slu72 Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Rammer and Earl said it was a good turnout considering it was Mardi Gras in StL. Hard to tell from the webcast, but it didn't sound loud. Of course, after the first 10 minutes the matter was pretty much settled. Student turnout? Excellent_____ Good____ Fair____ Miserable____. The webcast never once put the camera on the students, so it was hard to tell. C'mon, folks, let's start showing some love for these kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I'd say good. Maybe good-to-fair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_davola Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 It was OK. The norm which is sub par. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufan13 Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Student turnout was better. Not a ton of cheering but it was still pretty good. One more home game left. One more chance for our students to really step up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Pine Jim Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Turnout was slightly better than I was expecting. Fordham was really poor. They played the worst defense of anybody since Alabama St, imo. We just missed easy shots early on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonwich Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I think it was announced as 9,170. Not bad, except that we're competing for a conference championship and just tied the record for most regular-season wins. We were up against not just Mardi Gras but also the Blues. Which also gets a "WTF?" from me. I'm pretty sure we know the Blues' schedule when we set ours, and I'd think that we'd never intentionally schedule against them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I think it was announced as 9,170. Not bad, except that we're competing for a conference championship and just tied the record for most regular-season wins. We were up against not just Mardi Gras but also the Blues. Which also gets a "WTF?" from me. I'm pretty sure we know the Blues' schedule when we set ours, and I'd think that we'd never intentionally schedule against them. The conference sets the sked I thought? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I was surprised at the number of students, disappointed with their noise level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pakapablo Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 There was some kind of special offer for SLU faculty to get tickets today. I am sure that helped push the attendance. I thought the crowd was definitely a more lively than Richmond but maybe that was because there were 2000 more people in the Fetz. Guy Phillips was rousing the crowd to all stand for the tipoff which helped get a few extra people up. I am usually standing for the tip off surrounded by butts in their seats. It was a nice standing ovation from the majority of the crowd for the McCall alley oop to Kwamain for the throw down DUNK!! Pretty sweet for a 5'10" guard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlumniFan Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 9,173 to be exact - approaching 90% of capacity. I don't know how anyone can complain about that on a day when, what, 250,000 people are down in Soulard getting drunk, catching beads and exposing themselves...in more ways than one. With this game (and Xavier has not happened yet) our average attendance is above the last couple or last few years. Things are moving in the right direction. The articles in the Post helped a lot even if BM denies that the paper drives attendance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 My section, which only has a few season ticket holders was jammed with people I've never seen before. Lots of walk up tickets sold today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 I think it was announced as 9,170. Not bad, except that we're competing for a conference championship and just tied the record for most regular-season wins. We were up against not just Mardi Gras but also the Blues. Which also gets a "WTF?" from me. I'm pretty sure we know the Blues' schedule when we set ours, and I'd think that we'd never intentionally schedule against them. You know, Mr. Meanie (at least Humph's thinks you are), I can understand not scheduling against them. But the entertainment $ only goes so far these days. And hockey fans tend to be like a cult. I don't think we'd ever have much chance to pull from their crowd anyways. It's the guy or girl sitting at home who likes hoops and would take his girl or kids out for a fairly inexpensive date. I still noticed on the web cast those empty lower bowl seats. Someone should get the bright idea to have long term Bills fans find a way to purchase and fill those. That's where all the dead heads sit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basketbill Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Not on TV yesterday, bigger crows than Wednesday. I would suggest we use away games to advertise for our home games. Pay the extra $ to send a local sportscasting team to. Game rather than picking up the others feeds. After we sell out televise the home games Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kappy96 Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Simply using the "eye" test as my barometer I think attendance has been much better than last year (as it should with our success). Clearly those on this board, myself included are disappointed that we aren't seeing 10k+ every night but when you have been a non factor in the local sports scene for 11 years it takes time. Growth and a change in culture can only come from new fans as our current fan base "are what they are" to be polite. Make a run in the A-10 tourney, play on CBS in the final get in to the NCAA and win a game and the carryover to next year will lead to new season tickets and bigger casual interest. Sometimes posters are just to close to the situation and need to take a step back...things are improving, slowly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 When Bernie listed his factors, I think he hit it on the head when he basically said, "lousy TV exposure." Now granted our ratings wouldn't be that high, but if we had a local TV deal for all our away games you'd create some buzz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicCityBilliken Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 When Bernie listed his factors, I think he hit it on the head when he basically said, "lousy TV exposure." Now granted our ratings wouldn't be that high, but if we had a local TV deal for all our away games you'd create some buzz. Reading Bernie's column I thought he took verbatim what was said earlier on this board. Has Bernie been to game this year? Lazy reporting. Hey, we drew 9000+, the place only holds 10,000+. So 90% full. Okay, not bad considering it was Fordham, a bottom 1/3 RPI team. Its last in the A10 and has not been good in years.Not the kind of game that is going to entice the non SLU fan who enjoys good college hoops to show. Get in the NCAA, not be one and done and do what VCU or Richmond did last year, improve the OOC home schedule and the SRO crowds will show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basketbill Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Improving the OOC home schedule so there is a sellout before Christmas will improve the attendance. Would Florida like to come in and showcase Beal?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Not on TV yesterday, bigger crows than Wednesday. I would suggest we use away games to advertise for our home games. Pay the extra $ to send a local sportscasting team to. Game rather than picking up the others feeds. After we sell out televise the home games We have spoken about the TV contract issue in the past but not recently that the A10 has with now CBS Sports - they bought it from the original group which signed a 7 year deal. Next year is the last year I think. Anyway, CBS Sports own the exclusive contract and they are the one who decides to broadcast or sell the game and at what price. None of the stations in StL bought the package at first because they were use to getting the games for practically nothing. The TV situation will not change until the contract expires and a new one - hopefully more friendly to us is signed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Get in the NCAA, not be one and done and do what VCU or Richmond did last year, improve the OOC home schedule and the SRO crowds will show. Oh, all we have to do is make the Final Four? Just kiddin' ya, Tarheel. I know what you're saying. A nice little run in the tourney would pay big dividends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMDG Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 there is a downside to there being a big bandwagon-jumping for the Billikens for a lot of fans like me. Tix have been really inexpensive and easy to come by all season. part of me hopes that we don't start selling-out every game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billboy1 Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Then explain how X and Dayton get all of their games televised. Aren't they in the A10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUBillsFan Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Here is my take on the Billiken attendance problems (if you want to call it a problem that the average home attendance is up over 1,200 from last season and the average conference game home attendance is up over 2,000 from last year). The main problem is the way SLU distributes tickets for games. I assume most on this board are season ticket holders, so they do not realize this, but walking up to buy a ticket or even buying a ticket ahead of time online and picking up at will call sucks because SLU seems to not understand that they will have problems distributing thousands or tickets to people in about a 20 minute time period right before the game. I believe SLU's model or plan has to be that they basically sell out with season tickets. Not a bad plan because they probably had more season ticket holders than would fit in Chaifetz at some point before the move. However, will increased ticket prices and having to change seats due to a being in a new place a lot of those season ticket holders left. The lowest home attendance this year has been Vermont with 5,677, so for arguments sake lets say there are 5,700 season ticket holders that means only 50% of the capacity is season ticket holders who already have tickets for each game and there are another 5,700 available for purchase. Now I would say that a majority of people nowadays purchase tickets online rather than calling or buying at the ticket window in person. However SLU's online ticket buying setup is a joke. First, it is ridiculous to get to in my opinion. Typing "SLU Billkens tickets" on google give you a link to stubhub where there are almost no SLU tickets for sale and SLUbillikens.com. Clicking on the slubillikens.com link takes you to the main website and tickets is in the top banner. You then have to mouse over tickets to get a dropdown menu and click tickets to get to "ticket central". Then you have to click "single game tickets" and you are given 3 "easy" options: online, call, or go to the box office. The first option says "click here to buy online" but it is just in plain text and not obvious where to click unless you read it and mouse over it so that it turns blue. Clicking this link takes you to the Chaifetz arena website where it is fairly straight forward how to get tickets (but you also have all of the other events at Chaifetz along with Bills games listed as well which clutters things up a bit). However, one you buy tickets online you cannot just print them which would be easiest (and SLU scans barcodes on entry, so I don't know why they can't do this). You have the option to get the tickets in the mail or pick up at will call. Now, I would say most people are going to purchase tickets a few days ahead of time and thus mail is not an option. This leaves us with will call. SLU's will call operation is an absolute joke. They have a folding table with 2 people at it set up in the same area as the ticket office. This means that thousands of people are trying to cram in is area to either 1. buy tickets or the game, 2. just enter the game, or 3. pick up tickets at will call. Just looking from the outside and seeing the ridiculous lines is probably enough to scare away hundreds or would be walk up ticket buyers. SLU does not have many options for improving the will call or ticket office. The other entrances are not set up to allow people into the building and not allow them past another door. Thus the folding table will call and ticket office area on the other side is pretty much what they are stuck with. They can reduce the line by allowing people to print tickets they purchase online and probably increase online ticket sales by making it easier to navigate to actually buy the tickets. Just for fun pretend to be trying to buy SLU tickets online and then pretend to be buying Blues, Fox, Symphony, or some other event tickets. Compare how easy and intuitive buying events tickets for things other than SLU is and then look at how ridiculous buying SLU tickets can be. Obviously anyone that really wants to go will still navigate to get the tickets, but for causal fans or people who aren't very internet friendly they might just give up. This problem solves itself if a bunch more people get season tickets next year, but I hope SLU does something to solve their distribution problems anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 there is a downside to there being a big bandwagon-jumping for the Billikens for a lot of fans like me. Tix have been really inexpensive and easy to come by all season. part of me hopes that we don't start selling-out every game. Next year you'll just have to get season tickets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Then explain how X and Dayton get all of their games televised. Aren't they in the A10. Simple, the broadcasting people in Dayton and X bought the package. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffinMH Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Then explain how X and Dayton get all of their games televised. Aren't they in the A10. Billikens have the problem of competing with Mizzou and the Blues. ALSO, I don't believe Saint Louis is much of a Basketball town. Not to mention, SLU isn't a BCS school and will never be. If they were they would have most of their games on TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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