Over the last five seasons, an "atmosphere" was sorely lacking at the WBA. Despite winning seasons in four of the last five years, three consecutive 20-plus win campaigns, and four straight postseason appearances, Fairfield averaged just 2,285 fans a game. And over the last three years, that season average has fallen from 2,239 in 2011-12 to 1,703 in 2013-14. In fact, over the last three seasons, out of 43 home dates, just five times has Fairfield drawn more than 3,000.....
The last two season at Alumni Hall, Stag Men's Basketball averaged approximately 2,100 fans at home with 2,095 fans in 2000-01 and 2,149 in 1999-2000. The inaugural season at the WBA(AHY) in 2001-02, Stag Basketball averaged 2,949 fans. In Ed Cooley's final season of 2010-11, Stag Basketball averaged a record high of 2,959 fans. Last season SJ's Stags averaged a WBA record low of only 1,703 fans .
From 2,949 to down to just 1,703 last season. Realistically what do Stag fans, the die-hards and the season ticket buyers here think that the goal of home attendance at the WBA should be? I wonder what the attendance goal that the new AD Pete Kirschner wants it to be and what the University thinks it should be? A question for someone to ask at the basketball "get together".
IMO - Winning a MAAC Championships in Albany over the next three seasons aside, the product is still Stag MAAC Basketball but a target goal should be to get up to a season average of 3,600 at home but not falling below 3,000 per season. I can't see Stag Basketball getting to a 5,000 average at home for MAAC Basketball no matter how successful the program becomes (and it hasn't been yet).
Anyone have the numbers on the decrease in attendance since the parking went from $2.00 to $10.00? And I'm not kidding. Sounds trivial, but it ticked off a whole lot of people.
sobro, Not sure exactly what season the parking increase from $2.00 to $10.00 went into effect but here are all the WBA/AHY attendance numbers.
The last three SJ seasons in a row have had a decline in attendance with setting record attendance lows each season and that has never happened before at the WBA. During the Ed Cooley and Tim O'Toole years at the WBA, the home attendance average never fell below 2,323.
Unfortunately but not surprising the Stag website does not have the stats for the 2010-11 season or for the NIT Second Round game that was played at the WBA against Kent State. In 2010-11, the Stags had one of the program's best seasons and were (25-8)(13-5), finished first in the MAAC Regular Season, had NIT postseason play and Ed Cooley was the MAAC Coach of the Year but you wouldn't know this on the Stag website.
I would agree with Joe stag on weekdays 2000- 3000 is a reasonable goal. A weekend goal of 5,000 plus as an average is to aggressive. Another way to look at attendance goals may be by putting the teams visiting WBA into groups. For example, bring in a name O/O/C team (ie Providence college, st johns etc.) and expect 4500 on a weekday and 6000 on a weekend. Bring in theMAAC nobody cares teams(canisus, niagara, rider, Monmouth) and you can expect 1500.
Post by ctghostman on May 20, 2014 16:02:25 GMT -5
With various breaks-Christmas, Thanksgiving, Presidents Day, through out the schedule plus things such as classes and NFL games, it will always be tough to get consistent student turnout. If we're good they will come but, IMO, the bigger effort needs to be on the community and alums. For these groups, we can't charge major league prices for a minor league product. Even if we are great, it's not UConn or the Knicks. The WBA gouges on food and parking. Tickets can often be got on a discount.
I think parking happened in 2012. Hence the #s dropping by 1k (other reasons aside).
That was a bonehead mistake. I know many young families who were starting to go to games regularly who now go on occasion. It's a principle thing and big price elasticity with something like Stag B-Ball.
this is pathetic....blah-blah............parking fees? important? yes!!! but aren't we talking about the state of FU bball and attendance??? I've looked at other sports board and the subject of parking does not come up. So we are grasping at straws to account for attendance? The REASON is simple....winning and a winning attitude....that is what Ed Cooley brought to the game; we believed that we could and would win. Now we're reduced to talking about the parking rates......obviously Bridgeport has figured it out...they can suck FU for even the parking costs. Who got us into this mess of a WBA....think GD and his FU administration cohorts......a long-lived legacy of incompetence and non-advancement..............I read the Stag newsletters and wonder.....what happened to winning as a culture??
Increase in parking definitely has a huge impact on attendance. For people coming along this more than doubled their cost to come to a game.
IMO, you can offer FREE Parking and Free Tickets but unless this is a winning team with a couple of NCAA appearances, you're not drawing flies to games on a school night against Rider, Canisius or Monmouth. Even with the wins, it will be very difficult to draw anyone to see MAAC games. We have a dual problem here. Wins AND Conference.
I agree that all this is excuses. Sure Parking, Conference, Hot Dogs, and Atmoshere have some impact, but its very little impact as compared to winning. Its already proven that:
- when we are winning we draw better - When we are playing meaningfull games in a battle for 1st place we draw even better
What is not proven, and is an unknown...... is how we will draw after we prove we can win the MAAC, and go to the NCAA's. That would be a Huge boost to Fan support, CT Post Support, and Season Tickets. Blaming on being in the MAAC is lame. The MAAC is NOT our preferable league, but it is not a Major Factor in our success to achieve 3,000+ fans.
....Blaming on being in the MAAC is lame. The MAAC is NOT our preferable league, but it is not a Major Factor in our success to achieve 3,000+ fans.
There is always a lot of talk here about getting out of the MAAC and "moving up" to a higher league possibly the CAA someday. Here is what the CAA teams did last year:
CAA Men's Basketball Attendance: Coll. of Charleston - 3,095 Delaware - 2,776 Drexel - 1,880 Hofstra - 1,468 James Madison - 3,612 Northeastern - 1,174 Towson - 2,564 UNCW - 3,273 William & Mary - 2,839
The Stags averaged 2,949 in the inaugural year at the AHY/WBA and set an attendance record of 2,959 during the 2010-11 season when Ed Cooley's team finished with a (25-8)(13-5) and a NIT Second Round game at the WBA. The fans haven't been interested in going to the WBA to watch the Stags play MAAC Basketball against Niagara, Canisius, Monmouth, Rider or even St. Peter's.
Only three of the CAA teams averaged over 3,000 fans at home last season. Realistically would Stag CAA Basketball in Bridgeport average more than James Madison's 3,612 or UNCW's 3,273 or College of Charleston's 3,095? Yes, winning is absolutely necessary and the minimum required to get people to the home games as this season's record low attendance of just 1,703 fans has shown but with a realistic and not from a die-hard fan's perspective or the "Just win baby" or "Just win and everything will take care of itself" perspective, is the MAAC still a selling point or a hindrance that generates very little interest when the Stags don't play Manhattan, Iona, Marist, Siena and maybe someday Quinnipiac?
Despite playing an A-10 schedule, Duquesne averaged 2,900, LaSalle 2,547 and Fordham just 2,330 fans at home last season. In the MAAC last season and with a history of success and NCAA Tournaments, Manhattan averaged 1,906 and Iona averaged 1,804 New to the MAAC Quinnipiac averaged 1,890 fans at home.
Does anyone here believe that Stag Basketball can or ever will consistently average more than 3,000 or 3,600 or 4,000 or 5,000 fans no matter what league they are in or how many games they win or how many NCAA tournaments they are in? If so how because I'm sure that somebody at the University would like to know the secret.
important?