Everyone has the right to an opinion on Moser. But, those that believe or seem to think that he is the principal issue with the OU basketball program are misinformed.
We have a ton of issues confronting OU athletics generally and particularly our basketball program. And, they those same issues are negatively effecting every college athletics program in Oklahoma.
First, the proliferation of television. While the expense of going to games has skyrocketed, the ability to watch virtually every game for free on TV has arrived. In Oklahoma, wages for working people haven't risen much, if at all, in the last 30 years. Where a working man could afford to take he and his kids to games a few times a year, now with the ability to watch the games for free, he is now priced out of this.
Second, the introduction of Indian gaming has had a direct and catastrophic impact on attendance of all sporting events. Again, what little disposable income working people have they are throwing in slot machines and then don't have it to spend on tickets.
Third, and as was widely feared, the introduction of the Thunder to OKC, has decimated season ticket sales to both OSU and OU men's and women's basketball teams. The financial commitment to be a season ticket holder to the Thunder is crazy, and many people have shifted their entertainment dollars to the Thunder and had to drop season tickets to the University programs.
Fourth, there is the cost. The price of attending games has just left most people out of an ability to attend games -- financially.
Fifth, as as to OU basketball, the gym is the worst venue to watch a game in in America. I know some disagree with this, but many, like me, find it unbearable. But, I still make myself go a few time each year just to support the team. This being said, I don't believe the university should go into debt to build a gym. If we don't have the money to build a new gym, then we don't and IMO we should just make due with what we have.
Sixth, and now to add to the above, there is the NIL/Portal issue. There is absolutely no economic sense to funding NIL for donors. Unless they have play money and just want to spend it on something, fine. I have absolutely no idea if we have people like this, or what our resources are. But, throwing away money and never recouping it someway, is normally not a sustainable thing.
Seventh, there is no mass transit option to go to games. Thus, you can't drink if you attend, because of the post game driving aspect of attending. This is my biggest concern with a gym on the north campus.
Eighth, game times to accommodate TV, make attendance too expensive and hard to justify attending. People from all over Oklahoma like to attend OU events but are basically shut out of late night games and early morning games due to driving times and/or the need to make it an expensive weekend with a hotel stay.
And, then there is coaching. It certainly has a lot to do with winning and success. But, it is just one of many factors related to success.
If you really want to create a lasting successful basketball program, there is a lot of things to address and not just coaching. Frankly, in a small population state like oklahoma, it might not even be possible in the absence of an enormous financial commitment that overpowers the can solve and/or overcome some of the hurdles above.
