One item to consider: the men’s team is the 2nd most successful basketball team on campus this year.
I would love to see an energized student section but I agree that the basketball game is made a very entertaining event for families that attend. From just yesterday —— the trio rendition of the national anthem, the li’l stag fan of the game shouting out Go Stags!, the full court putt, the halftime youth basketball event, and the Ay-yo scoreboard cheer along with the dance team, cheerleaders and Pep band.
Special shout-out to the trio of (very) young kids who sang the anthem. They were GREAT and basically brought the house down. Also a shout-out to former Norwalk HS basketball coach Tom Keyes who annually brings a whole bunch of his youth players to a game or two and has them out on the court at halftime. This is a good way to get young people who play the sport interested in watching the Stags. Should pay off down the road for the program I would imagine.
Post by fairfieldstags7 on Feb 5, 2024 10:33:51 GMT -5
It will take time to build the student section. We have been getting great fans in the arena and the atmosphere has been electric what more could you ask for?
One item to consider: the men’s team is the 2nd most successful basketball team on campus this year.
I would love to see an energized student section but I agree that the basketball game is made a very entertaining event for families that attend. From just yesterday —— the trio rendition of the national anthem, the li’l stag fan of the game shouting out Go Stags!, the full court putt, the halftime youth basketball event, and the Ay-yo scoreboard cheer along with the dance team, cheerleaders and Pep band.
Special shout-out to the trio of (very) young kids who sang the anthem. They were GREAT and basically brought the house down. Also a shout-out to former Norwalk HS basketball coach Tom Keyes who annually brings a whole bunch of his youth players to a game or two and has them out on the court at halftime. This is a good way to get young people who play the sport interested in watching the Stags. Should pay off down the road for the program I would imagine.
Does anyone have a video of the national anthem by this trio? Searched YouTube but coming up empty.
I thought the student section was good for The St. Pete's and Q games. If that becomes the standard the Leo could become a tough place for visiting teams. It helps that watching this years team is not like watching paint dry.
It would be a pretty cool promotion to have our baseball team be responsible for the/a tee-shirt toss. I saw that Tennessee did this to hype up the boys before their season starts in two weeks.
If you watch A-10, Big Ten, etc...the student sections are MOBBED AND CRAZY usually. Bonaventure, VCU, and other basketball-only schools have culture and interest. I am going to see Princeton vs Yale in a few weeks and that is sold out so even the IVY league has it. People try to sell Sacred Heart and CCSU but it's just not the same.
The bottom line is Fairfield/Manhattan doesn't mean much to students...these rivalries in the MAAC aren't passed down like they are at other schools. They will show up for a special event day for their dorms (do they still do that?) and when we are playing for the title. 1995-1997 were big years for the program and students showed up....then disappeared when the team didn't win...rinse, repeat, and recycle for the 2000's.
But we have a full arena (more or less) when I watch on TV and the same with the women's team. We finally aren't playing at a cavernous hockey arena or in a bad HS gym...so life is good!
It would be a pretty cool promotion to have our baseball team be responsible for the/a tee-shirt toss. I saw that Tennessee did this to hype up the boys before their season starts in two weeks.
There are lots of things that FU could do to involve more students, alumni, and local fans. Does the current group in charge have the bandwidth or creativity to pull this off? I’m a doubter.
Post by nashvillestag on Feb 5, 2024 13:33:37 GMT -5
You know what's interesting this season is that a lot of our former players have been showing up and enjoying the experience at the Leo. Just yesterday Jesus Cruz was in attendance. He will be going back to play in Puerto Rico in a month or so BTW. And last week both AJ Rose and Chris Maidoh were at the Quinnipiac game. AJ has been back at one other contest too. Of course we have the regulars from many years ago such as John Ryan, Ray Kelly, Barry Gunderson and Pat Yerina among others. Good programs always seem to attract the former guys who played such a big part in previous years. Because of this new venue it appears as though this type of trend will continue to get better, and that's a good thing!
I can understand why student attendance was sparse at Webster Bank Arena with the travel issues, especially nights when students were stranded for a half hour after the game waiting for their bus to arrive.
But what's the excuse now? The students kept saying if we build an on-campus arena, they would show up.
And you can't use the "We suck right now" excuse, because the Stags are winning and have a very exciting team.
I can understand why student attendance was sparse at Webster Bank Arena with the travel issues, especially nights when students were stranded for a half hour after the game waiting for their bus to arrive.
But what's the excuse now? The students kept saying if we build an on-campus arena, they would show up.
And you can't use the "We suck right now" excuse, because the Stags are winning and have a very exciting team.
Listen I was in charge of Stags in the Stands during my time at Fairfield so to say I care about student turnout is an understatement.
But, given how bad this team was and how it has not been the "thing to do" for prior years. Going to be hard to convince Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors to come. My first year at Fairfield was 2009-10 and we were just starting to get good. By my Sophomore year (Cooley's last) and Junior Year (Sydneys first) we built that culture of going to games is the fun thing to do. So IMO, this will take continued success. Obviously very different being on campus too.
I am trying to not let the lack of student involvement tear me down because we still had 3,200 (and truly that number) on a SUNDAY game! I think telling sign for the students will be this Thursday vs Rider and next week vs Niagara on Friday. If they care at all they will show up to a night game.
I do wish more was posted/advertised on games via the Fairfield Basketball or Fairfield Athletic socials. It is now Tuesday and I have yet to see anything on Thursday's game. Coach Casey should do a video or the Athletics team needs to do something to hype this game up.
"IT'S BETTER" has long been the FU answer, but nobody at FU ever takes it to the next level. Thanks to GOSTAGS, Fairfield Frank, and everyone on this board who makes it happen. Sadly, I have not seen a Fairfield game since Loyola left the MAAC but ESPN+ is my connection now...I like seeing the new place filled but the students are about B- until there is a dunk. REINSTATE THE RED SEA, DRESS UP A STUDENT LIKE MOSES, AND PART IT LIKE my son's high school...DO WHATEVER IT TAKES.
Bottom line, we have one MAJOR COLLEGE SPORT** so focus on iT!! Both men and women are doing well right now (Women are just unreal) so that should be on billboards, social media, some dude walking down post road with a sign, etc. Fairfield is a small town and Sacred Heart is not UCONN so let's put the full-court press please, marketing team!!
*I Love and support soccer and lax so please don't kill me as they are both important and the next level of college sports IMHO but football and basketball rule the day for 99.9% of schools and the nation's attention. Also, happy when baseball and volleyball do well too...it does matter!