There is no excuse

[BGorDeath]

Some people physically can't stand for very long because of bad legs or back. I understand both sides to this story. Continue on..................

I can't stand up for too long because I might poop my pants from all of the getting up and down movement. Sharts are not a laughing matter.

[RedHawk65]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't recall EVER reading anything on a ticket that guarantees a fan the right to stand in front of others and block their view.

But there's nothing that says you can't, either. As for me, I stand at the beginning of the game until Miami scores (as someone mentioned some UT fans do). I also stand and cheer/applaud/yell when we do something positive (not on every basket, but on fast break buckets, big 3s, etc), when the opposing team calls time out when we're on a run, and during the last 2 minutes or so of a close game. I try to be mindful of those around (behind) me, but if the passion strikes me I'm jumping out of my seat! This is all when I'm sitting in the general admission seats. When I'm in the student section behind the basket I stand the whole time.

[Falconboy]

I wonder if discussions like this go on at fan forums for schools for oh say Duke or MSU or any other big bcs schools.I wonder if there are any of fans of said schools who complain of not being able to see at the games because of constant student standing and possibly even jumping up and down. My guess is not. I'm guessing most if not all big school arena's by design don't have this problem as they usually are so massive. Take the Breslin Center for the MSU Spartans, for those of you that have been there for the NCAA Tourney run we had there. That place is huge and I dont' believe that even if all students that are in their section stand on the bleachers themselves come close to blocking the other sections above them from seeing. This is something we must do right for the Stroh in the design and building process.

[LowryFalcon]

FWIW,
I was standing and shouting the whole game. For me its not that people are not standing. Its that people are not cheering. It took the announcer to get people to start making some noise. With the last minute of the game it was pretty calm for what was going on. Anderson Arena is the "House that Roars" but in all reality it just purrs now a days. I want to see the last few years at Anderson Arena well spent. This is a historic place and will be very missed when the Teams migrate to the Stroh Center. I would like to see Anderson Arena go out in style as truly the House that Roars.

[transfer2BGSU]

It took the announcer to get people to start making some noise.

Actually that was "Brian from Marketing" who was leading the cheering.

[jg4242]

Part of the problem is that we are just in a lull in terms of student support for basketball... Anderson's noise level has always been fueled by the student section (As it is in most college arenas). The last time we had large student crowds in AA was 7 or 8 years ago, when Josh Almanson and John Reimold were playing. I remember going to games and having the entire length of the lower bleachers on the west side filled with standing students. Did it make it hard for some people to see? Probably. Did it make AA one of the greatest basketball venues in the country? You bet! I don't see the current lack of noise and cheering as a problem with the fans who ARE attending. It's the fans who AREN'T attending that are hurting us. Dustin is too young to recognize the issue as being a lack of student support rather than a lack of enthusiasm from the fans who are there. Look at hockey: the students clearly support hockey, and come out in droves to cheer on that team. It's just part of the cycle of attendance that we have to deal with as a mid-major.

What's the answer? Bring in more, rowdier students. How? Exciting, entertaining, QUALITY basketball. The new arena won't hurt, either!

[valpoweathernerd]

What's the answer? Bring in more, rowdier students. How? Exciting, entertaining, QUALITY basketball. The new arena won't hurt, either!

that's exactly right. whether you like it or not, there is generally a correlation between the quality of a team and overall attendance, not just student attendance. no mid-major program is exempt from it. early in the season, a lot of students at valpo had given up on the year after a couple of heart-breaking losses, and they stopped coming to games. did those losses hurt? absolutely. but they also cost fans that could have made the difference for other games after that. wins attract fans-it's plain and simple. (and before anybody accuses me, that was not a crack at any particular program. i've seen it at valpo as well as at other places.)

[LowryFalcon]

I know that Dan Dakich's last years at BG really killed the support of the basketball team but if its the quality of team, the falcons ARE reigning MAC regular season champions. I just don't understand why more students wouldn't want to show up for a free game when they come in "droves" to the hockey game. Its just another chance to be rowdy. Last week at the Miami game I was said there wasn't a more rowdy crowd to make fun of Miami's head coach Charlie Coles. I remember how fun it was to see the crowd give him a hard time and he would always make faces back at the crowd and usually he would end up getting a T called on him(which was almost the case last week). I have no doubt that when the Stroh center is build there will be big crowds on hand. But man would I love to see the AA packed again like old times. I will always associate BG basketball with the AA, and seeing it go out in style would be great. Now maybe after there done with the Stroh center they will add a second deck on the Football Stadium....hmmm doubt that! but it would be nice to see a bigger Stadium and would really help excite more recruits to play there. ok Ill stop fantasising about it and get back to reality now.

[toddpav]

Look at hockey: the students clearly support hockey, and come out in droves to cheer on that team. It's just part of the cycle of attendance that we have to deal with as a mid-major.

I just don't understand why more students wouldn't want to show up for a free game when they come in "droves" to the hockey game.

Come in "droves" to the hockey games? Are you kidding? Fan attendance (and this most certainly includes the students) at the hockey games has been less than stellar for 85% of the year. We haven't had a sellout all year, and our student section has been relatively weak. I've been to EVERY home hockey game this year, and only when Miami came into town and last weekend vs. Notre Dame did we have damn good student sections. Every other game was just blah. So, I don't know what droves you're talking about because I never saw them.

On a consistent basis, I would say the student section at AA draws AT LEAST as many fans as the ice arena, if not more. All three of the BB games I've been to this year have had outstanding student support and more than crowded student sections (not packed, but crowded).

And, if my purely visual counts are off, then there really must be a problem because our hockey team isn't even winning (except this past weekend)... and the basketball team is (more than hockey), so what does that say? However, I think you guys are misconstruing the "droves" of hockey fans. Just my two cents. Quit complaining. We are at a lull of student support for every sport. Even football.

[jg4242]

Toddpav: When I say student section, I mean a standing, engaged, loud, and cheering student section. Which we have for football and hockey. We do not have that for basketball (although we got close a couple of times last year for the women). And section E at the Ice Arena has been pretty close to full for most of the CCHA home games.

Also, I'm coming at this from a historical perspective. 7 years ago, men's basketball games always had most of the lower bleachers filled with standing, cheering, rowdy students. 7 years ago, there was virtually no student presence in section E beyond the first 5 rows or so, except for Michigan, OSU, and MSU. Now, the roles are reversed: Section E has been loud and substantial for most of the season, and there is NO organized student presence at AA. And I've been to 5 men's games and all but 2 of the women's.

So how do we get an organized, standing, rowdy student crowd at AA? Well, a core group of student fans has to get together and start the trend! Then, they have to invite their friends, and slowly expand that core group until it reaches critical mass. It'll take time, wins, and enthusiastic students. That's how the hockey student section has rebuilt itself over the last 8 years or so.

Oh, and football? As someone who has been to every football game for 4 years, I can safely say that this year's student section was far and away the most consistently large and enthusiastic one we've had since I've been in the FMB.

Edit: Average attendance for this season:
MBB 1697
MH 2195

2002-2003
MBB 2684
MH 1838

In 2001-02
MBB 3545
MH 2345

[toddpav]

Toddpav: When I say student section, I mean a standing, engaged, loud, and cheering student section. Which we have for football and hockey. We do not have that for basketball (although we got close a couple of times last year for the women). And section E at the Ice Arena has been pretty close to full for most of the CCHA home games.

While I'm certainly not here to pick a fight, I would just like to point out that, NO, the ice arena student section has not been close to full for most of the home CCHA games. It has only been that way for the past 3 weeks, at best.

Also, I'm coming at this from a historical perspective. 7 years ago, men's basketball games always had most of the lower bleachers filled with standing, cheering, rowdy students. 7 years ago, there was virtually no student presence in section E beyond the first 5 rows or so, except for Michigan, OSU, and MSU. Now, the roles are reversed: Section E has been loud and substantial for most of the season, and there is NO organized student presence at AA. And I've been to 5 men's games and all but 2 of the women's.

I've been at BGSU since August of 2002. I went to hockey games and football games. Football was pretty amazing back then, and I can see its tapered off in the past 3-4 years or so. My buddies went to the basketball games back then, and I never did, but they always said the student section was full. The games I went to this year, the whole lower section on the student side has been full each time. While there may not be an organized student section at AA, there are still students there, and it still looks full. At least to me. However, I still beg to differ that Section E has been "substantial" all year...

Edit: Average attendance for this season:
MBB 1697
MH 2195

2002-2003
MBB 2684
MH 1838

In 2001-02
MBB 3545
MH 2345

While this does take into account ALL fans (and not just students), it's surprising to see the numbers for basketball so low. I thought hockey was bad.... guess not. And the basketball team is winning. Hmmmm.

[hammb]

While this does take into account ALL fans (and not just students), it's surprising to see the numbers for basketball so low. I thought hockey was bad.... guess not. And the basketball team is winning. Hmmmm.

The basketball team isn't winning anything like it was in '01-'02. They've been closer to a 50% clip the past couple seasons, but the overall quality of basketball is LIGHT YEARS away from what it used to be. People aren't stupid, regardless of record they recognize when the product on the court is good and when it isn't.

[jg4242]

Todd, I think we'll just have to disagree on this one. I've been coming to BGSU games (all sports) since the mid 90's, and I believe the hockey program has much more student support than either basketball team right now. Also, you say that the "student section" bleachers in AA are almost always filled with students. I can tell you that at least half of the people in those lower bleachers are townies and families at all the basketball games I've been at. And lots of them (lots of students, as well) sit on their hands for most of the game. As for your buddies who went to basketball games, they are right: The student section WAS always loud and engaged in 2002! I was in it! But it's not even in the same ballpark today. The point is that student engagement with the basketball teams sucks right now. It didn't used to, and it's not because students just don't care anymore. They do care, they just need to be encouraged to show up and make themselves known. I think we can all agree on that