What's it gonna take?

[Kyle]

Re: What's it gonna take?

6,000 is the magic number IMO. It's a very achievable mark and based more on % of capacity than actual number of fans. The game day atmosphere really starts to shift when you go from 70% of capacity to 85%+. 6,500 in the McLeod Center looks way better than 6,500 in Carver Arena.

I know Troy was all about the money and he did a great job navigating UNI through some tumultuous times, but if we can't get 85% of the seats filled in the McLeod Center on a regular basis, the price is just simply too high.

Keep charging an arm and a leg for marquee games that always sell out (WSU/UNC/VCU/etc), increase the price on premium season ticket seats, and drop the price on everything else by 30%.

[ubuntuCAT]

Re: What's it gonna take?

6,000 is the magic number IMO. It's a very achievable mark and based more on % of capacity than actual number of fans. The game day atmosphere really starts to shift when you go from 70% of capacity to 85%+. 6,500 in the McLeod Center looks way better than 6,500 in Carver Arena.

I know Troy was all about the money and he did a great job navigating UNI through some tumultuous times, but if we can't get 85% of the seats filled in the McLeod Center on a regular basis, the price is just simply too high.

Keep charging an arm and a leg for marquee games that always sell out (WSU/UNC/VCU/etc), increase the price on premium season ticket seats, and drop the price on everything else by 30%.

Maybe I'm wrong but I really don't think the price is what's causing the low attendance.

[domedays]

Re: What's it gonna take?

6,000 is the magic number IMO. It's a very achievable mark and based more on % of capacity than actual number of fans. The game day atmosphere really starts to shift when you go from 70% of capacity to 85%+. 6,500 in the McLeod Center looks way better than 6,500 in Carver Arena.

I know Troy was all about the money and he did a great job navigating UNI through some tumultuous times, but if we can't get 85% of the seats filled in the McLeod Center on a regular basis, the price is just simply too high.

Keep charging an arm and a leg for marquee games that always sell out (WSU/UNC/VCU/etc), increase the price on premium season ticket seats, and drop the price on everything else by 30%.

I don't know the in's and outs of the finances, but it seems like we have taken a great step forward with the McLeod Center and the recent improvements to McLeod. From there I agree it is game day atmosphere that is going to push us over the top. We need kids coming in for visits and thinking wow this would be a great place to play.
Not sure about this, but an exciting environment could bring the ESPN etc. around even more.

[ubuntuCAT]

Re: What's it gonna take?

open up beer sales to broader audience.

[dan_beeding]

Re: What's it gonna take?

We need an outdoor arena.

[SteinPizza]

Re: What's it gonna take?

Maybe I'm wrong but I really don't think the price is what's causing the low attendance.

Agreed. UNI basketball is pretty affordable. The students should get in for next to nothing to encourage attendance, but the adult prices are fine.

Changing the mindset of the fan base is an issue, but more importantly, the team needs to win.

[UNIdad]

Re: What's it gonna take?

http://i.turner.ncaa.com/sites/defau...attendance.pdf

For a mid-major in Cedar Falls, IA, we do OK. Room for improvement? hell yes. But I think this attendance argument often lakes perspective.

That is a low blow, saying that someone's argument has the perspective of LakesBison!

[Mudrafan]

Re: What's it gonna take?

open up beer sales to broader audience.

Nope. Also, expensive tickets are not the issue either. It is the constant second fiddle, dual fan, media snub crap that Joe public consistently plays follow the leader on. Until UNI has enough "UNI first" fans in the Cedar Valley & across the state, this will be an ongoing issue.

[FOTY]

What's it gonna take?

The students should get in for next to nothing to encourage attendance, but the adult prices are fine.

Fwiw... Students have been getting in for free with paid tuition/fees since 2002.

[panther1]

Re: What's it gonna take?

These are the ones I remember

Pierre, I know what you did last summer
Stay away from my sister

I'm sure Scott could chime in with a couple more.

Might've been a "No means NO!"

[jegbomb52]

Re: What's it gonna take?

beer, don't need to say anything else.

[TH1974]

Re: What's it gonna take?

Beer might bring in some extra revenue, but I don't see it increasing attendance by much.

[SteinPizza]

Re: What's it gonna take?

Nope. Also, expensive tickets are not the issue either. It is the constant second fiddle, dual fan, media snub crap that Joe public consistently plays follow the leader on. Until UNI has enough "UNI first" fans in the Cedar Valley & across the state, this will be an ongoing issue.

That's a perfect world, have your cake and eat too scenario. Won't happen. If you want to get closer, then UNI needs to win a National Championship. In men's basketball, not football.

[ubuntuCAT]

Re: What's it gonna take?

Beer might bring in some extra revenue, but I don't see it increasing attendance by much.

so you're saying it will increase revenue and attendance.... what are we waiting for????

[Zakelsta]

Re: What's it gonna take?

I think the key to future attendance is packing the student section. I know everyone understands that, but that is who the future season ticket holders and fans will become. I don't think we have a very good chance getting non-uni graduates to become panther fans. If you attend games while you're in school you will probably attend when you become an adult. We have thousands of students right on campus. I think the university needs to start pushing the incoming freshmen to come to ball games. Imagine if every year 400 seniors graduated and were die hard panther fans. It wouldn't take long to get a bigger fan base. Have the RA's, class presidents, frat leaders, and any kind of club meet and find out why they don't come. I came to my first game because my RA had a meeting and said the entire floor was going to a game. Other floors did the same and had some kind of contest. My group of friends attended games for the next four years.

This is it.

Every great game day experience we have at UNI stems from a packed and rowdy student section. That will lead to more tickets sold, more fan buy-in, ect.

Do whatever the heck we need to do to get the students to the games.