What's with the attendance?

[Westy03]

i would hate to think that a slu student didnt come to a slu game so they could stay in and watch a mi$$ouri football game.

But they are the "6th man" according to Guy Phillips.

[slu72 fan]

I forgot about the MU-KU game as a factor. Between that, Thanksgiving break, and widespread student apathy, it was the perfect storm for SLU students not to show up. Trust me, I don't want to hand out any mulligans, and would love to see a fire lit under the collective ass of the SLU student body. But if they're not around, it doesn't surprise me to see a small handful there. (If it was really THAT few at Pacific, though, that's pathetic).

Actually, it was the same half dozen that were at the girl's game earlier in the day.

[jimbofive]

i would hate to think that a slu student didnt come to a slu game so they could stay in and watch a mi$$ouri football game.

i'm glad missouri's having such an excellent football season, because that will only heighten the exodus of 18 y/o retards from STL, even if the reprieve is only four years.

[slu72 fan]

i'm glad missouri's having such an excellent football season, because that will only heighten the exodus of 18 y/o retards from STL, even if the reprieve is only four years.

I understand the disdain for MU basketball, but is this type of comment really serve any purpose?

I've hated Missouri basketball, dating back to the time Stormin' Norman broke the chair at the old Arena when his team stole a game from the David Burns team, with his hand picked refs. He got booed off the floor, when the majority of the people in attendance were MU fans. So, I can appreciate the years of hard feelings towards MU bball. But, it is our state university and does serve some purpose beyond the basketball court. By the way, if you haven't visited the campus in the last few years, they've made some serious changes to it.

[jimbofive]

I understand the disdain for MU basketball, but is this type of comment really serve any purpose?

I've hated Missouri basketball, dating back to the time Stormin' Norman broke the chair at the old Arena when his team stole a game from the David Burns team, with his hand picked refs. He got booed off the floor, when the majority of the people in attendance were MU fans. So, I can appreciate the years of hard feelings towards MU bball. But, it is our state university and does serve some purpose beyond the basketball court. By the way, if you haven't visited the campus in the last few years, they've made some serious changes to it.

I haven't visited since my junior year of high school, so, no, I can't say much in the way of positive or negative changes to the campus. I'm just saying that I would hope that this would convince the daydream johnnie high school football legend types to even further consider Mizzou. I'd bet that not only were there many more SLU kids watching the MU/KU game at home than were at the game, that there were also several times as many kids at the actual game in Kansas City. I would rather watch the Bills play Tallahassee Southern Baptist Tech University than Mizzou play anyone in any sport. I do commend Mizzou's achievement, but I just wish people cared more about the team in downtown STL. Granted, we're not filling peoples' brackets come March, but we're not chopped liver either, and anyone w/out a rectally displaced cranium should realize that a renaissance of sorts is in the making...

[billiken_roy]

I would rather watch the Bills play Tallahassee Southern Baptist Tech University than Mizzou play anyone in any sport. I do commend Mizzou's achievement, but I just wish people cared more about the team in downtown STL. Granted, we're not filling peoples' brackets come March, but we're not chopped liver either, and anyone w/out a rectally displaced cranium should realize that a renaissance of sorts is in the making...

i've always liked jimbo.

[Bay Area Billiken]

From afar, I am surprised at the relatively low SLU attendance at the first 3 home games, especially given the presence of a future Hall of Fame Coach, albeit not one from St. Louis. Saturday night's game against UOP was in direct conflict with the Border War Game on ABC between Mizzou and Kansas, and with it being Thanksgiving Saturday, those factors explain Saturday night's game being the lowest attended of the three. On the other hand, those in STL might not realize it, but UOP will probably prove to be the best team of the three (Detroit and Furman being the others) that SLU has played so far at home this year, especially if Marcus Cotton is out at Detroit.

I expect the attendance to be higher for the SIU game. And a crowd of 6,000 would have been cause for minor celebraton during my days at SLU.

Also, the next home opponent, Long Beach State (1-3), liked to get up and down the floor last year, although that was under a different coaching regime. "The Beach" lost a lot of players from last year's NCAA team that got blown out by Tennessee in the first round, and has a new coach, former Gonzaga and Minnesota Coach Dan Monson.

We will try to do our part. My family and I are planning to be there in person on Dec. 29 for the IUPUI game. By chance, if anyone on this board with good tickets cannot make that game, please send me a private message. I'm looking forward to seeing SLU in person. Hopefully, the early season growing pains will be cured and the team will be ready by then for the upcoming conference play.

[billiken_roy]

From afar, I am surprised at the relatively low SLU attendance at the first 3 home games, especially given the presence of a future Hall of Fame Coach, albeit not one from St. Louis. Saturday night's game against UOP was in direct conflict with the Border War Game on ABC between Mizzou and Kansas, and with it being Thanksgiving Saturday, those factors explain Saturday night's game being the lowest attended of the three. On the other hand, those in STL might not realize it, but UOP will probably prove to be the best team of the three (Detroit and Furman being the others) that SLU has played so far at home this year, especially if Marcus Cotton is out at Detroit.

I expect the attendance to be higher for the SIU game. And a crowd of 6,000 would have been cause for minor celebraton during my days at SLU.

Also, the next home opponent, Long Beach State (1-3), liked to get up and down the floor last year, although that was under a different coaching regime. "The Beach" lost a lot of players from last year's NCAA team that got blown out by Tennessee in the first round, and has a new coach, former Gonzaga and Minnesota Coach Dan Monson.

We will try to do our part. My family and I are planning to be there in person on Dec. 29 for the IUPUI game. By chance, if anyone on this board with good tickets cannot make that game, please send me a private message. I'm looking forward to seeing SLU in person. Hopefully, the early season growing pains will be cured and the team will be ready by then for the upcoming conference play.

i think there has to be more done than just roll out a big name coach. we have no game marketing efforts, no billiken apparrel in the stores, no allies in the media (i'm talking team allies not majerus allies. i think there is a difference).

i've pretty much resigned to slu is taking the "well when majerus gets to the final four then they'll all come out" approach. until we spend a little money on the rest of the athletic picture, slu will continue to be the little engine that could and the casual fans will continue to take a wait and see approach to the teams.

[willie]

I haven't visited since my junior year of high school, so, no, I can't say much in the way of positive or negative changes to the campus. I'm just saying that I would hope that this would convince the daydream johnnie high school football legend types to even further consider Mizzou. I'd bet that not only were there many more SLU kids watching the MU/KU game at home than were at the game, that there were also several times as many kids at the actual game in Kansas City. I would rather watch the Bills play Tallahassee Southern Baptist Tech University than Mizzou play anyone in any sport. I do commend Mizzou's achievement, but I just wish people cared more about the team in downtown STL. Granted, we're not filling peoples' brackets come March, but we're not chopped liver either, and anyone w/out a rectally displaced cranium should realize that a renaissance of sorts is in the making...

I agree. We could be 1-20 and I would rather watch "MY" team play than watch Missouri play for the national championship. It's Ricks job to make "My" team St. Louis's team.

[bonwich]

I agree. We could be 1-20 and I would rather watch "MY" team play than watch Missouri play for the national championship. It's Ricks job to make "My" team St. Louis's team.

With respect, no. It's Rick's job to put the best possible product on the court. It's Larry's, or Cheryl's successor's, or the head of SLU marketing's or SLU sports marketing's, job to make that product attractive to both diehards like us and, more important, fickle fans.

Thus far this year, there's still no indication that anyone in the hierarchy understands the need to make the game experience fun (as, for example, the Blues are doing a fabuluous job of this year). You know why Rammer thought the score was 33-24 at one point during the Pacific game. Because that's what our own scoreboard said!!! At another point, when we lost the ball, Pacific clearly had possession, and then we got it back, Tommie had to force a shot because our own scorer's table had failed to reset the shot clock. (I think they did it again after the technical, but corrected themselves.)

We also managed to pick a student-promotional announcer with perhaps the most annoying voice since Gilbert Gottfried (although, in fairness, she's much cuter than Gilbert). Our dance squad still doesn't know our team colors (and somehow manages to dance 50 percent of the time in the opposing teams colors). Our cheerleading guys look like their uniforms were designed by Mr. Burns when he was in college (23 skidoo!).

In short, the U still doesn't get the fact that little things matter a whole lot, especially when you're trying to build a following, and especially especially when the team is OK but not beating Pitt or Missouri State. It's still the old "just win and they'll come," or, in the immortal words of Dick McDonald, "If we just get a few more wins under our belt, I think you'll start to see our record improve."

[slu72]

Yes, UOP is a West Coast mid-major. But UOP before last year had a run of NCAA Tournament appearances and has a veteran coach.

It was a good win for SLU, an expected and needed one, but a good win all the same.

Simple, thanksgiving weekend and people visiting friends and family or shopping. Plus Mizzery playing KU for a shot at the BCS title game. Yeah, even though SLU's the only hoops in town, a big game like that is going to keep fans at home. I remember when I was at SLU, a lot of SLU kids every weekend donned black and gold to go to Mizzery football games.

[billiken_roy]

With respect, no. It's Rick's job to put the best possible product on the court. It's Larry's, or Cheryl's successor's, or the head of SLU marketing's or SLU sports marketing's, job to make that product attractive to both diehards like us and, more important, fickle fans.

Thus far this year, there's still no indication that anyone in the hierarchy understands the need to make the game experience fun (as, for example, the Blues are doing a fabuluous job of this year). You know why Rammer thought the score was 33-24 at one point during the Pacific game. Because that's what our own scoreboard said!!! At another point, when we lost the ball, Pacific clearly had possession, and then we got it back, Tommie had to force a shot because our own scorer's table had failed to reset the shot clock. (I think they did it again after the technical, but corrected themselves.)

We also managed to pick a student-promotional announcer with perhaps the most annoying voice since Gilbert Gottfried (although, in fairness, she's much cuter than Gilbert). Our dance squad still doesn't know our team colors (and somehow manages to dance 50 percent of the time in the opposing teams colors). Our cheerleading guys look like their uniforms were designed by Mr. Burns when he was in college (23 skidoo!).

In short, the U still doesn't get the fact that little things matter a whole lot, especially when you're trying to build a following, and especially especially when the team is OK but not beating Pitt or Missouri State. It's still the old "just win and they'll come," or, in the immortal words of Dick McDonald, "If we just get a few more wins under our belt, I think you'll start to see our record improve."

to add to the examples, do you think any other bigtime basketball programs are funding themselves with a 50/50 drawing? hell let's have a bake sale too.

i wasnt at the game saturday, but please tell me that our totally oblivious game announcer didnt spotlight our "6th man" the blue crew during the lineups when we had only 5 or 6 students sitting there.

how many times this year has the stats board on the jumbotron been unreadable? and when it is, 90% of the time the correct players in the game are not on the board.

when is the last time we were handed something nice upon going through the turnstiles? there is a reason the cardinals do giveaways even though they average a million fans each game.

it really seems as though we are going through the motions more than ever this year imo.

[jimbofive]

At another point, when we lost the ball, Pacific clearly had possession, and then we got it back, Tommie had to force a shot because our own scorer's table had failed to reset the shot clock. (I think they did it again after the technical, but corrected themselves.)

I was upset as could be about that, too. Heads up by Tommie to get that shot off, but good grief, they had better get their ducks in a row before next year. If they continue this round robin pattycake contest crap in the new arena, we're going to look stupider than ever. I know that the ScottTrade people really just don't care about Billikens basketball, but I almost feel like a parent who goes to watch every one of his kid's tee ball games out of devotion, even though the kid strikes out every time and is wearing purple overalls and an old trucker hat that says Redneck Ready Mix®. I mean the basketball is what it is, and I enjoy that aspect of the games thoroughly. But as far as the presentation goes, I find myself laughing at all the wrong times and staring blankly at all the right ones and I know I'm not alone.

On the plus side, I really like the new student announcer - I think she's top shelf, with tremendous assets and a huge upside. But other than that, nothing's changed and things are probably even worse than last year. Hopefully we'll get it right in our own place.

[NashvilleBilliken]

to add to the examples, do you think any other bigtime basketball programs are funding themselves with a 50/50 drawing? hell let's have a bake sale too.

i wasnt at the game saturday, but please tell me that our totally oblivious game announcer didnt spotlight our "6th man" the blue crew during the lineups when we had only 5 or 6 students sitting there.

how many times this year has the stats board on the jumbotron been unreadable? and when it is, 90% of the time the correct players in the game are not on the board.

when is the last time we were handed something nice upon going through the turnstiles? there is a reason the cardinals do giveaways even though they average a million fans each game.

it really seems as though we are going through the motions more than ever this year imo.

In my opinion, this will all become part of the Majerus effect. I thought I had read somewhere some sort of plan RM had to change the culture at SLU. I do NOT think this pertains solely to the players on the team. At this point, he completely has his hands full with the team and trying to recruit. I think after this year and maybe next, he will start working on the students and the athletic department. I also think the new athletic director....if we ever decide to hire one....will help this temendously.

Should Rick have to deal with all this? No. But the fact is, he knows how ###### is done. And I don't think anybody else in the department does. I believe he was brought in to do more than just coach the team and we will see that over the next few years. I'm not giving SLU a pass in any way, but I do think Rick will be making some big time changes over the years.

[willie]

With respect, no. It's Rick's job to put the best possible product on the court. It's Larry's, or Cheryl's successor's, or the head of SLU marketing's or SLU sports marketing's, job to make that product attractive to both diehards like us and, more important, fickle fans.

Thus far this year, there's still no indication that anyone in the hierarchy understands the need to make the game experience fun (as, for example, the Blues are doing a fabuluous job of this year). You know why Rammer thought the score was 33-24 at one point during the Pacific game. Because that's what our own scoreboard said!!! At another point, when we lost the ball, Pacific clearly had possession, and then we got it back, Tommie had to force a shot because our own scorer's table had failed to reset the shot clock. (I think they did it again after the technical, but corrected themselves.)

We also managed to pick a student-promotional announcer with perhaps the most annoying voice since Gilbert Gottfried (although, in fairness, she's much cuter than Gilbert). Our dance squad still doesn't know our team colors (and somehow manages to dance 50 percent of the time in the opposing teams colors). Our cheerleading guys look like their uniforms were designed by Mr. Burns when he was in college (23 skidoo!).

In short, the U still doesn't get the fact that little things matter a whole lot, especially when you're trying to build a following, and especially especially when the team is OK but not beating Pitt or Missouri State. It's still the old "just win and they'll come," or, in the immortal words of Dick McDonald, "If we just get a few more wins under our belt, I think you'll start to see our record improve."

I agree with everything you say but still believe it's Ricks job to make the Bills St. Louis's team. When Charlie was here we were the toast of the town. Rick needs to energize the city the same way that Charlie did. Is our marketing and presentation bad??? Yes,but a coach and team can overcome those problems. Ricks being paid a million $ to be the whole package..

[billiken_roy]

In my opinion, this will all become part of the Majerus effect. I thought I had read somewhere some sort of plan RM had to change the culture at SLU. I do NOT think this pertains solely to the players on the team. At this point, he completely has his hands full with the team and trying to recruit. I think after this year and maybe next, he will start working on the students and the athletic department. I also think the new athletic director....if we ever decide to hire one....will help this temendously.

Should Rick have to deal with all this? No. But the fact is, he knows how ###### is done. And I don't think anybody else in the department does. I believe he was brought in to do more than just coach the team and we will see that over the next few years. I'm not giving SLU a pass in any way, but I do think Rick will be making some big time changes over the years.

i hope you are suggesting that we run a crappy ancillary production at the games because we are waiting for majerus to show us how? even if rick had some thoughts, my gosh i would hope he could just present them in passing to the parties concerned and put it into effect. (i.e. "hey Larry, we ought to have a bake sale") and to be honest, i dont doubt that the folks in charge of putting on our game days arent capable. i just think that they dont have the funds, staff and materials to make it happen in most cases.

as to the problems at the arena, i can imagine they just arent too interested in helping a client that is about 5 months from being an ex-client. so we probably gotta just deal with that.

[willie]

I agree with everything you say but still believe it's Ricks job to make the Bills St. Louis's team. When Charlie was here we were the toast of the town. Rick needs to energize the city the same way that Charlie did. Is our marketing and presentation bad??? Yes,but a coach and team can overcome those problems. Ricks being paid a million $ to be the whole package..

This reply was meant for Bonwich.

[NashvilleBilliken]

i hope you are suggesting that we run a crappy ancillary production at the games because we are waiting for majerus to show us how?

That's exactly what I'm suggesting. I have a very hard time believing that if the athletic director went to Biondi and said "we need to do this, that and the other thing"....then show how this can increase our attendence (read:$$)...that Father would say no. He wants to make money...that isn't a secret. I think either 1)Nobody in the AD cares 2)There isn't a position in the AD that is responsible for marketing, promotions, game day events 3) whoever does have this job sucks at it.

I think when Rick has less on his plate, things will change. As far as saying something in passing, I doubt he even has time to think about it. It sounds like he's pulling 18hr days just trying to get a few wins. I doubt he has even noticed the in game promotions yet.

[bonwich]

I agree with everything you say but still believe it's Ricks job to make the Bills St. Louis's team. When Charlie was here we were the toast of the town. Rick needs to energize the city the same way that Charlie did. Is our marketing and presentation bad??? Yes,but a coach and team can overcome those problems. Ricks being paid a million $ to be the whole package..

Well, maybe. But everything I've read about him seems to indicate that he isn't 10 percent of the shmoozer Spoon was. Hell, he doesn't even do the post-game shows on radio! Plus, I like the fact that he's a 20-hour-a-day coach -- and that's where I think we'll get the best ROI.

i wasnt at the game saturday, but please tell me that our totally oblivious game announcer didnt spotlight our "6th man" the blue crew during the lineups when we had only 5 or 6 students sitting there.

Sho' nuff. There were also numerous incedences of him talking over the band, or the band playing over him, depending upon your perspective.

That said, they did give someone else a chance at the prior home game, and it wasn't pretty.

[slu_tbone]

With all due respect, there are many people from the Kansas area at slu as well, now if you are going to scapegoat Mizzou for drawing people away you have to lump Kansas in there as well. I respect the loyalty of the people on this board however blind and naive it may be. I was at the slu game on Saturday as always, and actually took alot of guff from my SLU friends for going as apposed to watching one of the most ancipated college football games this year with them. So don't kid yourselves there were six people in the student section for a reason: There is zero winning tradtion at this school, there is zero in the way of marketing/give-a-ways, and the average student just doesn't care. Let's get the arena finished, get some big post-season wins under our belt, and move forward. Complaining does nothing about the situation but appease your personal sensitivities. This is a culture problem, and we as fans, band members, blue crew, coaches, players, and administration all have to do our part to change that.

[Bay Area Billiken]

I think the best promotion is winning. It is amazing how winning suppresses a lot of other problems.

Beat SIU and some casual obersvers will take notice. I hope SLU can somehow get some of those causual observers to that game, as long as they are rooting for the Blue and White.

[billiken_roy]

I agree with everything you say but still believe it's Ricks job to make the Bills St. Louis's team. When Charlie was here we were the toast of the town. Rick needs to energize the city the same way that Charlie did. Is our marketing and presentation bad??? Yes,but a coach and team can overcome those problems. Ricks being paid a million $ to be the whole package..

we all know that a lot of the "spoon show" was just that, a show. away from the microphone, he was very standoffish and sometimes even rude. yet, as bonwich already stated, at least spoon got on the radio after games. he always played the "i ove this game" to the max when on stage. at least spoon spoke at area events without having to tell us how busy he was.

i have yet to hear coach majerus away from the game and not start out telling us how busy he is. and i am sure he is. and i am glad for it. but even then, do fans want to hear that? i will say when majerus finally does get going he is pure entertainment. rambling, but entertaining. and the more the casual fans get to hear and see that side the better. spoon did it. we need majerus to do it all the time as well.

[ACE]

I have not had a chance to get to a game yet, so maybe I'm part of the problem, if there even is a problem. I have tix for SIU, Dayton, Xavier and UMass. I hope to make a few more if my schedule allows. But just look around college bball at some of the attendance figures for these early season nonconference games. Mizzou got around 5,000 for their first two home games. I saw where Texas A&M got around 6,000 for a home game. Oregon is #11 in the country got 7,000 on Saturday. Clemson #22 in the country got 6,300 at home.

Now if we have bad crowds for SIU and Xavier, I would be concerned. If we are playing well in February and getting bad crowds, I would be worried, but not yet. Our attendance figures so far seem in-line with a lot of places around the country.

Sodie-ball slowly eroded the fan base. Rick will give us a winner and the fans will come back. I'm more concerned about things like which two jucos will Majerus land in the spring, then I am about game presentation, promotions and all of that. I'll let others on the board dissect that stuff.

[Bay Area Billiken]

I was perusing Digger Phelps' book the other day in which he was talking about Al McGuire and his staff at Marquette, Hank Raymonds (from SLU) and Rick Majerus. It sounded like McGuire was the PR guy who got the credit, and that Hank Raymonds and the young Rick Majerus had a lot to do with the X's and O's. That's not intended as a knock here, as Al McGuire is one of my favorites. There was mention that Al McGuire would often leave practices early and let the assistants handle them. Raymonds would suggest in game adjustments, that Coach Al would implement. Coach Al was a revered PR man and an excellent recruiter. He put on a show in those days. Remember those Marquette uniforms that always pushed the envelope?

If Majerus is still the X's and O's type, then maybe he should have one of his assistants handle the PR stuff. Maybe that is what he has the new guy, Paul Biancardi, doing. Biancardi sounds fine on the post-game shows.

Majerus can't do everything. He seems to be a coach, first and foremost.

[jzstldc]

I am a SLU alum living back East and whenever I am in town I always attend SLU games and always travel to see SLU games whenever possible and I was in town this past weekend for the holidays. The crowd on Saturday was the most pathetic I have possibly ever seen. I was in section 119 and there was almost nobody in my section with the exception of a couple there with their newborn twins and they hardly ever clapped or anything. It was just dead in there and it was close to an embarrassment in my opinion.

If I were in Majerus' shoes I would be wondering if my team had any support besides the few die hard fans who populate this website. I thought just bringing in a top name coach would at least make the lower bowl in Scottrade fairly crowded but that hasn't happened. It is possible once football season and the A-10 conference games come about that this will start to happen and will be the norm.

The future of SLU basketball with Majerus and the new recruting class (plus of course other good recruiting classes in the near future) is extremely exciting and bright and I bet once we move into the new arena SLU tickets will be a hot commodity and a very hard ticket to get. I just hope more people come out and support the Bills when they are in a transition phase than when they will start to be a top team in the next couple of years.