So, Why Don't YOU Come to the Games?

[Sooner04]

While glancing at tonight's box score I noticed the following numbers:

Attendance: 10,674
Estimated Attendance: 5,632

I'm no mathematician, but that's 5,642 tickets sold to someone who couldn't be bothered to show up.

This is THE OU BBall board on the Internet, so I was just curious why some of you don't come to games. With a possible renovation to the LNC on the horizon, I figured it might be time to get the reasoning out in the open.

Is it finances?
Location?
Time of day?
Ash Wednesday?

My uncle used to come to all of the games and then his involvement just slowly faded away. All of my family still lives in Ardmore, and two or three of them make the trip up every single game. But my parents don't. No reason why, they just don't.

HD experience too good to leave the house?
Other drains on your time?
Thunder <----- I think this one siphoned off way more than we imagined it could.

I'm just curious. Not trying to play super fan here in the least. I just find it odd that a team one win away from finishing second in the best conference in America draws a half-empty house on a Wednesday night.


In closing, In Kruger We Trust.

 

[Stikboy]

Residence in Houston.

I went to see them in Dallas and Houston. If I lived there I wouldn't miss..

 

[NMSooner'80]

I'm 570 miles away, but I'd never miss a home game if I lived within 100 miles of Norman. And I'd absolutely NEVER go to a Thunder game if OU was playing at home on the same night.

 

[soonerhoops2012]

In Tulsa. I make most of the weekend games. But 8 o'clock tips on a weekday night mean I don't get home until 12:30-1.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

You worry way too much about attendence


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[cfin5256]

I'm working during most of them, but make them if I'm off.

 

[KBaden145]

I work week on week off night shift. If I had a regular schedule, I'd have season tickets like I used to and not miss a home game. As it is, I make about half of the home exhibitions and games.


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[TheGimper]

I'm at every home game that work and school doesn't prevent. But if Thunder really cut into that much home attendance for OU I'm sure Seattle would take them back.

 

[sperry]

I was there tonight.


That being said, there are a million reasons why people wouldn't have gone to that one.


First and foremost. The Lloyd Noble Center is a terrible venue, is near no restaurants and bars, and can't be walked to by students, or by people wishing to park, eat and have drinks and go to the game. It's awful to get out of the parking lot. No beer sold at the game, nothing but terrible fast food-esque concession options. The experience is bad.



Second. 8 PM weeknight start times are terrible. If you have to be at work 8, an 8 PM start time basketball game is just a big hassle to deal with. Regardless, it's worth it to have the national television exposure. For games like Bedlam, Texas, and KU, the fans will go out of their way to attned the game, even if the start time is bad.


Third, the weather. Tonight it was about 35 degrees and torrential downpour at the time of the game. I was attending with a big group of friends, which I knew would be fun. If it was a run of the mill game for a season ticket holder, this game is one I'm saying screw it, I'm wathcing it from my dry, warm, living room on my 50 inch HD TV, with an unlimited supply of free(well, already paid for) beers and snacks in the kitchen.

 

[MNsooner]

I don't have two days to make the drive.

When I am in Oklahoma I go. I love it. The experience is fine, though. The main problem with the experience is that there aren't enough fans there. Kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. More fans means a better atmosphere.

 

[thegreyghost]

If they renovate that dump of arena they are making a 30-40 year mistake

 

[Max Power]

I split tickets with my parents, but our seats have been filled every game

 

[JBaker]

Live in Dallas.
Went to the opener against Alabama. Will be at TCU on Saturday.
Last year I was at UTA and TCU.

Next year I'm hoping we have a Saturday-Monday home back-to-back, and I might take the Monday and Tuesday off work to come up and hit a pair of games while making a long weekend of it.

Otherwise, driving 3 hours each way makes any weekday attendance impossible, and weekend attendance for a game that will last 1/3 or less of my total driving time not that appealing.

 

[slappy in OP]

I let my brother and his family have my season tickets for any game that I can't make it down to OK.

 

[Laxtothemax12]

School halfway across the country, and coach decided to have practice from 9-11 tonight so I couldn't even watch the game on tv...

 

[TINY]

I used to be walking distance from LNC and went to about 80% of the home games.

Now I live in Ohio, unfortunately.

Very disappointed in the fans/students in Norman tonight. Embarrassing turn out for sr night.

 

[bocabull]

It's Norman oklahoma. Very few Sooners stay around. It's a college town. Oklahoma is a rural state. You graduate, then leave the region for a real economy.

 

[Salt City Sooner]

I used to be walking distance from LNC and went to about 80% of the home games.

Now I live in Ohio, unfortunately.

Very disappointed in the fans/students in Norman tonight. Embarrassing turn out for sr night.

FWIW, Sr. night was the Texas game.

 

[WaymanFan]

You worry way too much about attendence


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Well, it's a pretty big deal for some recruits, and the lack of attendance reduces the value of a home-court advantage - including the extra call or two per game from the refs.

I used to live in upstate New York, but now live in North Carolina. I've been to several OU games, and try to make most of them when they're within a four-hour car ride. I remember feeling guilty that I couldn't make the four-hour drive to Charleston, WV, one time due to work issues. That is why I always post giving the fans props when they do attend the games.

Based on many of the responses, it seems many of us are just in situations where it isn't possible to be at every game. I think with all who attend the university, though, we should be able to get enough fans into the arena so it doesn't look like an embarrassment with a half-full arena for the last home game of the season.

 

[MisterF]

I was at the game last night. I bought a couple of 6 pack tickets. I have been going the last few years buying tickets outside the LNC. I use to be a season ticket holder. I puts a deposit down for a couple of season tickets last night for next year.

I think the excuse the LNC is a dump is crazy. There is nothing wrong with LNC. I have been going to games there since 1977 and there is not a bad seat in the house. It's clean. The new lighting from a several years ago have brightened the place up.

There are plenty of students that are walking distance. The dorms, all those south side apartments are all within an mile. That is not that far for a 19 year old kid. Plus they have a great sidewalk system to walk on. Now I will say it was raining last night at tip time.

No restaurants in the area is true. But just an excuse. I drove down last night, met a couple friends at The Library, had a nice meal and took 5 mins to drive from there to LNC. I do agree the concessions could be better. I notice there is a place inside LNC to buy a onion burger. Haven't tried one yet, but they smell good!!!

I believe the original question was about ticket holders that don't show up. That has been a mystery for several years now. I understood a little before Lon K came on board. There wasn't much to be proud of during Jeff C's last couple of years.

LK has this thing turned around. If the fans want this to continue to the next level and keep LK around as long as possible they need to make next year a breakout year in attendance in my opinion. Not saying packed every game. But 9 to 10 thousand average would be a good start. It's really a fun team to watch.

Just my two cents!!