ATTENDANCE

[Jeffrey Cat]

Let's get off this Carmody/Collins discussion for a while. I have been to virtually every game this year and I'm happy to report attendance is really improving and not because of opposing fans

I ran a tape on the non conference games and conference games and even with a poor non conference schedule we have averaged 6148. The largest crowd for a non conference game was Chicago State at 6621, while the smallest was Fairfield at 5574. This is with a poor schedule, which has been discussed at length on this site. Next year we bring in the ACC team and DePaul, plus a home game in the United Center with Dayton. I'm sure that 6148 number will be going up.

Our conference average is 7654. This to me has been very impressive with 3 sellouts and normal big draws like Purdue, Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan road games. I think more impressive is only two games involved substantial visiting crowds, MSU and Iillinois, and those numbers of visiting fans were substantially less than in the past, especially Illinois where the home folks are not to happy. The Maryland game, a sellout, was virtually all NU fans. Even the Wisconsin game, one of our poorest attendance wise at 7264, did not have many Badger fans. Incidentally the poorest attended game was Minnesota at 7015.

I thought of this post because a few weeks ago some so called fan, who probably hadn't been around in twenty years made the statement that people are talking new facility and we always have 2000 seats empty for every game. Well 8117 minus 7654 equals 463 for the number of unsold seats.

Now, I realize the no show problem especially in my section (upper middle purple), but that's another subject.

 

[NJCat83588]

Let's get off this Carmody/Collins discussion for a while. I have been to virtually every game this year and I'm happy to report attendance is really improving and not because of opposing fans

I ran a tape on the non conference games and conference games and even with a poor non conference schedule we have averaged 6148. The largest crowd for a non conference game was Chicago State at 6621, while the smallest was Fairfield at 5574. This is with a poor schedule, which has been discussed at length on this site. Next year we bring in the ACC team and DePaul, plus a home game in the United Center with Dayton. I'm sure that 6148 number will be going up.

Our conference average is 7654. This to me has been very impressive with 3 sellouts and normal big draws like Purdue, Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan road games. I think more impressive is only two games involved substantial visiting crowds, MSU and Iillinois, and those numbers of visiting fans were substantially less than in the past, especially Illinois where the home folks are not to happy. The Maryland game, a sellout, was virtually all NU fans. Even the Wisconsin game, one of our poorest attendance wise at 7264, did not have many Badger fans. Incidentally the poorest attended game was Minnesota at 7015.

I thought of this post because a few weeks ago some so called fan, who probably hadn't been around in twenty years made the statement that people are talking new facility and we always have 2000 seats empty for every game. Well 8117 minus 7654 equals 463 for the number of unsold seats.

Now, I realize the no show problem especially in my section (upper middle purple), but that's another subject.

Thanks for the thread. I have been thinking the same thing, more seats filled than any season I can recall. Even though attendance reflects tickets sold not bodies in the building, eve the crappy OOC games had good crowds. And the enthusiasm has been better as well. Some serious noise in the dump for Big 10 games!

 

[pawildcat]

With a good student section and more steady attendance, Welsh-Ryan has the potential to be a real snakepit for visiting teams. Cameron Indoor is no palace, but it seems to work for Duke.

 

[DaCat]

Chris Collins says, at least in public, that he doesn't mind W-R Arena. It can get rocking, and with the new scoreboards, at least has an improved viewing experience.

 

[willycat]

Chris Collins says, at least in public, that he doesn't mind W-R Arena. It can get rocking, and with the new scoreboards, at least has an improved viewing experience.

Just thinking that W-R needs major re-do or a total teardown if NU expects Collins to stay.

 

[CommodoresAndCats]

Just thinking that W-R needs major re-do or a total teardown if NU expects Collins to stay.

Let's save that discussion until a Collins team makes the postseason

 

[willycat]

Let's save that discussion until a Collins team makes the postseason

Got to give him at least 12 years, correct?

 

[ColumbusCatFan1]

Just thinking that W-R needs major re-do or a total teardown if NU expects Collins to stay.

In my eyes, the more pressing issue is high end practice facilities for the team and offices for the coaches. I get there is a space issue (need to get football out of central st) but substantial basketball upgrades are SO overdue (I'm aware of the 2007 renovation - more of a "lipstick on a pig" situation in my eyes).

IHMO, the longer it takes to clear out central, the more likely we'll see a new Ryan Field project begin to gain traction over basketball facilities. I love the football program, but serious dough needs to be sunk into basketball and soon.

Regardless, it's a great sign that WR is starting to get filled up with more NU fans. If the trend continues maybe we can get a REAL home court advantage a few years down the line. No need to tear down or significantly redo WR until the demand/fan base gets built up a few more notches. The UC is an option for marquee match ups anyway (similar to what Georgetown/Villanova do in DC/Philly). Glad we're giving it a shot next year against Dayton.

 

[DaCat]

Got to give him at least 12 years, correct?

Geez willy! don't go there, brother, just don't go there!

 

[DaCat]

I guess there are no plans to have the bball team practice in the new lakeside facility, AKA The Fake.

 

[NJCat83588]

I guess there are no plans to have the bball team practice in the new lakeside facility, AKA The Fake.

Collins made a casual reference to facilities changes on Central once football vacates. But there are no plans for a basketball practice facility Lakeside.

 

[willycat]

Collins made a casual reference to facilities changes on Central once football vacates. But there are no plans for a basketball practice facility Lakeside.

Thinking that there could be quite a bit of space once the football operations moves to the lakefront and the practice facility and weight room is not needed anymore.

 

[CommodoresAndCats]

Got to give him at least 12 years, correct?

I'm just saying that I don't think Collins is going anywhere without producing on the court results. The program also needs more hype surrounding it if the admin is going to raise the necessary donations to fund a complete tear down; this hype almost certainly will require a NCAAT birth.

 

[DaCat]

If Collins is wildly successful at NU, I kind of think that he would still stay put unless the administration pisses him off somehow. He's a Chicago boy. NU plays in the Big 10. In summer, you get to use your own beach on campus. You're just a quick L ride to downtown Chicago. He gets to sing the 7th inning stretch at Wrigley, he gets to shoot pucks during intermission at Black Hawk games, he gets to use the Bulls' facilities, he has a private jet, etc. His family lives in one of the best suburbs in America. If he gets paid well and admissions doesn't make it too difficult to recruit top talent, then there is no reason for him to leave. I went to Duke for grad school, its campus and location doesn't compare to that of NU. The only thing they have that NU lacks is a very nice golf course right next to the campus.

 

[Sec.112]

...The only thing they have that NU lacks is a very nice golf course right next to the campus.

Are you implying Peter Jans isn't close enough to campus?

 

[Catreporter]

Attendance today for Rutgers was 7,883, just below a sellout. Very impressive since the Cats haven't exactly been lighting it up in Big Ten play. I can remember some very poor crowds
for similar late season matchups with opponents that don't bring any fans. We are creating fans. Now we need to close the deal and get to the tourney!

 

[Turk]

Let's get off this Carmody/Collins discussion for a while. I have been to virtually every game this year and I'm happy to report attendance is really improving and not because of opposing fans

I ran a tape on the non conference games and conference games and even with a poor non conference schedule we have averaged 6148. The largest crowd for a non conference game was Chicago State at 6621, while the smallest was Fairfield at 5574. This is with a poor schedule, which has been discussed at length on this site. Next year we bring in the ACC team and DePaul, plus a home game in the United Center with Dayton. I'm sure that 6148 number will be going up.

Our conference average is 7654. This to me has been very impressive with 3 sellouts and normal big draws like Purdue, Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan road games. I think more impressive is only two games involved substantial visiting crowds, MSU and Iillinois, and those numbers of visiting fans were substantially less than in the past, especially Illinois where the home folks are not to happy. The Maryland game, a sellout, was virtually all NU fans. Even the Wisconsin game, one of our poorest attendance wise at 7264, did not have many Badger fans. Incidentally the poorest attended game was Minnesota at 7015.

I thought of this post because a few weeks ago some so called fan, who probably hadn't been around in twenty years made the statement that people are talking new facility and we always have 2000 seats empty for every game. Well 8117 minus 7654 equals 463 for the number of unsold seats.

Now, I realize the no show problem especially in my section (upper middle purple), but that's another subject.

I agree. The BB program is in the right direction and it appears that the fan base is growing, unlike football. Maybe it's the price of tickets, dunno. At any rate, Minny was the worst showing in football as well. Looked like barely 30,000 in Ryan Field.

 

[Catreporter]

I agree. The BB program is in the right direction and it appears that the fan base is growing, unlike football. Maybe it's the price of tickets, dunno. At any rate, Minny was the worst showing in football as well. Looked like barely 30,000 in Ryan Field.

Easier to bring kids to a basketball game than a football game because of the shorter duration of the game and the fact something is always going on and the scoreboard is really close. There were tons of kids there today. Also, the Cats have done a nice job getting school groups involved with the anthem, halftime, etc.

 

[Jeffrey Cat]

Easier to bring kids to a basketball game than a football game because of the shorter duration of the game and the fact something is always going on and the scoreboard is really close. There were tons of kids there today. Also, the Cats have done a nice job getting school groups involved with the anthem, halftime, etc.

Great crowd today. The number I had of unused tickets in conference games has gone down. There were lots of families and I believe they had specials, like a buy a ticket get a NU hat. Lots of hats in the upper level. Frankly that's a great way to bring new fans in. A lot of them will come back again and again.

Another factor is Saturday afternoon is a great time to go to college games. Unfortunately the big cash cow from the Big Ten Network doesn't allow for freedom of scheduling all weekend games on Saturday afternoon, plus the November non conference games would compete against college football and early January the NFL playoffs.

 

[YesterdaysCat]

Got to give him at least 12 years, correct?

Well, why can't we give Collins 12 years or 15? If we remain relatively competitive and the team graduates its players, why would we make a change? It's not as if we have to uphold this grand tradition of NU basketball. Eventually we'll make NITs and God willing the NCAAs. Why put any ceiling on the potential or any year limit on Collins?

 

[hdhntr1]

If Collins is wildly successful at NU, I kind of think that he would still stay put unless the administration pisses him off somehow. He's a Chicago boy. NU plays in the Big 10. In summer, you get to use your own beach on campus. You're just a quick L ride to downtown Chicago. He gets to sing the 7th inning stretch at Wrigley, he gets to shoot pucks during intermission at Black Hawk games, he gets to use the Bulls' facilities, he has a private jet, etc. His family lives in one of the best suburbs in America. If he gets paid well and admissions doesn't make it too difficult to recruit top talent, then there is no reason for him to leave. I went to Duke for grad school, its campus and location doesn't compare to that of NU. The only thing they have that NU lacks is a very nice golf course right next to the campus.

There is a golf course near campus.

 

[DaCat]

There is a golf course near campus.

When I went to NU I didn't golf yet so I didn't pay attention. But by the time I was in grad school at Duke I had taken up golf and played many rounds on their golf course which was pretty nice, actually right on campus.