SIU Head Coach Challenges Hog Basketball Fans

[Mike Irwin]

http://www.nwahomepage.com/razorback-nation/siu-head-coach-challenges-hog-basketball-fans

[BroyledNutts]

I posted originally posted this in another thread, but I'd like to hear your response to it, Mike...



When mens' basketball was moved from Barnhill Arena to Bud Walton I worried that the expansion of seating would water down the average crowds.

It did.

Couple that with poor to marginal teams, erratic performance, the loss of Robken (this carries more weight than most know) and the milk-toasting of the band and in game fan interactions, jacking ticket prices and the RSVP system .... a perfect storm occurred of no thanks attendance.

It's only my opinion, but we only need half of the seats that are in BWA ... making tickets for matches harder to get actually fosters attendance, oddly enough. I can remember trying to get tickets for Barnhill and it was hard even for non-cons like SIU ... that made me only try harder to get them for the next game....but basketball back then was a much more exciting product than it is now - players seemed to play harder - hitting 100 caused pandemonium in the stands - devastating runs by the Hogs caused people to go out of their minds. Fan interactions with players and referees made it a miserable, yet fun, place to be.

It was loud. It was obnoxious. It was raucus. It was insanity for 40 minutes. The product on the court spurned it on, and the fans in turn spurned the players on.

That's what made Barnhill a hard place to play. While there was still the afterglow of a national title it was that way in BWA ... but the seeds were there for the watering down of the atmosphere from the very first foundation poured for BWA.

Bigger did not turn out to be better.

I was surprised by what the SIU coach had to say...but much like the hangers-on to the 64 National Title, he pines for an era long passed into history and lore.

[MountieDawg]

SIU's coaches comments were a recruitment killer.  It went National on ESPN, it may not hurt with in state guys but it's why you can't get mad when kids leave the state.

[BigSexyHog]

Well he does have a valid point.   Our so called great fans don't attend basketball games

[Arazorbackguy1]

SIU's coaches comments were a recruitment killer.  It went National on ESPN, it may not hurt with in state guys but it's why you can't get mad when kids leave the state.

I disagree that it hurt recruiting.  I think it lit a fire under the fans rear ends and I think you will see our crowds grow faster than normal.  Especially if we continue to win, like we should. 

[Letsroll1200]

I thought it was a great statement. Mike Anderson probably thought it but couldn't say it. CJ Jones mentioned on the radio show that the lack of fans was his only disappointment since coming to Arkansas.

[The_Bionic_Pig]

College Basketball needs to start after Thanksgiving.... College Football is King in the SEC (if your not Kentucky or Vandy)

And lower the ticket prices for petes sake when your playing mid major programs. 

[Atlhogfan1]

College Basketball needs to start after Thanksgiving.... College Football is King in the SEC (if your not Kentucky or Vandy)

Agreed.  Posted yesterday games more than a week before Thanksgiving are stupid.  Maybe a neutral court event or two like last night.  But these other games are just saturation. 

It's only my opinion, but we only need half of the seats that are in BWA … making tickets for matches harder to get actually fosters attendance, oddly enough. I can remember trying to get tickets for Barnhill and it was hard even for non-cons like SIU … that made me only try harder to get them for the next game….but basketball back then was a much more exciting product than it is now - players seemed to play harder - hitting 100 caused pandemonium in the stands - devastating runs by the Hogs caused people to go out of their minds. Fan interactions with players and referees made it a miserable, yet fun, place to be.

Shorten the supply and create a sense of urgency. 

We ignored our basketball facilities for years as we built for the Spring sports.  A renovation and seating reduction is overdue to BWA.  It's coming but overdue. 

[Corkscrew Johnson]

Jeff Long could make this happen with a little marketing creativity.  The situation is ripe for a campaign to bring back the Bud. 

For those clamoring for Barnhill back....the Bud was still damn impressive thru Nolan's lean year, the Heath regime, and halfway thru Pel's days.  What's interesting about those years is that we weren't necessarily "winning".  We just weren't losing.  If MA can field a tournament team this year, and our sports department can actually do something creative for the first time, since, well, ever, we could make it special again. 

[ArkansasI]

MONEY IS FINITE.

Wilting crowds didn't happen overnight.  Basketball has offered very little to cheer about for 20 years.  That's a long, long time.  The university may be able to always count on its well-heeled donors, but the fans in the stands can't/won't afford to invest in what frustrates them.

Basketball tickets aren't exclusively sold to basketball fans.  The same people investing in football season tickets are the majority of basketball season ticket holders.  Raising ticket prices actually matters.  And as we try to reach to fans that are further away, the ramifications of driving to campus during the week directly impacts work and other home activities.

Lower ticket prices and more people will come.  Until then, just win baby.

[rzrbackramsfan]

How funny would it be if this threw him off for the rest of the year? Like a month from now at his press conferences he's still paying attention to our attendance.  Hog fans! I don't care if Missouri is the worst team in the conference that was not a razorback crowd! There were only 15000 fans there, not as loud as they should have been!

[ATU HOG]

I posted originally posted this in another thread, but I'd like to hear your response to it, Mike...



When mens' basketball was moved from Barnhill Arena to Bud Walton I worried that the expansion of seating would water down the average crowds.

It did.

Couple that with poor to marginal teams, erratic performance, the loss of Robken (this carries more weight than most know) and the milk-toasting of the band and in game fan interactions, jacking ticket prices and the RSVP system .... a perfect storm occurred of no thanks attendance.

It's only my opinion, but we only need half of the seats that are in BWA ... making tickets for matches harder to get actually fosters attendance, oddly enough. I can remember trying to get tickets for Barnhill and it was hard even for non-cons like SIU ... that made me only try harder to get them for the next game....but basketball back then was a much more exciting product than it is now - players seemed to play harder - hitting 100 caused pandemonium in the stands - devastating runs by the Hogs caused people to go out of their minds. Fan interactions with players and referees made it a miserable, yet fun, place to be.

It was loud. It was obnoxious. It was raucus. It was insanity for 40 minutes. The product on the court spurned it on, and the fans in turn spurned the players on.

That's what made Barnhill a hard place to play. While there was still the afterglow of a national title it was that way in BWA ... but the seeds were there for the watering down of the atmosphere from the very first foundation poured for BWA.

Bigger did not turn out to be better.

I was surprised by what the SIU coach had to say...but much like the hangers-on to the 64 National Title, he pines for an era long passed into history and lore.

Will the same thing happen to the football stadium?

[oldbooniehog]

Since the year 2000, Arkansas has exactly 2 NCAA Tournament wins.

And there is a 7 year gap between those.

Why would fans be going to games in large numbers at this point?

Hogs have to prove they are winners again before the fans come back.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/tournament/history/_/team1/5235

[FineAsSwine]

Since the year 2000, Arkansas has exactly 2 NCAA Tournament wins.

And there is a 7 year gap between those.

Why would fans be going to games in large numbers at this point?

Hogs have to prove they are winners again before the fans come back.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/tournament/history/_/team1/5235

They are working on that right now.

[Biggus Piggus]

The main drivetime sports talk show in Nashville made a big deal about this yesterday, playing that coach's comments on the air.

This does not help us unless fans respond and I mean now. It's a lot of bad publicity.

[FineAsSwine]

The main drivetime sports talk show in Nashville made a big deal about this yesterday, playing that coach's comments on the air.

This does not help us unless fans respond and I mean now. It's a lot of bad publicity.

I'm coming. Hope many others show up as well. The team deserves our support. Hannah's and Watkins are both Arkansas kids playing their last year up there and they are looking like they are going to have good seasons.

Moses came back to play his senior year, in part because of his attachment to the program and the fans. I really hate what the low attendance numbers suggest to these guys.

It's like as fans we're saying, go out there and fight your heart out and if you lose, we'll take a dump on you on social media and if you win we'll just point out how you should have done better but we'll never, ever come in there and help you achieve the goals that we claim that we want for you by showing up in support.

Woo Damn Pig. Smh.

[Biggus Piggus]

Can't force people to care.

[FineAsSwine]

Can't force people to care.

For that reason, this team is one of the most important in the last twenty years. They have to change some minds by the force of their will on the court. Nothing less will do. Lots riding on these players and this team. I am pulling hard for these guys and I believe they have what it takes. But who knows about the unknowns and up and downs of a D1 basketball season?

I saw the whole season flash before my eyes when DT took his spill in the first game and dang near snapped his head off. I couldn't believe it when he came back in that same game and I still thought that maybe after the game when he has cooled down his neck would suddenly swell up and lock into place or that they might discover nerve damage or something.

I mean, that fall was so bad that I haven't even gone back to look at the replay cause I know if that had been me, they would have had my head in a sack next to my body. Just saying, one freak injury or a number of other factors can change the course of a whole season really fast but I hope everything holds together (like DT's head and body) for the rest of the year and the team gives the fans something great to cheer (and care) about.

[Biggus Piggus]

My wife asked why Thomas wasn't sent to the hospital. It was scary.

[BroyledNutts]

Will the same thing happen to the football stadium?

I don't know, but I doubt it ...

Football is its own beast ... It's a once a week, outdoor activity that has a life of its own. Tailgating, touring the campus, spending the day in the area shopping, eating - all those things are part of the game day experience for football. I don't think this same thing occurs for basketball. It's an odd thing, but I can't ever remember seeing tailgaters for a basketball game. There's just not the same atmosphere. It may be due to two games a week; or when the games occur - typically evenings during the week, and on Sunday...that's a tough travel day for families...it almost requires an up-and-back same day trip...

Football has been and always will be the flagship program ... demand for seating, and in particular luxury seating, is in constant high demand. The addition to the stadium is already sold out, as I understand it. Folks will come out and support a football program, even if it's lagging, because of the extraneous activities surrounding the game itself.

[AugustaHog]

The main drivetime sports talk show in Nashville made a big deal about this yesterday, playing that coach's comments on the air.

This does not help us unless fans respond and I mean now. It's a lot of bad publicity.

It's pretty embarrassing that another coach calls our fans to task for being so apathetic.  It definitely looks bad.  Nothing that Hinson said is incorrect though.  Just hope his words will shame some folks who have tickets to actually show up. 

[FineAsSwine]

My wife asked why Thomas wasn't sent to the hospital. It was scary.

He's a tough guy is all I can say. I reflexively grabbed my neck when I saw it like it hurt me by just looking.

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

People are not going to pay to watch an sec team barely scrape by arlington. Our program is complete garbage.

Our program is far from garbage

[bigred223]

People are not going to pay to watch an sec team barely scrape by arlington. Our program is complete garbage.

Garbage post

[gmarv]

Garbage post

this

[WilsonHog]

Truth hurts

So does a two-week ban. Bye.

To the rest of you, we are not going to put up with garbage like this guy has posted since last night. If that doesn't suit you, shoot me a PM and I will process your refund. In full.

[Dr. Starcs]

BOOM!  Thanks Wilson

[HawgnCorona]

It's pretty embarrassing that another coach calls our fans to task for being so apathetic.  It definitely looks bad.  Nothing that Hinson said is incorrect though.  Just hope his words will shame some folks who have tickets to actually show up. 

yep

[Birminghog]

Attaboy, Wilson.

[Science Fiction Greg]

So does a two-week ban. Bye.

To the rest of you, we are not going to put up with garbage like this guy has posted since last night. If that doesn't suit you, shoot me a PM and I will process your refund. In full.

THANK YOU

[FineAsSwine]

Thanks Wilson

[HognitiveDissonance]

Oldtimers like me think it's just insane that people are questioning Razorback fans for basketball attendance.
I remember well the 'good old days' in Barnhill and Bud Walton...and Hog fans taking over Reunion Arena.
We were a 'basketball school'.
Taking over Birmingham for their first SEC Tournament appearance in 1992 and leaving an indelible impression on the SEC.

And now some are claiming all kinds of nonsense like fans don't care about hoops...NWA vs Central Ark...marketing needed, etc.
Just a lot of complete nonsense.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and Rome(decreased interest) wasn't destroyed in a day.
It took time to deteriorate, and it takes time to build that interest level back up.
And I will point out that, even now, Ark routinely gets 12,000 - 15,000 for SEC home games. It's the non-conf games that have truly tanked.

Just stop blaming the fans. I see a lot of blame on anybody and everybody except the people in charge...ADs and coaches. It's their job to win. The fans have been beat completely into the ground over a long period of time. Stop beating that dead horse and fix the real problem. More winning leads to more NCAA appearances over a period of time(sustained success) which leads to sustained interest.

I don't live in NWA, but I've already been to one game this year. But I'm actually glad that people aren't blindly packing the arena like mindless sheep after this long period of mediocrity. It sends a statement that people are tired of losing and after this long period of time expect to see something truly different before coming back.

It's a two-way street and always has been. The team has to perform and the fans must support. One can prop up the other for a short period of time, but not forever. It's a symbiotic relationship where both sides are equally giving for it to work.