Attendance

[JamminJamalJohnson]

Bought my Temple tickets and was looking on the website to see what tickets were available to guage what attendance may be like. No surprise but all the lower bowl were unavailable except corners and under the basket. So I got to thinking...I usually walk into the arena and look up to see what the attendance will be like and end up getting frustrated when I see the prime seats just as empty as the 200 levels. Will we really know that attendance is going to be consistently great when the lower level is full or when people are crammed up in the rafters?

[slu72 fan]

Bought my Temple tickets and was looking on the website to see what tickets were available to guage what attendance may be like. No surprise but all the lower bowl were unavailable except corners and under the basket. So I got to thinking...I usually walk into the arena and look up to see what the attendance will be like and end up getting frustrated when I see the prime seats just as empty as the 200 levels. Will we really know that attendance is going to be consistently great when the lower level is full or when people are crammed up in the rafters?

My guess is that the lower bowl will rarely be filled, too many seats owned by corporations that don't distribute them.

To me, the real question, is why has our attendance dropped from the 9,000+ crowds we typically had 4 or 5 years ago, to todays 8,000 with many more students?

[SluSignGuy]

My guess is that the lower bowl will rarely be filled, too many seats owned by corporations that don't distribute them.

To me, the real question, is why has our attendance dropped from the 9,000+ crowds we typically had 4 or 5 years ago, to todays 8,000 with many more students?

My hunch is that moving to the Fetz (with required donations) made many reconsider their tickets. Especially when people had to get their own Billiken Club memberships, and could not ride someone else's.

[Quality Is Job 1]

To me, the real question, is why has our attendance dropped from the 9,000+ crowds we typically had 4 or 5 years ago, to today's 8,000 with many more students?

There are probably any number of reasons.

• Financial considerations play a role. Perhaps many people no longer have the means to attend as much entertainment as before.
• The move from Kielvistrade to Chaifetz and the change in policy may have turned some people off.
• Some people may be disgruntled about how Brad Soderberg was fired.
• The change in conference from the old Conference USA to the Atlantic 10 has alienated some fans, many of whom would have preferred a move to the Missouri Valley (I believe Sunday's sports section had a letter to the editor from someone complaining about the A-10 and not being able to go to road games).
• The Billikens haven't won big (read: made the NCAA Tournament) in a decade, and the further away from the most recent Tournament appearance we get, the greater the degradation.

[JamminJamalJohnson]

I guess what I was really curious about is what will happen first...individuals/families decide to spend their money (considering the current environment) on Bills tickets and the place fills up consistently (9,000+) or corporations realize they are sitting on season tickets and start using them and/or giving them out to be used...

[Quality Is Job 1]

I guess what I was really curious about is what will happen first...individuals/families decide to spend their money (considering the current environment) on Bills tickets and the place fills up consistently (9,000+) or corporations realize they are sitting on season tickets and start using them and/or giving them out to be used...

Is there any chance some of them ARE distributing some of the tickets and the recipients don't use them?

[JamminJamalJohnson]

Is there any chance some of them ARE distributing some of the tickets and the recipients don't use them?

Absolutely

[RUBillsFan]

I wish some people would "trade up" into those empty lower bowl seats. I haven't paid much attention, but if the same lower bowl seats are empty game after game, then a season ticket holder in the upper bowl should just go down and sit in the lower bowl. It would make the arena look fuller on TV and maybe help get the lower bowl a little more rowdy during games.

[BACKHANDtheRICAN]

My guess is that the lower bowl will rarely be filled, too many seats owned by corporations that don't distribute them.

To me, the real question, is why has our attendance dropped from the 9,000+ crowds we typically had 4 or 5 years ago, to todays 8,000 with many more students?

Slu72-

I dont think you can necessarily compare the attendance figures from Scottrade to Chafietz. Theres so many factors that can go into the "attendance" of a game, it is not always just turnstile figures ...also theres a financial component to it as well (comped tickets....just handing out free tix to ppl). Theres a real chance that Chafeitz being operated by Comcast runs their tickets a lot different than the Billikens did at Scottrade

If scottrade those last few years brought in more fans than this year, or least during our conference schedule this year...Im a little hesitant to just blindly agree with that statement for a few reasons:

1) Theres no rule as to how teams & sports report their attendance- many use the tickets distributed instead of the turnstile number.

2) Comcast runs the operations not the same people (or university) that ran the billikens at Scottrade

For a prime example of manipulating figures, check out the 2002 expos vs. 2002 marlins last day attendance figures. Both were vying for last place in attendance yet both pulled in close to "30,000" fans on pointless games (obviously by comping and distributing more tix in order to one up the other organization).

[bonwich]

So, when we checked "upgrade" on our A-10/NIT ticket apps, did that mean we have the potential to be "upgraded" to Loyal Blue seats if the owners of those seats didn't request postseason tickets?

My other question on that is if they really intend to call 200 or 500 or 1000 people to upgrade them, or if they'll merely choose the upgrades themselves by filling out the even-with-the-court lower bowl with season ticket holders.

[Billikan]

So, when we checked "upgrade" on our A-10/NIT ticket apps, did that mean we have the potential to be "upgraded" to Loyal Blue seats if the owners of those seats didn't request postseason tickets?

My other question on that is if they really intend to call 200 or 500 or 1000 people to upgrade them, or if they'll merely choose the upgrades themselves by filling out the even-with-the-court lower bowl with season ticket holders.

There are still a number of lower bowl loyal blue seats that have not been sold. Anyone who want to put up the bucks can surely get some tickets pretty close to the floor.

[STLfan]

To me, the real question, is why has our attendance dropped from the 9,000+ crowds we typically had 4 or 5 years ago, to todays 8,000 with many more students?

Two thoughts.

1. The economy was much better 4 or 5 years ago.

2. During big games at the larger capacity Scottrade Center we had crowds of 12-22 thousand that helped bump up our average. For example against Gonzaga in 05 we had 15,707 and against North Carolina in 06 we had 22,539. At Chaifetz those games are sellouts and obviously stop at 10,600.

[slu72]

Two thoughts.

1. The economy was much better 4 or 5 years ago.

2. During big games at the larger capacity Scottrade Center we had crowds of 12-22 thousand that helped bump up our average. For example against Gonzaga in 05 we had 15,707 and against North Carolina in 06 we had 22,539. At Chaifetz those games are sellouts and obviously stop at 10,600.

It still comes down to W's. But watching on TV and the web, I'm constantly amazed at the empties in the lower sections. If as Billikan says some have remained unsold, I'm surprised walk up fans don't purchase them for individual games. Hell, they can't be that expensive can they? As for Corporate seats, they'll get used more often if the buzz continues. And the corner seats do seem to have decent sightlines, yet they're empty all the time.

[Guest BillikenReport]

I've had this conversation with my dentist, who used to go to just about every game at the old building but has stopped being a season ticket holder since the move to Chaifetz.

His primary complaint was that it was easy to be able to go to the game at Kiel/Savvis/Scottrade because he could get there after work, park right next to the building and walk right in. Now, he said, it's harder to get over to Chaifetz after work, park and get in the place in time for games.

I can understand what he's talking about after showing up for a game 15 minutes before tipoff recently, fighting through traffic and then walking a few blocks.

But I do think those kind of fans will come back when they see how well the team is doing and how enjoyable games at Chaifetz are. Everyone I've ever talked to has enjoyed watching games at Chaifetz. The building is great. You can sit almost anywhere and feel like you are close to the action. The atmosphere is strong. The team is getting better and is going to be really good over the next two seasons.

[bonwich]

There are still a number of lower bowl loyal blue seats that have not been sold. Anyone who want to put up the bucks can surely get some tickets pretty close to the floor.

That's not what I'm asking. What about the A-10 and NIT games, if we get them? Are they going to slide everyone inward so the center court actually looks filled? I have serious doubts that suits who weren't coming to our games so far this year are going to be clamoring for games against middle-pack A-10 teams, let alone the pay-to-play NIT.

[Postcard]

Do corporations buy that many seats to college games? I thought that was more of a pro sports thing.

[sarge]

Do corporations buy that many seats to college games? I thought that was more of a pro sports thing.

To ans that question,it is YES. If you look I would bet you would find companies like Pasta House and Sportsprint on the list of season ticket holders. I see there CEO's or owners at a lot of games. I would bet even the dentist mentioned used his company to buy the season ticket.(nothing wrong with doing that)

[Box and Won]

Do corporations buy that many seats to college games? I thought that was more of a pro sports thing.

You'd be surprised. My wife's firm owns a lot of seats at Chaifetz.

[b.hayes]

It's not like there are tons of options for other quality sports entertainment. You're wasting your money to see the Rams, the Blues are what....12th in the conference? There is no NBA team....it's pretty much the Cardinals and that's it.

[Postcard]

To ans that question,it is YES. If you look I would bet you would find companies like Pasta House and Sportsprint on the list of season ticket holders. I see there CEO's or owners at a lot of games. I would bet even the dentist mentioned used his company to buy the season ticket.(nothing wrong with doing that)

I could see if the corporation had ties to SLU(or whatever college) but with 3 major league sports teams to choose from, I would think most corporations with no SLU ties would spend their money elsewhere. I could be completely wrong. What do I know?

[Box and Won]

I could see if the corporation had ties to SLU(or whatever college) but with 3 major league sports teams to choose from, I would think most corporations with no SLU ties would spend their money elsewhere. I could be completely wrong. What do I know?

True, but also consider that there are a lot of companies in STL that count SLU as a client, from construction companies to law firms. Those are the companies that are willing to buy a couple of season tickets to help continue their relationship with SLU.

[Postcard]

True, but also consider that there are a lot of companies in STL that count SLU as a client, from construction companies to law firms. Those are the companies that are willing to buy a couple of season tickets to help continue their relationship with SLU.

That's probably true.

[GOSLU68]

I've had this conversation with my dentist, who used to go to just about every game at the old building but has stopped being a season ticket holder since the move to Chaifetz.

His primary complaint was that it was easy to be able to go to the game at Kiel/Savvis/Scottrade because he could get there after work, park right next to the building and walk right in. Now, he said, it's harder to get over to Chaifetz after work, park and get in the place in time for games.

I can understand what he's talking about after showing up for a game 15 minutes before tipoff recently, fighting through traffic and then walking a few blocks.

But I do think those kind of fans will come back when they see how well the team is doing and how enjoyable games at Chaifetz are. Everyone I've ever talked to has enjoyed watching games at Chaifetz. The building is great. You can sit almost anywhere and feel like you are close to the action. The atmosphere is strong. The team is getting better and is going to be really good over the next two seasons.

You can buy season parking about 200 yards from the entrance or Park at Harris Stowe. All it takes is money; but not as much as Blues parking or anything else to do with hockey-those fans really get ripped off. Talk about poor return on investment. Your friend probably has other interests or did

not like the mandatory annual giving that goes along with the $25 ticket. Total cost doubled for lower bowl when we moved to the Chaifetz- and you know as well as I do that RM is making it worth it. Man I had trouble being true blue with the kids who couldn't shoot straight that we suffered for years.

[slu72]

You'd be surprised. My wife's firm owns a lot of seats at Chaifetz.

Do they use them?

[Billiken Bob]

Do they use them?

The factual answer to the question regarding the attendance numbers, and this is coming from the AD himself, that the school is trying to report an accurate number of people in attendance. I can testify that all the way back to the Grawer era and up to the current era that the attendance numbers were terribly inflated. The way it would work is the SID would come by with the actual count and then a few people, depending on the era, would chat and determine what number to report. It was always inflated "significantly", meaning in the several hundreds.