Kit-Cat, all teams have home games when school is not in session. Heck, during Christmas break this year Ball State had home games against Indiana State, Kent State and Ohio, normally three of our better draws. And the Ohio game was played during an ice storm when Worthen Arena was about the only place in town that had any lights. And isn't Kent State one of your big in-state rivals? If I remeber correctly, your students were back in school by then and you drew fewer than 4,000 for that game. Not too hot. Nice crowd today, however. I can't wait for the Miami-Ball State game Wednesday night. I think we should be able to draw 8,000 or more for that game.

LongtimeFan Wrote:Kit-Cat, all teams have home games when school is not in session. Heck, during Christmas break this year Ball State had home games against Indiana State, Kent State and Ohio, normally three of our better draws. And the Ohio game was played during an ice storm when Worthen Arena was about the only place in town that had any lights. And isn't Kent State one of your big in-state rivals? If I remeber correctly, your students were back in school by then and you drew fewer than 4,000 for that game. Not too hot. Nice crowd today, however. I can't wait for the Miami-Ball State game Wednesday night. I think we should be able to draw 8,000 or more for that game.

The crowds are down the last couple of seasons in Athens, I'll admit that.

Ohio averaged 7500 for about 4 seasons in a row without making the post season.

Kent State isn't selling out its 6,000 seat stadium with a great team and most of its alumni nearby.

Bowling Green isn't selling out its 4,000 seat crackerbox and they are usually an above average team.

Maybe Ball State could average 10,000 but that is not something just anybody in Division 1 can do.

I am a *******. Nevermind!

That is not Ohio. That is EMU.

Yes, but they both have green uniforms and play in a building called the "Convocation Center". Therefore, they are the same

axeme Wrote:That is not Ohio. That is EMU.

Sorry, I am a moron! Too early in the morning. I just saw Convocation Center and thought Bobcats. My bad.

BobcatFan Wrote:

LongtimeFan Wrote:Hey, Kit-Cat, how is this possible?

I don't want to make excuses, because OU's attendance really should be better (and I think it will be up substantially after the next 2 home games)...

However, OU has switched to only counting bodies in the seats, not total tickets sold. My understanding is that we are the only school to do this in the MAC for b-ball. If not, we're certainly one of the few. So the drop in attendance is partially attributable to our recent struggles, and partially to our accounting mechanisms.

That having been said, this team is really starting to come together, and the community is starting to take notice. We should have 7-8,000 for WMU today, and as much or more for Miami next Saturday. With the returning talent we have next year, OU's attendance should be back at/near the top.

Miami started counting attendance that way this year as well, in both football and basketball, part of the reason for our disappointing numbers.

DICK Wrote:

BobcatFan Wrote:

LongtimeFan Wrote:Hey, Kit-Cat, how is this possible?

I don't want to make excuses, because OU's attendance really should be better (and I think it will be up substantially after the next 2 home games)...

However, OU has switched to only counting bodies in the seats, not total tickets sold. My understanding is that we are the only school to do this in the MAC for b-ball. If not, we're certainly one of the few. So the drop in attendance is partially attributable to our recent struggles, and partially to our accounting mechanisms.

That having been said, this team is really starting to come together, and the community is starting to take notice. We should have 7-8,000 for WMU today, and as much or more for Miami next Saturday. With the returning talent we have next year, OU's attendance should be back at/near the top.

Miami started counting attendance that way this year as well, in both football and basketball, part of the reason for our disappointing numbers.

OU has counted bodies in seats in football for 5 years now. The butts must pass through turnstiles. A mix up at the Marshall home game last year resulted in some gross under counting admitted by our Athletic Director.

BGDrew Wrote:Congratulations? You have a bigger arena than everyone else. Compensating for something?

In the FWIW category, here are Miami's top ten crowds (max seating capacity at Millet is about 9K):

--Opponent---crowd------date
1) UC 10,634 12-15-76
2) Xavier 10,091 12-06-95
3) WMU 10,085 3-3-75
4) OU 9,989 2-5-94
5) UC 9,896 2-1-93
6) Indiana 9.881 11-29-88
7) OU 9,842 3-2-85
8) OU 9,411 2-19-86
9) OU 9,306 2-3-96
10) Xavier 9,183 12-9-97

I'm kind of surprised that the UNC game in the mid 70's didn't make the list....Miami lost in the last second on two Phil Ford free throws....I attended that game along with 2 others on the top ten list.

Interestingly enough, even though our top year of average home attendance was in the 98-99 season with Wally (6400/game), none of the games that year made the top ten list.

Millet Hall opened in 1968, and over the last 34 years, Miami's home record is 318-103, a winning % of .755. Since 1993, the RedHawks have posted a .821 winning %.

Here are the updated MAC attendance figures:

1) Ball St. - 5471
2) Toledo - 4504
3) Ohio - 4371
4) Buffalo - 4149
5) WMU - 3822
6) Marshall - 3819
7) Kent St. - 3560
8) Miami - 3490
9) Akron - 3300
10) EMU - 2882
11) BGSU - 2375
12) CMU - 2265
13) NIU - 1992