wade.

The situation of seating especially for fans that were reseated to lower quality seats will never go away until they are gone to the great bulldog house in the sky.
I don't think there was such an uproar on the last reseating, at least I don't remember it.

PS: Listening to Finebaum, much talk about hitting knees, and one caller said that Gary Danielson should not be allowed to announce of another game. i'm still waiting to hear a specific address of the bad calls. This is the first time I tuned in in a long time, and the bad calls are the only reason I tuned in. I might be wasting my time. Several mentions of the fumble, but not one of the phantom block in the back in end zone that really was a blow to us.

I don't recall there being any packed houses with the OOC. But what you had was the same familiar faces for every game from 60-90 mile radius. So even if it was 2000 fans, they were in lower section. And being they were there every game I bet the players got where they got used to seeing those familiar faces and possibly allowed some relationships to be formed from a Player-fan standpoint. I would think that is pretty cool from a player's perspective to know that those people, who faces they recognized, would be there every game in support.

At the time of Pre-SEC big money, re-seating was a task of trying to keep up with everyone else but I bet some officials look back and wish they could have done something better in awarding a certain sector of long time supporters / faculty with a more satisfactory solution.

Moving forward......Hail State!

[dantheman4248]

It’s still football season. Wait until spring semester starts before sounding the alarms about attendance. College basketball is starting way too early for a sport that mainly matters in March.

[Pit Bull]

Long Beach gave UCLA a pretty decent game at LA the other day, so maybe they are a little better than the first two teams we've played. I plan to be there Friday night.

[DogsofAnarchy]

Nah. The truth is that we lost a generation of fans by sucking for 10 years.

People found other things to do. It takes time

Tried to tell all the Stansbury haters but they wouldn?t listen. By the way, we?ve only sucked 5 of the 6 years Stans has been gone.

[shannondawg]

I don't recall there being any packed houses with the OOC. But what you had was the same familiar faces for every game from 60-90 mile radius. So even if it was 2000 fans, they were in lower section. And being they were there every game I bet the players got where they got used to seeing those familiar faces and possibly allowed some relationships to be formed from a Player-fan standpoint. I would think that is pretty cool from a player's perspective to know that those people, who faces they recognized, would be there every game in support.

At the time of Pre-SEC big money, re-seating was a task of trying to keep up with everyone else but I bet some officials look back and wish they could have done something better in awarding a certain sector of long time supporters / faculty with a more satisfactory solution.

Moving forward......Hail State!

And they don't have familiar faces coming to games now? I sure they wish they could have figured out a better way. What would you have suggested, I'm sure Cohen would love to hear.

[Ezsoil]

I am a season ticket holder in both Men's and Women's and I live in Texas ....I am able to attend at least half of the games, and I got the scan points last year. for those games I can't attend, I transfer them to a single mom who takes her son...for the games that neither of us can go, I make my tickets available for sale on Stub Hub. My women's tickets are 2nd row and the are always sold. My Men's tickets are in the upper bowl but on the rail so they aren't high. I was able to sell my tickets to the first two men's games so that is a good sign as people are looking to buy the tickets. What is disturbing is when I was checking to see what my competition was to sell my tickets, the there were so few available in the lower bowl... then when I watch the game I see all of the empty seats. I guess since the average age of the ticket holders is 75+, I bet they don't know how to make their tickets available electronically...that has to be the answer since 1) my great seats with the women sell regardless of the opponent and 2) since I was able to sell my lesser tickets in the upper bowl, it does tell me there are people willing to buy tickets, we just need to get them to the open market.

One other anecdotal nugget... when I went to the women's first game, there were a ton of seats around me that were empty as the regular season ticket holders didn't show up...but the people who were allowed to buy season tickets for the first time (behind the goals) for the most part were appreciative and showed up....

Long story short, there is a Bulldog Club fee for having a ticket in the lower bowl, I would suggest that there be a $10 fine per ticket that isn't scanned. In order to renew the ticket, the season ticket holder would have to pay the fine for every ticket that isn't scanned before they could renew. That would piss some off but it would probably open up a few seats for people who are appreciative. It would also get the old codgers off their butts and list their tickets on the secondary market.

[Liverpooldawg]

And they don't have familiar faces coming to games now? I sure they wish they could have figured out a better way. What would you have suggested, I'm sure Cohen would love to hear.

People get mad when you break promises. I bought mine in 1989. They had trouble giving tickets away back then. I got 6th Row, lower deck 1 week before the season started. I was promised those seats were mine as long as I paid the ticket price. I wasn't even given a chance to after 20+ years. My understanding was it didn't even bring in much if any extra money. They did it to appease big donars who wanted better seats. It was a choice we made. I figured it would turn out this way eventually. It is what it is.

[WPDawg]

And they don't have familiar faces coming to games now? I sure they wish they could have figured out a better way. What would you have suggested, I'm sure Cohen would love to hear.

I am 3 hours away so I am not an attendee any more. Based on what I view on TV I don't think the lower section is full like it used to be. At one time Faculty and Students had the lower sections on one side. Is that still the case?


Originally I would have looked at preserving some sections or lower rows for those who had been dutifully attending for 20 + years. I understand the giving part and the need to bankroll the arms race but just seems like it could have been handled better. Today I would have GA tickets for November and December and allow first come first serve. If some larger donors want the low level tickets during these two months, just contact the ticket office within a couple days of game and tell them you are coming and then the University can allot so many seats for those Big Dawgs in a prime area. Attendance is down and apparently most of these people with lots of points are not going. Don't see why they would be uncomfortable with this setup if it allowed for the possibility of the lower section to fill up. Plus students could sit anywhere and this would possibly help with their attendance if they could be closer to the court.

[Lord McBuckethead]

After the 2nd TV timeout I believe they announce over the loudspeaker that seating is open and you can sit anywhere you want during non-conference games.

Yeah, they may want to do that about 15 minutes before tip off and let it be known that if someone comes up with the ticket, you move.

[Lord McBuckethead]

Or go alpha male on them and keep the seats regardless.

[Mjoelner34]

Yeah, they may want to do that about 15 minutes before first pitch and let it be known that if someone comes up with the ticket, you move.

Slight hijack. Changed for a Dudy Noble perspective.

[Political Hack]

Remind me about this conversation in January.

[DeputyDawg94]

I have a family of 6 and even in the cheap seats that?s a lot. Especially sucks when you look down and half of the lower bowl is empty but you get looked at like you are subhuman if you ask about sitting there. Same with baseball. We went to watch State play LSU last year I think it was. We were packed in elbow to elbow like sardines down the 3rd bass line and maybe half of the good seats were full. We decided that we wouldn?t go to another baseball game because it was a miserable experience. I don?t have a solution to that problem but there has to be something that could be done.

[Matty Dispatch]

MSU needs to set up a simple texting system for basketball and baseball. The day of the game the season ticket holder is sent a text: "Will you be using your tickets today, reply YES or NO". If they reply NO, then make their tickets available at the ticket booth on a first come first serve basis. That would make the seats available and would have many others anxious to get to the Hump or Dude to get their hands on those good seats. They could even make an option for the season ticket holder to have their tickets sold at face value up until tip off / first pitch to try to recoup their money for not being able to go (although I'd suggest if it's still not sold after tipoff /first pitch then give them away to put a butt in the seat).

[msstate7]

I have a family of 6 and even in the cheap seats that?s a lot. Especially sucks when you look down and half of the lower bowl is empty but you get looked at like you are subhuman if you ask about sitting there. Same with baseball. We went to watch State play LSU last year I think it was. We were packed in elbow to elbow like sardines down the 3rd bass line and maybe half of the good seats were full. We decided that we wouldn?t go to another baseball game because it was a miserable experience. I don?t have a solution to that problem but there has to be something that could be done.

Tix at $6 on stibhub for Friday night game. You should bring em Friday night

[ckDOG]

Somebody find early season attendance for programs that have sucked for the last decade and let's see if we should feel bad about our fan support. My suspicion is their attendance sucks too and after we show promise fans will come. Do the players deserve better? Of course but so have the fans over a decade of miserable boring basketball. Just win and everyone will be happy

[Liverpooldawg]

And they don't have familiar faces coming to games now? I sure they wish they could have figured out a better way. What would you have suggested, I'm sure Cohen would love to hear.

They don't get to sit around them much if any if they do.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Somebody find early season attendance for programs that have sucked for the last decade and let's see if we should feel bad about our fan support. My suspicion is their attendance sucks too and after we show promise fans will come. Do the players deserve better? Of course but so have the fans over a decade of miserable boring basketball. Just win and everyone will be happy

The last 1/3 of the season last year showed we don't suck anymore. Also that shiny 17 in front of our name this season shows what people think of our team. Now our fans are just holding grudges & making excuses just to make them. Before anybody ask I was at every home game except 1 last year & have been to all 3 this year & plan on being there Friday. When the Hump is even halfway full it's a great environment. The thing is nobody is expecting 8-9k for these games but damn we can't get 4-5k & that's disheartening. Off my soapbox now.

[Interpolation_Dawg_EX]

Nah. The truth is that we lost a generation of fans by sucking for 10 years.

People found other things to do. It takes time

Loafers ruined the Men's Basketball program.

[DeputyDawg94]

Tix at $6 on stibhub for Friday night game. You should bring em Friday night

Could definitely swing that, problem is we have 2 high school basketball games and 4 flag football games this week.

[drunkernhelldawg]

1. Every game is on TV now. Before the SEC Network only a handful were on and it was usually when you played UK. If you wanted to watch you had to hop in the car and drive up.

2. We sucked at football in the 2000's. People looked forward to the start of Basketball because we won.

3. Its going to take a constant winner to get people back. A lot of fans have quit caring about Men's Basketball. People got fed up with the attitude, drama and lack of discipline during the late Stans years. And Rick Ray was a disaster of a hire.

It is a new world with every game televised. Maybe that needs to be rethought.

[drunkernhelldawg]

It's complicated, but in many ways we did it to ourselves.. We attacked certain players and coaches. We had a civil war. Reconstruction is a bitch.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

It's complicated, but in many ways we did it to ourselves. We weren't happy with leading the SEC west and being the top team in the Mid South region. We insisted on winning every game. We attacked certain players and coaches. We had a civil war. Reconstruction is a bitch.

I don't want to turn this into a Stansbury thread but we were hardly the best team in the Mid South. Stans won the West once his last 4 seasons. Stans last 7yrs we made the tourney 2 times. He missed the tourney his last 3 years & things were getting worse not better. Replacing Stans wasn't the issue his replacement was.

[msstate7]

I don't want to turn this into a Stansbury thread but we were hardly the best team in the Mid South. Stans won the West once his last 4 seasons. Stans last 7yrs we made the tourney 2 times. He missed the tourney his last 3 years & things were getting worse not better. Replacing Stans wasn't the issue his replacement was.

Oh boy, here we go again...

Haha

[shannondawg]

I bit my tongue , or at least my pecking finger.

[MarketingBully]

I’ll be interested to see how full the Hump is on Thursday and Sunday for the women vs the men on Friday. My guess is there will be 2-3x more people at the women’s games then the men’s game on Friday. Just a hunch and proves the initial point in this thread. The Starkvillians for whatever reason have gone from supporting the men to the women. Based on this, I don’t know why Cohen hasn’t scheduled double headers with the women and men and just tied both tickets together for some of these early matchups. That’s what I would do at least until we start having some marquee matchups like Cincy and the SEC slate.

[maroonmania]

I believe you may be right I know I would rather watch the women than men right now.

I watch both. Right on my computer. I still think people are WAY undervaluing how SEC+ has affected in game attendance. Especially for non-conference games. Do you think folks are going to drive an hour or two to see us play Austin Peay or Hartford when they can do it from their laptop for free at home? Probably even hurts conference games but it really kills these pre-conference games against the creampuffs.

[Pit Bull]

The bigger metro areas like Nashville, Knoxville, etc. can get decent crowds for their midweek games at those SEC schools. We are the smallest draw area in the SEC. Even Ole Miss fans could be at the Pavillion within an hour of their Memphis home....so no excuse for them to not get some decent crowds. Being 3 hours from Starkvegas for me is just too far to have season tickets.....I would probably only make about 4-5 games per year of a season ticket.....just not worth it. Baseball is a bit different with usually having 3 game series. It's more like a football weekend......and worth the drive.

[Bully13]

What is the reason behind not letting the regular Jo Blows who make the 17ing effort to to show the 17 up for the 17ing game not sit his ass in a no show's seat?

[Liverpooldawg]

The bigger metro areas like Nashville, Knoxville, etc. can get decent crowds for their midweek games at those SEC schools. We are the smallest draw area in the SEC. Even Ole Miss fans could be at the Pavillion within an hour of their Memphis home....so no excuse for them to not get some decent crowds. Being 3 hours from Starkvegas for me is just too far to have season tickets.....I would probably only make about 4-5 games per year of a season ticket.....just not worth it. Baseball is a bit different with usually having 3 game series. It's more like a football weekend......and worth the drive.
If the others who can only make 4-5 games a year didn't buy season tickets it would help.

[Liverpooldawg]

I’ll be interested to see how full the Hump is on Thursday and Sunday for the women vs the men on Friday. My guess is there will be 2-3x more people at the women’s games then the men’s game on Friday. Just a hunch and proves the initial point in this thread. The Starkvillians for whatever reason have gone from supporting the men to the women. Based on this, I don’t know why Cohen hasn’t scheduled double headers with the women and men and just tied both tickets together for some of these early matchups. That’s what I would do at least until we start having some marquee matchups like Cincy and the SEC slate.


They can get tickets.....and they are much cheaper. Don't underestimate price.

[Dawg2003]

They can get tickets.....and they are much cheaper. Don't underestimate price.

The price does have something to do with it. If people can only go to X number of games per year, it's cheaper to take your kids to a women's game.

[Lord McBuckethead]

Only speaking for my family. We live in Starkville. Love basketball. Love going to both women's and men's games.
Men's games are very limited in the tickets you can get. Not a big fan of sitting in the upper deck when 65% of the lower deck is empty. Not a big fan of parking way the hell out, when parking lots next to the arena are empty due to season ticket holders not going. Women's games, its sit where ever you like. People who want to cheer and be fanatic, get there early and get the better seats. Making the atmosphere better.

Just an observation. We need to get the active fans next to the court, not in the upper decks behind the goals.
Can we just sell season tickets for basketball with general admission for all seats? Seems like people that really care where they sit will get there early.

[tcdog70]

I don't want to turn this into a Stansbury thread but we were hardly the best team in the Mid South. Stans won the West once his last 4 seasons. Stans last 7yrs we made the tourney 2 times. He missed the tourney his last 3 years & things were getting worse not better. Replacing Stans wasn't the issue his replacement was.

well the Refs screwed us out of another Big Dance trip and the SEC tourney Championship, when they let John Wall get a running start on a free throw. another case of Refs shitting on MSU.

[shannondawg]

well the Refs screwed us out of another Big Dance trip and the SEC tourney Championship, when they let John Wall get a running start on a free throw. another case of Refs shitting on MSU.

Thats the one that got Stans the 200k fine.

[Tbonewannabe]

well the Refs screwed us out of another Big Dance trip and the SEC tourney Championship, when they let John Wall get a running start on a free throw. another case of Refs shitting on MSU.

I can still think about that and get pissed off.

[shannondawg]

Theres some people that can't afford even low priced tickets. Why not make all games free????

Fans want the best facilities, best athletes, on and on, where does the money to do this come from? Donors and ticket sales!

You really think someone giving 10 or 20k a year doesn't deserve a little perk such as parking and lower level seats?

We got more democrats on this board than I realized.

[BB30]

Theres some people that can't afford even low priced tickets. Why not make all games free????

Fans want the best facilities, best athletes, on and on, where does the money to do this come from? Donors and ticket sales!

You really think someone giving 10 or 20k a year doesn't deserve a little perk such as parking and lower level seats?

We got more democrats on this board than I realized.

Yep, capitalism at its finest. Funny thing is the same thing happens in politics etc. Money talks. You know, all of those nice new facilities we are getting, the eventual renovation on the Hump.. All of that is paid for by donors especially the big money donors.

I am thankful for the big time donors we have and believe they deserve good seats. Now should we find a way to fill the empty seats on short notice or come up with some sort of reservation system, absolutely. But whining about "selling out" for money is dumb.

[shannondawg]

Don't they let them come down to empty seats after the game starts? If that take too much effort , send em a check and I'm sure they can improve their seats and not have to spend all that effort moving down

On another note, I saw someone saying that you could sit anywhere for the ladies games, my understanding is that all the lower level seats are now reserved now and sold out. Only upper level for general admission. Keep on winning and those will be reserved as well.

And they did each addition to the reserved sections as demand for them increased and they promptly sold them out.