Create a New Forum Admin Login Member Login Contribute to Voyager Search VoyForums Help Desk VoyForums Exchange VoyForums Directory/Categories VoyForums Homepage VoyForums News FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, [10] ]

[ Edit | View ]

[ Edit | View ]

[> [> Re: Disappointing Crowd . Great Win -- Drew (Yale fan), 22:55:05 01/05/03 Sun

I was at the game today and the crowd size is what I expected. Both schools are on break hence the students are away from campus. I know if classes were in session, the Yale Precision Marching Band, cheerleaders and many Yale students would've been at the game today. All three were present in Hartford for the Phoenix Classic, which was in early December.

Southern connecticut has a strong following for college basketball (with Yale & Fairfield leading the way) but it's over-shadowed by the powerhouse University of Connecticut basketball program. Last year, Yale soldout 4 games at the 3,100 seat Lee Ampitheater and sold out the 10,000 seat New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum for the 2nd round NIT game. Fairfield had a nice size crowd for St. John's and I'm sure the Stags will draw well for the big MAAC games (especially Manhattan). The Duke game next year will be big, no doubt.

Drew

Yale Basketball - 2001-02 Ivy League Co-Champions!

[ Edit | View ]

[> [> [> Re: Disappointing Crowd . Great Win -- Stagman, 11:32:13 01/06/03 Mon

The Giants game might have had a lot to do with the size of the crowd.

[ Edit | View ]

[> [> [> [> Re: Disappointing Crowd . Great Win -- Hoopfan, 12:01:21 01/06/03 Mon

Giants game began at 4:45.

[ Edit | View ]

[> [> [> [> [> Re: Disappointing Crowd . Great Win -- me, 15:50:56 01/06/03 Mon

we are a year and a half into playing games at the arena, and at what point (if ever) are the excuses going to stop?
since day one, we heard and used some of the following:
it's tough to get students to go to games in november
the students are on break
the giants are playing! (?)
we don't schedule good enough teams
it's uconn's fault
we don't play enough weekend games (this seems to contradict the giants argument)
if they win they will come

enough already!!! FU played duke at 3:00 on a week day afternoon and the place was packed.....i know it's not fair to compare apples and oranges, but i hope you see my point. when will people realize the reality that there just isn't the interest. i think the sad attendance figures are a testament to this reality. whether it's the ticket prices, atmosphere or the product on the floor, they need to re-evaluate what they are doing.

NOTE - i'm only talking about the men's side, too. the women's attendance is an even bigger joke. anytime there are under 500 people in the building (including workers), they should turn out the lights, get on the bus and go play in alumni hall!!!

[ Edit | View ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> Re: Disappointing Crowd . Great Win -- Stagman, 16:07:43 01/06/03 Mon

For a team that has been losing for 20 years, the Stags actually do remarkably well. Compared to many of their much more successful MAAC brethren, the Stags attendance is stellar. For a 10,000 seat arena though, the results are not very good.

Start winning some games consistently and we will draw crowds. Finish 12-15 every year and we'll be back on campus by 2005.

It's tough enough for the die-hard fans to watch these gut-wrenching games. Why would someone who doesn't give a %^&* about Fairfield basketball venture out? The program has not justified that sort of loyalty.

If you were a casual fan, who didn't have 8 or 9 hours to spend attending or watching sporting events on a Sunday, would you choose to stay at home and watch the Giants for free, or head down to Bridgeport, and pay $17 to watch the Stags turn the ball over 20 times? Very few people have that much time, or desire, to be able to do both. I guarantee you the majority of people who even gave it some thought stayed home and watched the Giants.

[ Edit | View ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> Re: Disappointing Crowd . Great Win -- champ, 17:04:55 01/06/03 Mon

It took many years to fall this far in fan base, so building a following beyond the faithful who post here will take a while.

UConn has become the media darling over 20 years. Most of CT is enamored with their success. CTPost is no fool in giving UConn #1 coverage.

If we can pull off an NCAA appearance (NIT not glamorous enough), we should see the dividends next year in attendance.

You first build awareness, then gain trial and finally convert them to loyal patrons. We're still struggling with the awareness part. We need publicity and media excitement for that, and that won't happen until we win consistently.

Internet broadcasts help, but we used to be on WICC and WATR up in Waterbury...two powerful stations. Sorry, but WVOF just doesn't have reach beyond the neighborhood.

[ Edit | View ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> [> Re: Disappointing Crowd . Great Win -- me, 18:00:23 01/06/03 Mon

this is exactly the non-sense i discussed in the previous post....excuses, excuses, "if we win it'll pay dividends", more excuses and finally, let's face it - the same results (playing in front of not much more than the concessions stand workers).

do i need to remind you that the season after the 20-10 campaign with the NIT berth, people jumped ship on cormier/bowman/francis and the stags QUICK when they struggled through the next season, only to hop back on the bandwagon when they won it all. i agree 100% that fans are fickle and want to see a winner, but here's a reality check fairfield will never be the type of consistent winner (17-20 wins a year EVERY year) to sustain sucessfully playing in a 10,000 seat arena in this market and drawing the type of interest that people under the illusion we can create. what in fairfield's basketball history (or future for that matter) would give anyone the impression that we could?

i'm simply saying, all of the supposed "positives" of playing in the arena have yet to come to fruition. where's the new intrest in fairfield basketball? exactly how many recruits have been impressed with playing in front of the types of crowds they've seen? where is bridgesports in all of this? what have they done to promote games other than post on this board?

the money FU is wasting could have gone a long way in renovating some of the facilities (lockerroom space in alumni, a b-ball weightroom, meeting rooms, etc - not necessarily a complete overhaul of the building) all the while playing in front of packed houses and a great atmosphere.....and if you don't believe that FU is hemorrhaging money in the arena, how much money do you think they make tonight when there are 200 people there to watch dianne's squad take on loyola?

[ Edit | View ]