Why OU is never getting a smaller stadium

[Soonerman]

Sure, and you get high grossed for parking and are stuck with a long hike or a shuttle ride. Getting to the stadium, in and out, and then away from there is a pain in the rear. And it has been for over the 50 years I've been going.

It is just the price you have to pay for being a football fan at a football school. The rest of the sports are just like any other business. They need to make it easier for their customers. Not harder. Playing games in the old field house or building an arena mid campus is just an awful idea.

Funny, I know that has been brought up on here before as an excuse for students not coming to games at the LNC and it tends to get scoffed at by the non-students on here.

 

[tycat947]

if we had a 9k stadium .. who do you think would be buying the tickets?

answer the same people that buy them now ..and don't go .. smaller building doesn't solve any issue ..

Exactly! The fieldhouse wasn't close to full for any of the fieldhouse games.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I just want to say that the crowd againt Baylor was great to see! I was pleasantly surprised

 

[garyeb2]

This perplexes me very much. According to the box score for Saturday you had:

Attendance: 12322 (Tickets sold)
Est. Attendance: 7560 (Butts in seats)

So well over 4,000 people who bought tickets no showed. Looking at the box scores, this happens just about every game and has been doing so for years that I've followed.

For example, here's your numbers for the season opener against SE Louisiana:

Attendance: 9626
Est. Attendance: 3052

Game two against Northwestern State:

Attendance: 10056
Est. Attendance: 4058

Who are these thousands of people buying tickets and no-showing just about every game?

That being said, I was pleasantly surprised with the crowd on Saturday.

I was sitting there with a friend and we agreed that it looked like maybe 9,000. If the right number was 7500, we were off. For the most part the empty seats aren't just scattered around the arena. There are large blocks of empty seats here and there.

Those large blocks of tickets are probably sold to corporate buyers year after year. Even though they aren't doing a very good job of distributing the tickets around after they buy them, they are doing a great service by financially supporting the program.

To me, it seems that the best solution would be to come in with suites and give the big block buyers the opportunity to continue their support while freeing up some tickets in the lower bowl.

 

[garyeb2]

Funny, I know that has been brought up on here before as an excuse for students not coming to games at the LNC and it tends to get scoffed at by the non-students on here.

Like it or not the students are transient fans. They are temps. It is good when they come to the games and make some noise and some of them may be converted to long term fans.

The vast majority of attendees at OU sporting events year after year are the adults. The adults want some convenience along with their attendance. There are a lot of people that work very hard and some of them go to great monetary expense to provide a variety of cheap entertainment venues for the students. It is up to the students to take advantage of them. Even if they have go a little out of their way.

 

[DenverSooner]

An on-campus arena would make it harder for non-students to attend; any small gain in the number of students who would attend would be outweighed by the alums and other non-students who didn't.

The LNC is on campus. Lindsey to Boyd is about the same distance as Timberdale is to Imhoff. The dorms are between Lindsey and Timerberdale, slightly closer to Lindsey. The LNC is not notably further than Physical Science is from the dorms. The LNC might be closer to most of the houses in South Greek than Physical Science and almost certainly is closer to the Pi Phi house (which basically sits on the north of the Timberdale) than Physical Science.

The walk from South Greek to the Memorial Stadium is not notably further than the walk to the LNC. I managed to walk to every single home football game when I was a student.

 

[DenverSooner]

Sure, and you get high grossed for parking and are stuck with a long hike or a shuttle ride. Getting to the stadium, in and out, and then away from there is a pain in the rear. And it has been for over the 50 years I've been going.

It is just the price you have to pay for being a football fan at a football school. The rest of the sports are just like any other business. They need to make it easier for their customers. Not harder. Playing games in the old field house or building an arena mid campus is just an awful idea.

It is also 6-7 home games a year that are all day events on Saturday as opposed to a two hour even on week nights like basketball. I don't think it is a valid comparison.

 

[DenverSooner]

Like it or not the students are transient fans. They are temps. It is good when they come to the games and make some noise and some of them may be converted to long term fans.

The vast majority of attendees at OU sporting events year after year are the adults. The adults want some convenience along with their attendance. There are a lot of people that work very hard and some of them go to great monetary expense to provide a variety of cheap entertainment venues for the students. It is up to the students to take advantage of them. Even if they have go a little out of their way.

I agree but it is imperative for the long term success of the product that current students are converted to life long fans. Without that happening, the product will lose demand and ultimately fail.

 

[sperry]

As an adult, it's not more convenient or enjoyable to go to the LNC than it would be to go somewhere on campus. 90,000 people can make it to Owen Field, we can do 8,500 on campus without a sweat.

Accessibility to campus corner is a HUGE deal in my opinion. It makes it much more convenient to make an evening out of a game than to just drive out to the LNC and leave immediately following the game.


I have never been to a Thunder game without stopping before hand to get a couple drinks and/or dinner nearby, and if the game isn't on a worknight I typically go somewhere afterwards.


Same goes for football games.


It's also worth noting, that while the LNC may be about equidistant to south greek as campus is, tons of students live to the west and north of campus but still within walking distance, and those are certainly not within walking distance of the LNC. When I was in college, we typically pregamed at houses on Chataqua, College, Parsons, etc.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Regarding student interest and support; it takes very little effort to get from the main campus to the LNC if you live in a dorm or a fraternity house. What about the large number of students that live off-campus in Norman area apartments and rent houses? No matter where you live as a student, it takes very little effort to get to the LNC.

It is not Location, Location, Location. It is all about interest and passion for the sport. A building does not create this. There is obvious long-term evidence that that vast majority of OU students just do not care about any “minor sport” and the student passion for football even seems to be on the decline. Go to an OU baseball game sometime and check out the “crowd.” Go to any of the numerous OU sporting events “on campus” at the Fieldhouse and you will observe a sea of empty seats in the tiny Fieldhouse at its “great location.”

I am a long term OU Basketball season ticket holder that puts my butt in the seat, and I enjoy going to the LNC. If you truly enjoy and support OU basketball, you will be THERE, no matter where THERE is.

I like the LNC. I have traveled to most of the other Big-12 venues and I still like the LNC.

And yes, I have been to Allen Fieldhouse. What makes it a great venue is that it is full of 16,000 fans. The building itself is a dump, with the most uncomfortable cramped bleacher seating possible, and where it is almost impossible to keep from getting kneed in the back and elbowed in your side. So what? The fans make the arena a great venue. The venue does not make great fans. Does anyone doubt that Allen Fieldhouse would still be full if it were located in a cow pasture 10 miles out of town with a mud parking lot?

 

[gwydion]

Parking, distance, whatever has nothing to do with why students don't go. Most students probably live in apartments around town. They would have to drive regardless of where they live and where the game is. Of those that live on campus, some of the housing is close enough to walk, but then again they all have cars and on a cold night, especially one that involves wet weather, they are going to drive anyway. Let's be honest here, students don't go cause the majority have no interest and there is no changing lack of interest in sports.

 

[sperry]

Regarding student interest and support; it takes very little effort to get from the main campus to the LNC if you live in a dorm or a fraternity house. What about the large number of students that live off-campus in Norman area apartments and rent houses? No matter where you live as a student, it takes very little effort to get to the LNC.

It is not Location, Location, Location. It is all about interest and passion for the sport. A building does not create this. There is obvious long-term evidence that that vast majority of OU students just do not care about any “minor sport” and the student passion for football even seems to be on the decline. Go to an OU baseball game sometime and check out the “crowd.” Go to any of the numerous OU sporting events “on campus” at the Fieldhouse and you will observe a sea of empty seats in the tiny Fieldhouse at its “great location.”

I am a long term OU Basketball season ticket holder that puts my butt in the seat, and I enjoy going to the LNC. If you truly enjoy and support OU basketball, you will be THERE, no matter where THERE is.

I like the LNC. I have traveled to most of the other Big-12 venues and I still like the LNC.

And yes, I have been to Allen Fieldhouse. What makes it a great venue is that it is full of 16,000 fans. The building itself is a dump, with the most uncomfortable cramped bleacher seating possible, and where it is almost impossible to keep from getting kneed in the back and elbowed in your side. So what? The fans make the arena a great venue. The venue does not make great fans. Does anyone doubt that Allen Fieldhouse would still be full if it were located in a cow pasture 10 miles out of town with a mud parking lot?

No, it's about making the games an event. Basketball games at KU are an event. Oklahoma City Thunder games are an event. OU Football games are an event. OU basketball games are not, and part of that fact is that the LNC is not close to anything, and going to a basketball game is a get in adn get out experience. Your food options at the LNC are Taco Mayo, Pizza Hut, and hot dogs. You can't buy beer.



Right now, there is nothing about an OU basketball game that will attract people who aren't deeply invested in OU basketball as fans. For the other events I mentioned, that's not the case. People who dont' really care about OU football or OKC thunder team success will go to those games because it's fun to attend even if you don't care too much about the outcome.


It'd be great if you could fill the arena with fans who live and die OU basketball, but that's not happening. You need to make it a fun atmosphere, and something that people will just want to go to. And in the process, you're likely to convert some fans.


The world has changed from 20 years ago, and their are exponentially more things competing for people's leisure time.

 

[BoulderSooner]

Regarding student interest and support; it takes very little effort to get from the main campus to the LNC if you live in a dorm or a fraternity house. What about the large number of students that live off-campus in Norman area apartments and rent houses? No matter where you live as a student, it takes very little effort to get to the LNC.

It is not Location, Location, Location. It is all about interest and passion for the sport. A building does not create this. There is obvious long-term evidence that that vast majority of OU students just do not care about any “minor sport” and the student passion for football even seems to be on the decline. Go to an OU baseball game sometime and check out the “crowd.” Go to any of the numerous OU sporting events “on campus” at the Fieldhouse and you will observe a sea of empty seats in the tiny Fieldhouse at its “great location.”

I am a long term OU Basketball season ticket holder that puts my butt in the seat, and I enjoy going to the LNC. If you truly enjoy and support OU basketball, you will be THERE, no matter where THERE is.

I like the LNC. I have traveled to most of the other Big-12 venues and I still like the LNC.

And yes, I have been to Allen Fieldhouse. What makes it a great venue is that it is full of 16,000 fans. The building itself is a dump, with the most uncomfortable cramped bleacher seating possible, and where it is almost impossible to keep from getting kneed in the back and elbowed in your side. So what? The fans make the arena a great venue. The venue does not make great fans. Does anyone doubt that Allen Fieldhouse would still be full if it were located in a cow pasture 10 miles out of town with a mud parking lot?

as someone that is also a long time (though not nearly as long ) ticket holder that tries to be at every game ... 100% agree great post

 

[Soonerman]

Regarding student interest and support; it takes very little effort to get from the main campus to the LNC if you live in a dorm or a fraternity house. What about the large number of students that live off-campus in Norman area apartments and rent houses? No matter where you live as a student, it takes very little effort to get to the LNC.

It is not Location, Location, Location. It is all about interest and passion for the sport. A building does not create this. There is obvious long-term evidence that that vast majority of OU students just do not care about any “minor sport” and the student passion for football even seems to be on the decline. Go to an OU baseball game sometime and check out the “crowd.” Go to any of the numerous OU sporting events “on campus” at the Fieldhouse and you will observe a sea of empty seats in the tiny Fieldhouse at its “great location.”

I am a long term OU Basketball season ticket holder that puts my butt in the seat, and I enjoy going to the LNC. If you truly enjoy and support OU basketball, you will be THERE, no matter where THERE is.

I like the LNC. I have traveled to most of the other Big-12 venues and I still like the LNC.

And yes, I have been to Allen Fieldhouse. What makes it a great venue is that it is full of 16,000 fans. The building itself is a dump, with the most uncomfortable cramped bleacher seating possible, and where it is almost impossible to keep from getting kneed in the back and elbowed in your side. So what? The fans make the arena a great venue. The venue does not make great fans. Does anyone doubt that Allen Fieldhouse would still be full if it were located in a cow pasture 10 miles out of town with a mud parking lot?

You're comparing OU basketball to KU basketball? And Allen Fieldhouse to the LNC?

That'd almost be like comparing KU football to OU football, and comparing KU Memorial Stadium to Owen Field.

Probably not gonna work.

 

[Soonerman]

No, it's about making the games an event. Basketball games at KU are an event. Oklahoma City Thunder games are an event. OU Football games are an event. OU basketball games are not, and part of that fact is that the LNC is not close to anything, and going to a basketball game is a get in adn get out experience. Your food options at the LNC are Taco Mayo, Pizza Hut, and hot dogs. You can't buy beer.



Right now, there is nothing about an OU basketball game that will attract people who aren't deeply invested in OU basketball as fans. For the other events I mentioned, that's not the case. People who dont' really care about OU football or OKC thunder team success will go to those games because it's fun to attend even if you don't care too much about the outcome.


It'd be great if you could fill the arena with fans who live and die OU basketball, but that's not happening. You need to make it a fun atmosphere, and something that people will just want to go to. And in the process, you're likely to convert some fans.


The world has changed from 20 years ago, and their are exponentially more things competing for people's leisure time.

Exactly, and there aren't 16,000 dedicated OU basketball fans who are going to show up night in and night out like they do in Kansas.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Exactly, and there aren't 16,000 dedicated OU basketball fans who are going to show up night in and night out like they do in Kansas.

So what is the solution? It is not the shape of the building or the location of the building.

 

[Max Power]

So what is the solution? It is not the shape of the building or the location of the building.

changing the minds of 6-10 thousand alumni.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

changing the minds of 6-10 thousand alumni.

I hear you, but we have the same problem: How do we do that?

 

[sperry]

So what is the solution? It is not the shape of the building or the location of the building.

I posted the solution. Get the people who aren't dedicated Sooner basketball fans. It's how the thunder, OU football, etc. fill up their stadiums. Make it an event.

The first step to that is getting the games away from a cavernous, gloomy arena with no acceptable food options, no bars or restaurants close by, and that doesn't sell beer.

 

[Soonerman]

So what is the solution? It is not the shape of the building or the location of the building.

I disagree about the building.

Most people just say that "winning" solves the attendance issue, but this program is coming off back to back 20 win seasons playing attractive basketball and this current team will make it three in a row with a pretty legitimate chance at a Big XII title and a decent run in the NCAA tourney...and yet we're still talking about attendance issues.