Lack of Attendance

[cowboysooner]

Thought this deserved its own thread. It was being discussed in another thread.

My theory:

(1) Haven't been as good;
(2) The Thunder (I know two people that used to buy season tickets to OU boys and girls programs, that now can't afford them as they are season ticket holders at thunder games -- really expensive). Don't know how wide spread this is. Also, college programs everywhere have a hard time competing with pro sports;
(3) Indian Casinos -- they are taking everyone's money and people are putting their entertainment money in slots instead of tickets.
(4) Sherri just wants to coach and not market. Lack of constant contact and information regarding the program causes people to lose interest. We don't get recruiting information and TV coverage, to keep us interested in the program during the off season and even during the season. We stay in the closet save and except 12-15 days out of the year (televised games). Otherwise, there is absolutely no information whatsoever to discuss about the program around the water cooler.

BTW, this isn't meant to disparage Coach, I think she is great. Just my opinion on what needs to be improved and considered. Frankly, as you might guess and based upon what I said above, most of the issues with the girls game is not fixable. And BTW, OSU has seen the same decline in interest.

J

 

[MsProudSooner]

I think the age of the fans of the women's game has something to do with it.

As I get older, watching the games on TV becomes more and more appealing for a few reasons. 1) Cost - I drive down from Tulsa and there is a cost involved. 2) I can see better when I watch on TV. I drove down last Friday because I wanted to be there when they honored CP3. As usual, I bought general admission and moved down to the lower bowl (row 10) after the first time out. I taped the game and when I watched it on TV I realized the view on my TV was nearly the same view I had when sitting at the game. 3) My back has 'issues' and I've noticed when I go to the games it bothers me more for the next couple of days.

None of these reasons mean I will completely stop going to games but they are a consideration. The reasons cowboysooner mentioned probably figure into why we aren't attracting new fans to replace some of us old farts.

 

[tycat947]

Attendance is dropping off with most collegiate sports and has been for quite a few years. Most everyone has a large screen high definition TV and don’t have to fork out money for tickets nor leave their homes. Record might have a small effect on attendance but Hypocrite U’s attendance has dropped from the Griner years and #2 ranked Texas reported 3,400 attended home opener in 16,000 seat arena.

 

[Mac]

Why pay money to see a loosing product? Attendance was great back when CP3 was here and we were at the top of the big 12... I remember the big white out games... I think if OU starts winning again the attendance will go up.

 

[sybarite]

OU #22
http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/w_basketball_RB/reports/Attend/2017.pdf

We are behind Iowa State, Kansas State, and Nebraska, none of whom win as much as we do. Of course, what else is there to do in Manhattan, Kansas. We're only a thousand fans from #15, i.e., not a lot of difference except for the top six which tend to be the biggest winners: South Carolina, Connecticut, Tennessee, Louisville, Notre Dame, and---what---Iowa State?

Figures for 2010 when Courtney was here:

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/w_basketball_RB/reports/Attend/10att.pdf

Notice that the numbers are slightly higher in 2010, average `1584 as opposed to 1538 last year.

 

[Sooner Cal]

I think the demographics are importa. Young fans are saving for homes. Others are seeing increased costs for health care. Retired folks are cutting back on spending. Also, rising contribution required for football seats and higher ticket prices are having an impact too.

The Thunder as well as the saturation of ncaa basketball on tv gives folks alternatives.

Would attendance go up if they won? Perhaps.

I agree that OU doesn’t market as well as they could. They might be able to sell ice to a desert dweller, but beyond that I have my doubts. Sure the concentrate on the really big donors (those with names on buildings), but everything else is pretty much a take or leave sale strategy.

 

[inoref]

All I can add to this if what we seen in last few years wasn't OU, they would have to pay me to attend these games.

 

[sybarite]

2016 Men's attendance: OU 43

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/Reports/attend/2016.pdf

2017: OU #48

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/Reports/attend/2017.pdf

So, a final four team with a Player of the Year candidate only ranks #43, only five points above a losing team in 2016.

Winning cures all. Or, does it?

 

[inoref]

Everyone needs to face it..Oklahoma is a football state.

 

[j2d2]

I think Cowboy has it right altho I would change the order of importance.

 

[soonermike22]

Thought this deserved its own thread. It was being discussed in another thread.

My theory:

(1) Haven't been as good;
(2) The Thunder (I know two people that used to buy season tickets to OU boys and girls programs, that now can't afford them as they are season ticket holders at thunder games -- really expensive). Don't know how wide spread this is. Also, college programs everywhere have a hard time competing with pro sports;
(3) Indian Casinos -- they are taking everyone's money and people are putting their entertainment money in slots instead of tickets.
(4) Sherri just wants to coach and not market. Lack of constant contact and information regarding the program causes people to lose interest. We don't get recruiting information and TV coverage, to keep us interested in the program during the off season and even during the season. We stay in the closet save and except 12-15 days out of the year (televised games). Otherwise, there is absolutely no information whatsoever to discuss about the program around the water cooler.

BTW, this isn't meant to disparage Coach, I think she is great. Just my opinion on what needs to be improved and considered. Frankly, as you might guess and based upon what I said above, most of the issues with the girls game is not fixable. And BTW, OSU has seen the same decline in interest.

J

All of the above contributes.
For me personally it is mostly the last few years of inconsistent play by the team, and an apparent lack of full effort. I don't mind as much getting beat by a better, more athletic team, but I hate it like all get out when the other team just out hustles and out efforts us. I can watch my dogs lay on their lazy butts at home, but won't pay with cash and time to travel to a game and watch lack of effort and preparation.

 

[Leroy]

The Thunder and televising all the games has killed college basketball in Oklahoma.

 

[SoonerSpock]

OU #22
http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/w_basketball_RB/reports/Attend/2017.pdf

We are behind Iowa State, Kansas State, and Nebraska, none of whom win as much as we do. Of course, what else is there to do in Manhattan, Kansas. We're only a thousand fans from #15, i.e., not a lot of difference except for the top six which tend to be the biggest winners: South Carolina, Connecticut, Tennessee, Louisville, Notre Dame, and---what---Iowa State?

Figures for 2010 when Courtney was here:

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/w_basketball_RB/reports/Attend/10att.pdf

Notice that the numbers are slightly higher in 2010, average `1584 as opposed to 1538 last year.

Unfortunately the reported attendance for WBB is not worth the paper it is written on. If you will look at the box scores of both MBB and WBB you will notice the men report 2 attendance numbers attendance (sold tickets) and estimated attendance (tickets scanned) for home games. WBB used to report both numbers as well but quit doing so about mid-season 2014-15 (I think). It is because of the disparity between the numbers is so great that Sherri feels a need to hide how few butts are actually in the seats.

As a season ticket holder that makes all the game for both the men and women I estimate on average that tickets scanned are normally about 1/3 to 1/2 of tickets sold except for the Baylor, Texas and OSU games for WWB which are a little higher. You can also throw in the Kansas game for the men.
For MBB in the lean years actual average attendance is 1/2-3/5 of tickets sold and good years 3/4-9/10 tickets sold.

But then men continues to report both attendance numbers and it is not always pretty. For the two home games this year the numbers were 9,045/5,573 (61%) and 7,245/3,583 (49%). For the last WBB exhibition and the Belmont game reported attendance was 2,695 and 3,306 I would estimate that the actual attendance was closer to 750+ (28%) and 1,500+ (45%). Actual attendance at WBB is worse than not good. It is terrible and the men's while much better is wanting as well.

With regard to your men's NCAA attendance figures those numbers are all tickets sold not actual attendance. Again as a season ticket holder of the men's games I would estimate that actual attendance was down in 2017 about 2,500-3,000 per game from 2016. My educated guess is that average attendance in 2016 was about 8,500 and in 2017 about 4,500-5,500. So from my perspective attendance was down about 40+% and that can be attributed primarily to not winning in 2017.

If you want to look at estimated attendance in each box score for 2016 and 2017 you can get the real numbers. But I did take the liberty to provide a comparison of estimated attendance for the WVU games in 1/2016 and 1/2017. In 2016 the estimated attendance was 10,346 and in 2017 it was 4,663. For those games against WVU there was a 55% drop in attendance.


https://admin.xosn.com/pdf9/4367914.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=31000&DB_OEM_ID=31000

http://www.soonersports.com/pdf9/5240707.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=31000

 

[SKSooner]

Why pay money to see a loosing product? Attendance was great back when CP3 was here and we were at the top of the big 12... I remember the big white out games... I think if OU starts winning again the attendance will go up.

OU wins an overwhelming percentage of their home games played at LNC. I don't know what you've been watching.

 

[sybarite]

Unfortunately the reported attendance for WBB is not worth the paper it is written on.

Unfortunately, your post is opinion, personal observation, as though it only happened at OU, and only to women's basketball.

I was disappointed when I saw the crowd (on TV) at the Belmont game. Courtney deserved better. And, there probably were about 750-1,000 there with a reported attendance of about 3,000.

Then, I saw the crowd at the men's game against Ball State, the size of which was reported to be about 200 more than for the Belmont game. Seemed to me that they also had about 750-1,000. So, the over-reporting seems to occur at the men's game as well.

Is this only at OU?

Are there accurate numbers anywhere?

You've made this point several times in the past. But, first there has to be some data. Then, you can actually discuss why or the reasons.

 

[tycat947]

OU wins an overwhelming percentage of their home games played at LNC. I don't know what you've been watching.

Yep. SMH!

 

[Sweetest OU Girl]

Attendance is disappointing. I attend virtually every WBB game and football game - and have done so for many years. I attend a pretty good number of the MBB games - but not quite as regularly as WBB and football.

I do notice that the stands on the side behind the players is much better filled than the side opposite the player's benches. I wonder why?

And yet, whenever they have a halftime event, an introduction, etc. they always face away from most of the fans in attendance. I suspect it is because they want the TV cameras pointing toward the better filled side of the arena, but it is disappointing. Even the honoring of CPP was all done so most fans (who are the paying and best supporting customers) were looking at the backs of the speakers and other "dignitaries".

I wish they would change that as we go forward, but don't expect it.