Whats with the poor student attendance?

[DustinXtreme]

The women are undefeated at home and yet the student section is almost always empty, there's no excuse for that at all. the same goes for other fans, if you can't afford tickets then go at half time. I believe this makes the 10th season that the women have had 20 or more wins and yet the attendance is poor. I think it was a big mistake putting the same amount of seating that Anderson Arena had, they couldn't fill those seats in Anderson and certainly cant fill the seats at the Stroh.

Also I cannot wait til sunday and cheer on the women for one last time this season at the Stroh, it should be a great game sunday and hopefully it will be packed. although we are suppose to get a winter storm, however if you're a dedicated fan like myself and if you live in town then there is no excuse why you cannot show up to support the team.

[bgsufalcon24]

Dustin, if this is the case than its sad to hear. I remember from 2005 through 2009, the women had amazing student support...arguably better than what you saw at men's games. I went to several games in 2010 and 2011 and it was the same.

Maybe the air went out of the balloon when the Stroh was built, I'm not really sure because I haven't seen many women's bb home games in the past few seasons (hard to justify the 2 hour drive to BG and back without something else big going on that same day)...but I agree with you 100%, if the students aren't supporting our women after the continued success they've had then that's garbage.

I've heard negative comments about attendance with regard to hockey and men's basketball too though, so maybe its a campus wide thing for all sports. If that's the case then I really don't understand that because in the fall during football season, the BG campus & student population is more energized about our current team than they ever were under Brandon.

[gmartin]

Fwiw, students are taking more evening weekly classes than ever before. Students are sleeping in later and taking more evening classes.

[bgsufalcon24]

Fwiw, students are taking more evening weekly classes than ever before. Students are sleeping in later and taking more evening classes.

Well if that's true, then that would have a noticeable effect on attendance at games played during the week. That's about half of our home games in men's and women's basketball, and about 1/3 of games in football.

I knew people who took night classes when I was at BG, but it was more the exception than the norm in my experience. Maybe that's not the case these days. (Mind you, I've only been off campus for 4 1/2 years so it really wasn't that long ago)

[FalconTurf]

Been down this road so many times on AZZ but we only restate the same excuses and we still don't have a great solution.

Plenty of sport management and marketing students, staff and alums to solve the problem. When the athletic department mobilizes using these populations an improvement will be made. As fans we can help by celebrating those who attend instead of spending time worrying so much about those who don't.

I look forward today to hearing the voices and cheers of those who have been there for years and the sounds of sneakers squeaking, rims rattling, nets flipping and the students cheering, chanting, and playing in the band. Attendance may be 2,000 or 5,000 fans but won't change my opinion of BG and one fine team. Go Falcons!

[Class of 61]

FWIW,
I took my granddaughter to campus for her 1st college visit Thursday....among other things met with Pres. Mazey and took in the women's game vs. KSU.... A friend of my wife brought her daughter up also...both girls are Jrs. in HS now.... while walking across campus, we saw several large billboard type signs mentioning the women's game that nite...so it's not as if the college kids don't know there's a game on. My wife's friend commented that she thought there would be more people TOTAL in the stands (didn't mention students specifically).... probably has never been to a women's college game before as we had around 1500 or there for the game on a brutal nite weather wise. It DIDN'T look like that big a crowd compared to some games I've attended as the crowd seemed more spread out...Either way, the ladies didn't disappoint, overcoming a so so 1st half with a lites out 2nd.... (KSU had 12 pts. total in 2nd half).

[FalconTurf]

.... while walking across campus, we saw several large billboard type signs mentioning the women's game that nite...so it's not as if the college kids don't know there's a game on.

I think this simply demonstrates it's not an easy fix.

[kdog27]

I heard people don't go because Dustin is there.

[Flipper]

The students are poor because the rent is too damn high....

[footballguy51]

The statement about students taking more evening classes is actually very true. Departments are being forced to offer more of their courses outside of the prime times (10:00-3:00) to help attract non-traditional and transfer students.

[Lord_Byron]

The students are poor because the rent is too damn high....

I was thinking that if they were poor students, they probably shouldn't be at the game and should be studying instead.

[musicman2343]

I really don't think it is an easy fix... I went to every game I could. Being in Athletic Band, we had so many MBB, WBB, and HKY games to play for (about 11 total between the three sports). Usually spread pretty evenly, but I went to every WBB game and played even if I wasn't required. It was a blast and I'd do it all over again if I could. And 24 is right, I was a student from '06-'10 and the women had amazing student support. That student section in Anderson was a madhouse. Maybe the Stroh and the new student seating arrangement did kill some of it...

I can't imagine people not wanting to go watch a winning program - especially one that has been perpetually good for the last 10+ seasons. Hell, with my work schedule I can't make it to hardly any games and I live only a half-hour away. I would come watch every game if my schedule allowed.

I remember a thread a few years back where someone asked whether there's a prejudice (maybe not the word actually used, but it's the only one I can think of at the moment) against women's basketball - and not just BG, but in the sporting world overall. Some people commented and said that there is. I remember someone saying, "You couldn't pay me to watch women's basketball." That baffled me (still does, BTW). It could possibly be that some students have no interest in women's basketball.

FWIW, you see that kind of mentality in some high schools as well - boys games are highly attended and girls games aren't. Both at my Alma Mater and the school where I work now, the boys teams rarely had winning records and both girls teams were outstanding. Attendance was always higher for the boys. Doesn't make sense to me.

Obviously doesn't solve the problems - just my thoughts.

[bgsufalcon24]

I really don't think it is an easy fix... I went to every game I could. Being in Athletic Band, we had so many MBB, WBB, and HKY games to play for (about 11 total between the three sports). Usually spread pretty evenly, but I went to every WBB game and played even if I wasn't required. It was a blast and I'd do it all over again if I could. And 24 is right, I was a student from '06-'10 and the women had amazing student support. That student section in Anderson was a madhouse. Maybe the Stroh and the new student seating arrangement did kill some of it...

I can't imagine people not wanting to go watch a winning program - especially one that has been perpetually good for the last 10+ seasons. Hell, with my work schedule I can't make it to hardly any games and I live only a half-hour away. I would come watch every game if my schedule allowed.

I remember a thread a few years back where someone asked whether there's a prejudice (maybe not the word actually used, but it's the only one I can think of at the moment) against women's basketball - and not just BG, but in the sporting world overall. Some people commented and said that there is. I remember someone saying, "You couldn't pay me to watch women's basketball." That baffled me (still does, BTW). It could possibly be that some students have no interest in women's basketball.

FWIW, you see that kind of mentality in some high schools as well - boys games are highly attended and girls games aren't. Both at my Alma Mater and the school where I work now, the boys teams rarely had winning records and both girls teams were outstanding. Attendance was always higher for the boys. Doesn't make sense to me.

Obviously doesn't solve the problems - just my thoughts.

I feel exactly the same way as you...when it comes to most things I'm pretty much gender blind. With regard to sports, its about winning. The main reason I support the women's program over the men's is simple, one team wins and the other generally doesn't. There are other reasons beyond that, namely in the attitudes and mannerisms of the players on and off the court. With the men, it was too often about making the showboat play and not playing as a team, at least under Dakich...Orr's defense-first scheme sort of cut down on that (but had the side-effect of making a lot of men's games utterly boring and/or unwatchable). The women's teams under Miller and now under Roos generally play a system in which all 5 players have to work together and help one another out to be effective, especially on the defensive end. The mark of the program is that synergy between the players in which the sum of the team is greater than it's parts. It was easy for me to relate to this because it was how I played as a kid. The other big thing is that that the women's players when I was on campus were much more personable and easy to get to really know. (Getting to speak with them on the court after games was a big bonus...really helped with the whole community/family like feel surrounding the program).

The women's program, especially when we were there inside the House that Roared, had so much to offer fans and still does today in the Stroh even though some of the traditions of the program have changed. People that decide not to show their support strictly because of gender bias don't know what they are missing.

[musicman2343]

There are other reasons beyond that, namely in the attitudes and mannerisms of the players on and off the court. With the men, it was too often about making the showboat play and not playing as a team, at least under Dakich...Orr's defense-first scheme sort of cut down on that (but had the side-effect of making a lot of men's games utterly boring and/or unwatchable). The women's teams under Miller and now under Roos generally play a system in which all 5 players have to work together and help one another out to be effective, especially on the defensive end. The mark of the program is that synergy between the players in which the sum of the team is greater than it's parts.

That is exactly how I feel. I personally like women's basketball better because it usually is about the teamwork. Too often in men's basketball it is about the showboat play and that's what I can't stand. I would much rather watch good fundamental team basketball than the showboating of one or two players.

[DustinXtreme]

I heard people don't go because Dustin is there.

that's real original....

instead of making a stupid comment like that, why not contribute to the topic?