if OSU knew OKC was getting the Thunder would they still double GIA seats?

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ESPN just showed the empty upper deck sections in the game, and my girlfriend and I were counting empty seats and sections.

Seems like they lost a little when they expanded the place. I doubt the decline is the fault of the Suttons and Ford.

I think they still could have made some improvements yet kept the home field advantage.

I've never been to the place so I dunno what was needed, but if it was anything like the football stadium I envision the OU field house, being remodeled to double the size.

I hate the camera angles, just doesnt seem natural
 
They had to expand it IMO. It only held about 8,000 so to compete with other school facilities and to increase revenue down the line, they had to expand it. I haven't been to a game since they expanded it but loved going there when it was smaller.
 
Not winning at the level Eddie did has hurt attendance. As has the the Thunder, as has the success of the football team. The overall product that is college basketball doesn't help either.

Take 5 seconds off the shot clock and somehow fix officiating and people will be more excited.

Oh and win. Winning is the main thing. Ford wins, but not enough.
 
I don't think the demand will ever be there, aside from big games when the team is good, for either state school.


8,000 would be perfect for OU.
 
I don't know about OSU but OU sells the tickets (or most of them) even when they are not used. I would assume OSU does the same thing. Neither school wants to lose 3,000 to 4,000 seats multiplied by $20 a seat, multiplied by 15-20 games a season. (My per seat cost might be low). That revenue pays for a lot of bills.
 
DenverSooner said:
I don't know about OSU but OU sells the tickets (or most of them) even when they are not used. I would assume OSU does the same thing. Neither school wants to lose 3,000 to 4,000 seats multiplied by $20 a seat, multiplied by 15-20 games a season. (My per seat cost might be low). That revenue pays for a lot of bills.
Click to expand...

Very true! I'd venture to guess if they decreased the capacity of LNC that ticket prices would increase to recoup the lost revenue from the loss of seats that have had tickets sold, but unused.
 
If OSU knew all of the following in advance, I dobut we would have upped the capacity to 13,611:

  • Sean Sutton would be terrible and make OSU basketball mediocre.
  • The football team would get really good and the athletic department would increase football ticket prices 5-fold.
  • Oklahoma City would get an NBA team.
  • The quality of college basketball, in general, would decline.
  • The proliferation of (relatively) cheap, high-quality and large HDTVs, coupled with new TV contracts, would mean every single game is on TV, and the home viewing experience is generally much better than the in-game viewing experience.
  • The rise of social media means today's students are less interested in being "present" at communal experiences.

All of those things have played a part in the decline of OSU basketball attendance. The last two, in particular, have had a massive impact on student attendance at basketball games, not only at OSU, but across the board.

Just look at the sections behind the goals at GIA. Back in 2001-2005, those sections, from the floor to the roof, were full of students.

OSU actually has more students on campus now than they did back then. So what gives? Students just don't care about going to GIA and being rowdy with their fellow students. They'd rather watch the game on TV and tweet about it.

/GetOffMyLawn
 
oSuJeff97 said:
If OSU knew all of the following in advance, I dobut we would have upped the capacity to 13,611:

  • Sean Sutton would be terrible and make OSU basketball mediocre.
  • The football team would get really good and the athletic department would increase football ticket prices 5-fold.
  • Oklahoma City would get an NBA team.
  • The quality of college basketball, in general, would decline.
  • The proliferation of (relatively) cheap, high-quality and large HDTVs, coupled with new TV contracts, would mean every single game is on TV, and the home viewing experience is generally much better than the in-game viewing experience.
  • The rise of social media means today's students are less interested in being "present" at communal experiences.

All of those things have played a part in the decline of OSU basketball attendance. The last two, in particular, have had a massive impact on student attendance at basketball games, not only at OSU, but across the board.

Just look at the sections behind the goals at GIA. Back in 2001-2005, those sections, from the floor to the roof, were full of students.

OSU actually has more students on campus now than they did back then. So what gives? Students just don't care about going to GIA and being rowdy with their fellow students. They'd rather watch the game on TV and tweet about it.

/GetOffMyLawn
Click to expand...

This is spot on, IMO. They still sell out, or get really close for big weekend games - KU, OU, UT (depending on the hype). My sister who actually went to osu to become a vet is actually a big osu BBall fan. She got us tickets to go see the Maryland game earlier this year (Ive always like Maryland) and I was surprised that it was within 1,000 of being a sell out. She said that the Gonzaga game a few years ago was also packed. She believe that a big reason, minus thunder and success, is that not many OSU fans live in Stillwater. Having to drive an hour from Tulsa or OKC to catch an 8 o'clock weekday game isn't easy, she rarely makes those. I'm actually glad that she's an OSU fan, because she always gets me a ticket to bedlam in stillwater.

This Saturday will looks like it will be a good game, but I like us to sweep in a close one!
 
DapperDan said:
This is spot on, IMO. They still sell out, or get really close for big weekend games - KU, OU, UT (depending on the hype). My sister who actually went to osu to become a vet is actually a big osu BBall fan. She got us tickets to go see the Maryland game earlier this year (Ive always like Maryland) and I was surprised that it was within 1,000 of being a sell out. She said that the Gonzaga game a few years ago was also packed. She believe that a big reason, minus thunder and success, is that not many OSU fans live in Stillwater. Having to drive an hour from Tulsa or OKC to catch an 8 o'clock weekday game isn't easy, she rarely makes those. I'm actually glad that she's an OSU fan, because she always gets me a ticket to bedlam in stillwater.
Click to expand...

I don't know if I'd say "not many" of the fans live in Stillwater... but yes, a good portion of season-ticket holders certainly do drive from Tulsa and OKC.

And as someone who lives in Tulsa, I can attest that it can be a pain in the ass to either make a 6:00 tip on a weeknight, or get home around midnight for an 8:00 tipoff... (or get home at 1 a.m. like I did last year for the 3OT Iowa State game!)

I think those fans have been eroded by the Thunder and the mediocre play more than anything else. And a secondary effect of the students not showing up and being rowdy is that the arena itself just isn't as fun, which further makes the Tulsa/OKC crowd less likely to make the drive on a weeknight.

I've made that decision myself several times in the past few years. Like back in the 2001-05 days, I knew that no matter who we played on, say, a Tuesday night, that the arena would be packed and I was going to see good basketball...

And so I'd go no matter if we were playing Texas Tech or Texas A&M or Baylor or Mizzou or whoever. Because I knew I would see good basketball (Sutton was the coach) and I knew it would be a blast (full, loud rowdy arena).

Now -- in a game like last night... I have to think, do I want to make that trip to visit a half-full arena and possibly see us play mediocre basketball?...Especially when I can watch the game in HD on my 63" TV?

More times than not, the answer is "no."
 
oSuJeff97 said:
If OSU knew all of the following in advance, I dobut we would have upped the capacity to 13,611:

  • Sean Sutton would be terrible and make OSU basketball mediocre.
  • The football team would get really good and the athletic department would increase football ticket prices 5-fold.
  • Oklahoma City would get an NBA team.
  • The quality of college basketball, in general, would decline.
  • The proliferation of (relatively) cheap, high-quality and large HDTVs, coupled with new TV contracts, would mean every single game is on TV, and the home viewing experience is generally much better than the in-game viewing experience.
  • The rise of social media means today's students are less interested in being "present" at communal experiences.

All of those things have played a part in the decline of OSU basketball attendance. The last two, in particular, have had a massive impact on student attendance at basketball games, not only at OSU, but across the board.

Just look at the sections behind the goals at GIA. Back in 2001-2005, those sections, from the floor to the roof, were full of students.

OSU actually has more students on campus now than they did back then. So what gives? Students just don't care about going to GIA and being rowdy with their fellow students. They'd rather watch the game on TV and tweet about it.

/GetOffMyLawn
Click to expand...

And the student tickets in those days were not part of the All Sport pass. My kids paid $200 for student season tickets and felt lucky to get them. Now days they can't give the student tickets away. Can't blame that on the Thunder


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
oSuJeff97 said:
And a secondary effect of the students not showing up and being rowdy is that the arena itself just isn't as fun, which further makes the Tulsa/OKC crowd less likely to make the drive on a weeknight.
Click to expand...

I think this is a huge point. What makes or made college basketball great is/was the students. A bunch of old people are not likely to start a "Hey Ref, You Suck!" chant. That takes the younger generation. The old people are not likely to scream "who cares" when the other team is announced. The old people don't pick out a visiting player to harass all game long. Somehow, college sports needs to get the kids to be involved again. They make it so much better.
 
DenverSooner said:
I think this is a huge point. What makes or made college basketball great is/was the students. A bunch of old people are not likely to start a "Hey Ref, You Suck!" chant. That takes the younger generation. The old people are not likely to scream "who cares" when the other team is announced. The old people don't pick out a visiting player to harass all game long. Somehow, college sports needs to get the kids to be involved again. They make it so much better.
Click to expand...

OU could start by not making it such a pain in the ass to get in the LNC and move around throughout, and to claim student tickets.
 
ByronHoustonsSweatyPalms said:
And the student tickets in those days were not part of the All Sport pass. My kids paid $200 for student season tickets and felt lucky to get them. Now days they can't give the student tickets away. Can't blame that on the Thunder
Click to expand...

You're telling me...

["Back in my day" alert...]

Back in my day, in old GIA, you were LUCKY if you got tickets. First, you had to buy an all sports ticket, which included everything except men's basketball.

Then, you would be entered in a lottery.

If you were selected, you got the chance to buy tickets for HALF of the schedule. They had the "A" and "B" package... one always included the Kansas game and the other included the Bedlam game.

I was lucky in that I got picked in the lottery 3 of 4 years. I had friends who NEVER were picked.
 
That is amazing that demand has decreased that much. When did you graduate? I would guess 97 based on your user name.
 
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