Kruger & Attendance

[StatGeek]

here is an excerpt from his bio that I think deserves some attention:

"The success of the program also expanded off the court under Kruger, who, starting with the 2008-09 season, took an active role in the program's marketing and community outreach efforts. UNLV's 2009-10 attendance numbers at the Thomas & Mack Center were the largest since Jerry Tarkanian's final season (1991-92) and the Runnin' Rebels were No. 18 overall in attendance and No. 1 on the West Coast".

Looks like Coach Kruger will have some ideas on how to improve attendance/gameday environment.

 

[SoMuchDramaInTheLNC]

Here's two:

1. Replace the seats in the student section with bleachers
2. Don't do the "we don't sit down until the Sooners score" thing. That only works in the NBA. Don't tell the crowd that they can sit down, because they will.

 

[Boomer]

I sure hope something changes. I miss seeing a full LNC.

 

[tycat947]

At UNLV, basketball is the ONLY game in town. He's the best coach they've had since Tark left and they were hungry for good basketball again. Plus the population of Vegas since Tark was there has probably doubled in that amount of time. I don't expect our attendance will vary much from the best attendance (actual butts in seats) we've ever had. Great for the big games not so good for all others.

 

[waynepayne]

My HOPE is that a coach as well respected as him will have more pull with the admin or the charisma to get alums to pony up for the the changes that have been bantered about forever.

I sure wish I could still get student tickets next season

 

[Jason]

At UNLV, basketball is the ONLY game in town. He's the best coach they've had since Tark left and they were hungry for good basketball again. Plus the population of Vegas since Tark was there has probably doubled in that amount of time. I don't expect our attendance will vary much from the best attendance (actual butts in seats) we've ever had. Great for the big games not so good for all others.

1. The ONLY game in town? Sports, maybe. But, considering everything else there is to do here, UNLV basketball barely hits most people's agenda. This is an entertainment town. We're always doing something. And, it doesn't involve UNLV bball.

2. Considering 90% of the population is from elsewhere, regardless of population growth in this city, most "locals" follow their home team/alma mater, etc., and couldn't care less about UNLV.

3. Lon did an exceptional job attracting the "local community" of Las Vegas to UNLV bball. I saw a distinct development of "interest" in his program based on his efforts to involve the community.

Sorry, your post isn't even remotely accurate.

 

[BanjoCharley]

At UNLV, basketball is the ONLY game in town. He's the best coach they've had since Tark left and they were hungry for good basketball again. Plus the population of Vegas since Tark was there has probably doubled in that amount of time. I don't expect our attendance will vary much from the best attendance (actual butts in seats) we've ever had. Great for the big games not so good for all others.

Slots, blackjack, keno, etc. Etc. Etc.

 

[MsProudSooner]

The fact that he's actively involved in the marketing and community outreach sounds great to me.

I think there are 2 demographic groups that need to be targeted to increase attendance.

The first, obviously, is the students. I'd love to see student tickets be free or just a really nominal price. Combine that with a coach who reaches out to the students and I think student attendance would increase.

The second group is people who live in Norman and aren't going to Thunder games for whatever reason - don't like or can't afford the NBA. Norman is a large enough city that we shouldn't have to depend on OKC and Edmond folks to fill up LNC.

 

[Jason]

The fact that he's actively involved in the marketing and community outreach sounds great to me.

He's the perfect hire for OU's needs in a bball leader. I'm very excited about having Lon as our coach.

 

[Romulus]

My HOPE is that a coach as well respected as him will have more pull with the admin or the charisma to get alums to pony up for the the changes that have been bantered about forever.

I sure wish I could still get student tickets next season

how old are you?

 

[coolm]

ahh the good old days of discussing how to get attendance up.

still think the marketing and promotional center has to be on the youth. with an NBA team here it may actually be easier now to promote a more "basketballcentric" demeanor (taking nothing away from football mind you) in Oklahoma.

right now if they want to watch a game they are all on TV. we need fans to feel that watching on TV isn't good enough because they LOVE the game so.

The way you do that (other than crack cocaine) is be raising a generation of youths catered to by Sooner basketball such that they wanna be here every game.

Do that and they will be little feeders....growing other fans around them and increasing your fan base from the roots up.

 

[sooner12]

Here's two:

1. Replace the seats in the student section with bleachers
2. Don't do the "we don't sit down until the Sooners score" thing. That only works in the NBA. Don't tell the crowd that they can sit down, because they will.

1...why? The student section is never full, and the LNC would look even weirder with 1/5 of the seats as bleachers. Let's worry about getting the students in the LNC first.
2. I don't know, I think it works well in the LNC. Most people in the lower level actually remain standing until we score, so I don't see this as a problem. Do you really think making people stand up for a few seconds makes them rethink going to a basketball game?

 

[sooner12]

The fact that he's actively involved in the marketing and community outreach sounds great to me.

I think there are 2 demographic groups that need to be targeted to increase attendance.

The first, obviously, is the students. I'd love to see student tickets be free or just a really nominal price. Combine that with a coach who reaches out to the students and I think student attendance would increase.

The second group is people who live in Norman and aren't going to Thunder games for whatever reason - don't like or can't afford the NBA. Norman is a large enough city that we shouldn't have to depend on OKC and Edmond folks to fill up LNC.

This.

 

[SoMuchDramaInTheLNC]

1...why? The student section is never full, and the LNC would look even weirder with 1/5 of the seats as bleachers. Let's worry about getting the students in the LNC first.
2. I don't know, I think it works well in the LNC. Most people in the lower level actually remain standing until we score, so I don't see this as a problem. Do you really think making people stand up for a few seconds makes them rethink going to a basketball game?

1. I remember Bruce Pearl doing this at Tennessee. I think it encourages students (and they will come, don't worry; Lon will rally them) to stand, rather than sit in seats.

2. That's not my point. I don't think we need that annoying MC anyway, but I understand his role. My point is, fans shouldn't be expressly given the option to sit/stand. As soon as that first shot goes in, no fail, the whole fanbase sits down. It's like air goes out of the arena, and that's true even with bad crowds. When we're decent next year and fans start showing up, it will be even more noticeable. NBA games are more of a sit back and watch the show type thing, college games are supposed to have more fan involvement for a better home court advantage.

 

[jerry]

He's the perfect hire for OU's needs in a bball leader. I'm very excited about having Lon as our coach.

Absolutely!!