Attendance if we land Buzz?

[w0lfe]

Does anyone else think that attendance will still be poor even if we landed Buzz? The only time I can think of when we had a really solid attendance was blakes sophomore year. Its always seemed a little poor, minus the final four team we had. I'm not saying that I expect to have 8k plus every game ,because only a few schools do that in basketball. Rather, not see these piss poor 2.5k attendance that I have seen so many times.

 

[soonerbms]

It will be better than this year, but I wouldn't expect any jam packed houses until we start winning consistently and beating good teams.

 

[ben]

It will be just like Sampson:

Non-conference will be crappy except for games against good name opponents.
Conference will be not as crappy but not impressive for teams like Iowa State.
Texas, OSU, Kansas and other ranked teams will be awesome.

 

[Sam]

It will be better than this year, but I wouldn't expect any jam packed houses until we start winning consistently and beating good teams.

This, I think, pardon the pun, there will be more buzz around the program. That could draw in a some more people for random non con games.

An underrated factor for next year is the impending NBA lockout. If Osby is the real deal and if Clark, Fitz etc advance, OU could get some wins early. Get some momentum and with no NBA you could draw more of the fringe crowd.

 

[w0lfe]

I agree with a lot of this. I just hope to the good Lord that we bring some good teams to play in the LNC next season. The non-conf WAS HORRIBLE this past season

 

[AdaSooner]

This, I think, pardon the pun, there will be more buzz around the program. That could draw in a some more people for random non con games.

An underrated factor for next year is the impending NBA lockout. If Osby is the real deal and if Clark, Fitz etc advance, OU could get some wins early. Get some momentum and with no NBA you could draw more of the fringe crowd.

Good points, Sam! Our average attendance for home games in Blake's sophomore season was 11,490. I'm sure that's tickets sold, not those checked at the entrances. That number fell to 8,563 this season, a drop of more than 2,900 tickets.

We may not be able to recapture the appeal of our Elite Eight team with Blake on the floor, but I have little doubt that an improved product and winning a few more games will do wonders for attendance next year as well as in the years to come.

If we're lucky enough to get Buzz, we also shouldn't underestimate his ability to market the program like no other coach since Billy. His personality and enthusiam are contagious. I think OU fans will love this guy! I do, and I have never met the man or seen him in person.

 

[stoops4pres]

It will be just like Sampson:

Non-conference will be crappy except for games against good name opponents.
Conference will be not as crappy but not impressive for teams like Iowa State.
Texas, OSU, Kansas and other ranked teams will be awesome.

Exactly what I'm thinking, assuming Joe C. comes through and gets a good coach.

 

[Sooner_In_MI]

I agree with a lot of this. I just hope to the good Lord that we bring some good teams to play in the LNC next season. The non-conf WAS HORRIBLE this past season

I am hoping we can bring in one or two mid-level BCS schools for non-con games because our home-and-home's w/ Arkansas and Arizona are done.

 

[pnkranger]

i think our attendance CAN get better, but Kelvin was never really embraced by our crowd.

 

[WaymansFadeaway]

i think our attendance CAN get better, but Kelvin was never really embraced by our crowd.

He was his first year, he was a friggin hero. Undefeated at home and a surprise season, combined with the crappy football season and he was the King of Norman for a short time.

Kelvin lost people by flirting with other jobs (most notably our hated rival) and for admonishing the crowd for chanting anti-Texas/Muonecke stuff and cheering when an official hit the ground.

Right or wrong, people said "screw this guy" and alot never got back on board. I have many friends who were part of this, and though I seriously disagreed with them, thats what went down.

 

[OUALUMinTX]

I could be wrong, but Buzz seems like the type of person that would go out and meet and greet and do things to try to get fans to come to the games. He sounds like he is very personable. If I remember right a fews years ago, Sherri and her team would go out to places in Norman and try to get the people excited about women's basketball and they do so many community projects. There has got to be some PR stuff that the men's team can do like that to promote men's basketball to get people interested in coming to the games.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Exactly what I'm thinking, assuming Joe C. comes through and gets a good coach.

I actually think it will be better than this and here's why:

1.) We've had a few losing seasons so when we win fans will come back.
2.) The fan base never much cared for Kelvin because of his flirtations with other jobs and his comment to the fans to not chant "Texas sucks".
3.) OU fans were spoiled with Billy and wanted exciting offense when Kelvin was the coach but now I think they just want to win.
4.) Buzz will be a PR dream for the program. Fans and students will like the guy and his teams will play hard.

I think if the teams are good enough, we could see the LNC like it was when Tubbs was the coach. It won't be full for the crappy non-con games, but it will probably be fuller for the conference games save the really bad conference opponents.

 

[Big Old Booger]

He was his first year, he was a friggin hero. Undefeated at home and a surprise season, combined with the crappy football season and he was the King of Norman for a short time.

Kelvin lost people by flirting with other jobs (most notably our hated rival) and for admonishing the crowd for chanting anti-Texas/Muonecke stuff and cheering when an official hit the ground.

Right or wrong, people said "screw this guy" and alot never got back on board. I have many friends who were part of this, and though I seriously disagreed with them, thats what went down.

I posted almost the exact same thing.

I can remember when I was a season ticket holder, for 2 or 3 seasons in a row, we moved to different parts of the arena each season (all in the upper deck). It seemed like no matter where we sat, we had some anti-Kelvin person around us. They would always do nothing but complain about Kelvin. If Spaulding turned the ball over, it was Kelvins fault. If Najera missed a 3, it was Kelvins fault. I began to realize the hatred some OU fans had for Kelvin and you never really saw that with Tubbs.

 

[jwg]

I think the Thunder will depress attendance at LNC. Obviously winning would help as a stronger conference presence. I think the 18 team schedule will help so long as we do not stack the non-conference schedue with RPI > 250.

 

[soonerhappy]

If we're lucky enough to get Buzz, we also shouldn't underestimate his ability to market the program like no other coach since Billy. His personality and enthusiam are contagious. I think OU fans will love this guy! I do, and I have never met the man or seen him in person.

I don't and I have never met him either...I would feel he was just doing PR for his next gig at Texas since rumors have Barnes looking at NC

 

[AdaSooner]

I don't and I have never met him either...I would feel he was just doing PR for his next gig at Texas since rumors have Barnes looking at NC

Barnes is not going to N. C. State. I posted a link to their site last night to confirm that Wolfpack fans already know he's not coming.