I am an OOTer and I've been reading the men's BB attendance figures on GoTigersGo and am seeing at least 3 games with attendance under 8k. So, my question is this:

Are these figures announced attendance in terms of tickets sold OR is it actual people in the seats (due to the Grizzly clause)?

If these are tickets sold (rather than butts in the seats), this is not good, not good at all. I know that our early home schedule is not the greatest, but these figures just really seem to take the wind out of the sails of the program. I was in Memphis for CJP's first two years and attendance figures held up pretty well....had no idea if things are this bad right now attendance-wise.

Fwiw, I didn't realize we even had a basketball game tonight until I looked in here a few minutes ago. I get almost all of my Tigers info from this board and somehow thought the game was tomorrow night. I live 700 miles north of Memphis so I don't affect attendance, but just commenting on the apparent overall lack of interest which ties into your thread.

(12-21-2016 10:50 PM)ddramone Wrote:  I am an OOTer and I've been reading the men's BB attendance figures on GoTigersGo and am seeing at least 3 games with attendance under 8k. So, my question is this:

Are these figures announced attendance in terms of tickets sold OR is it actual people in the seats (due to the Grizzly clause)?

If these are tickets sold (rather than butts in the seats), this is not good, not good at all. I know that our early home schedule is not the greatest, but these figures just really seem to take the wind out of the sails of the program. I was in Memphis for CJP's first two years and attendance figures held up pretty well....had no idea if things are this bad right now attendance-wise.

Well tonight against Word there wasn't 8K. Especially just before tip off. There were a lot of late comers still coming in at 5 minutes into the game. Club rooms were mostly empty. Upper level was sparse. It is going to take a while to get the attendance numbers back up.

The numbers on Gotigersgo are tickets sold. And just to put it in to perspective, those same tickets sold numbers were 16,000+ just a couple years ago. THATS how many people don't have tickets anymore....due to one man...

It's going to take years and years and years to repair the damage. People's viewing habits have changed after Josh. People simply gave up and found other things to do. Even if the diehards are still there, they are having a harder time convincing wives etc. to care. Younger fans have been lost. This is what happens when a program is left in the hands of a child who has no idea what he is doing.

(12-21-2016 11:22 PM)bluecrew Wrote:  It's going to take years and years and years to repair the damage. People's viewing habits have changed after Josh. People simply gave up and found other things to do. Even if the diehards are still there, they are having a harder time convincing wives etc. to care. Younger fans have been lost. This is what happens when a program is left in the hands of a child who has no idea what he is doing.

Pretty much

(12-21-2016 11:22 PM)bluecrew Wrote:  It's going to take years and years and years to repair the damage. People's viewing habits have changed after Josh. People simply gave up and found other things to do. Even if the diehards are still there, they are having a harder time convincing wives etc. to care. Younger fans have been lost. This is what happens when a program is left in the hands of a child who has no idea what he is doing.

Plus you have a coach now who thinks it's not part of his job responsibility to "recruit" fans.

(12-21-2016 11:18 PM)MemTiger90 Wrote:  The numbers on Gotigersgo are tickets sold. And just to put it in to perspective, those same tickets sold numbers were 16,000+ just a couple years ago. THATS how many people don't have tickets anymore....due to one man...

Yep. It's a rebuild. Same as the Tic Price era before Cal. This will be slower because Cal is a salesman.

Our last 5 years of not having many exciting home games hurts as well. I believe the schedule and good basketball will improve but it will take time.

The ticket office should get creative. Bird in hand at this point is the way to go.

(12-21-2016 11:49 PM)salukiblue Wrote:  

(12-21-2016 11:22 PM)bluecrew Wrote:  It's going to take years and years and years to repair the damage. People's viewing habits have changed after Josh. People simply gave up and found other things to do. Even if the diehards are still there, they are having a harder time convincing wives etc. to care. Younger fans have been lost. This is what happens when a program is left in the hands of a child who has no idea what he is doing.

Plus you have a coach now who thinks it's not part of his job responsibility to "recruit" fans.

Well, at least we have a coach now.

Baby steps...

(12-22-2016 12:50 AM)tnzazz Wrote:  

(12-21-2016 11:18 PM)MemTiger90 Wrote:  The numbers on Gotigersgo are tickets sold. And just to put it in to perspective, those same tickets sold numbers were 16,000+ just a couple years ago. THATS how many people don't have tickets anymore....due to one man...

Yep. It's a rebuild. Same as the Tic Price era before Cal. This will be slower because Cal is a salesman.

Our last 5 years of not having many exciting home games hurts as well. I believe the schedule and good basketball will improve but it will take time.

The ticket office should get creative. Bird in hand at this point is the way to go.

On the bright side, Tubby is not the long term solution. If he doesn't enough to make us a winning brand, the next coach could get us to a higher level and increase popularity.

I don't believe it will take "years and years" to undo the damage of the previous...ahem...administration. Winning is the best recruiting tool there is. Pocket a few more games like we saw at Oklahoma and the seats will fill up.

(12-22-2016 07:05 AM)Hoots Wrote:  I don't believe it will take "years and years" to undo the damage of the previous...ahem...administration. Winning is the best recruiting tool there is. Pocket a few more games like we saw at Oklahoma and the seats will fill up.

Agree. If Tubby can get the talent (TBD) and actually coach them (he's a proven coach), winning and the resulting attendance resurge won't be an issue. The Tigers are still the most beloved team in the city, but after watching the slow strangulation of the program in the hands of Pastner, many fans have lost their excitement for it.

As much as folks want to blame JP - and I blame him too, attendance started trending down due to two primary factors IMO. First, the team, itself was having trouble winning big games under JP. And 2nd, the big games became so few & far between at home, especially OOC, that interest waned. And it's the dumbing down of the OOC schedule that has had me deciding whether to continue buying 4 season tickets. I already miss most of the games living in the Atlanta area & there is absolutely no motivation to drive over to see the Tigers play Incarnate Word & the like. Even worse, to play a pretty good team like an unknown Monmouth but lose at home (point being if we're going to lose OOC home games then do so against Gonzaga, WSU, UCLA a B1G or BE school). I am hopeful that Tubby & our AD will begin to beef up the home OOC schedule & to continue to win tough OOC games one the road like OU. Here's the reality, the last big home OOC game I recall is the Gonzaga game - and the atmosphere was electric - and we won, coming back late on a unbelieveable block by Joe Jackson on that 7' Gonzaga center. We need games like that to put butts in the seats & keep floks coming back. Hoping Tubby & our AD can see the essential reality of scheduling a big time schedule if they want Memphis to get back to being big time.

I haven't been to a game in years. I only watch the games on TV sometimes. Didn't watch last night. Went to Zoo Lights with the kids instead.

I'll start wanting to go to games again when the Tigers are either A) Top 25 caliber B) I feel like they are building a program that will soon (within 1-3 years) be a Top 25 team or C) they make a Sweet 16 run in the tournament (then I'll start believing and going to games the following year).I'm wiling to support the team in a down year or two. But the program has been in down-year mode for a long time now. It's not fun. I've lost interest.

You can call me a casual fan, a fair-weather fan, or whatever you want. I don't care.

Tubby is better than Josh. But he doesn't exactly get me all excited to tune-in or attend games. I don't see him doing any of the things I've outlined above. At best, he sneaks Memphis into the tournament.

(12-22-2016 07:42 AM)Atlanta Wrote:  As much as folks want to blame JP - and I blame him too, attendance started trending down due to two primary factors IMO. First, the team, itself was having trouble winning big games under JP. And 2nd, the big games became so few & far between at home, especially OOC, that interest waned. And it's the dumbing down of the OOC schedule that has had me deciding whether to continue buying 4 season tickets. I already miss most of the games living in the Atlanta area & there is absolutely no motivation to drive over to see the Tigers play Incarnate Word & the like. Even worse, to play a pretty good team like an unknown Monmouth but lose at home (point being if we're going to lose OOC home games then do so against Gonzaga, WSU, UCLA a B1G or BE school). I am hopeful that Tubby & our AD will begin to beef up the home OOC schedule & to continue to win tough OOC games one the road like OU. Here's the reality, the last big home OOC game I recall is the Gonzaga game - and the atmosphere was electric - and we won, coming back late on a unbelieveable block by Joe Jackson on that 7' Gonzaga center. We need games like that to put butts in the seats & keep floks coming back. Hoping Tubby & our AD can see the essential reality of scheduling a big time schedule if they want Memphis to get back to being big time.

Excellent analysis. While I respect coach Smith, he is not going out and try to sell our program. We needed someone on fire to re-start this. And the home schedules have stunk for years. Had tickets since the coliseum days but gave them up the the year before Josh left. Too much money for the product and schedule.

(12-22-2016 08:35 AM)TiminMem23 Wrote:  I haven't been to a game in years. I only watch the games on TV sometimes. Didn't watch last night. Went to Zoo Lights with the kids instead.

I'll start wanting to go to games again when the Tigers are either A) Top 25 caliber B) I feel like they are building a program that will soon (within 1-3 years) be a Top 25 team or C) they make a Sweet 16 run in the tournament (then I'll start believing and going to games the following year).I'm wiling to support the team in a down year or two. But the program has been in down-year mode for a long time now. It's not fun. I've lost interest.

You can call me a casual fan, a fair-weather fan, or whatever you want. I don't care.

Tubby is better than Josh. But he doesn't exactly get me all excited to tune-in or attend games. I don't see him doing any of the things I've outlined above. At best, he sneaks Memphis into the tournament.

Ditto!! All except the first part, I haven't watched any games in 2 years and I use to never miss one!!

(12-21-2016 11:18 PM)MemTiger90 Wrote:  The numbers on Gotigersgo are tickets sold. And just to put it in to perspective, those same tickets sold numbers were 16,000+ just a couple years ago. THATS how many people don't have tickets anymore....due to one man...

I wouldn't place ALL the blame on Bluto.

(12-22-2016 11:47 AM)tigergg Wrote:  

(12-22-2016 08:35 AM)TiminMem23 Wrote:  I haven't been to a game in years. I only watch the games on TV sometimes. Didn't watch last night. Went to Zoo Lights with the kids instead.

I'll start wanting to go to games again when the Tigers are either A) Top 25 caliber B) I feel like they are building a program that will soon (within 1-3 years) be a Top 25 team or C) they make a Sweet 16 run in the tournament (then I'll start believing and going to games the following year).I'm wiling to support the team in a down year or two. But the program has been in down-year mode for a long time now. It's not fun. I've lost interest.

You can call me a casual fan, a fair-weather fan, or whatever you want. I don't care.

Tubby is better than Josh. But he doesn't exactly get me all excited to tune-in or attend games. I don't see him doing any of the things I've outlined above. At best, he sneaks Memphis into the tournament.

Ditto!! All except the first part, I haven't watched any games in 2 years and I use to never miss one!!

Unfortunately, I think this is where the majority of fans are. No hope/hype of big recruiting classes coming with Tubbs. Solid coaching, but that doesn't give the excitement that a top 10 class brings.

The days of kids wanting to come to the "Memphis name" are over. I have a jr high bball player who started as a 7th grader on his JV team and Memphis bball doesn't register with him or those on his team. They wear Grizz gear and ask for it for Christmas. 2008 was a long time ago. My 8th grader was 5 years old.

(12-22-2016 07:42 AM)Atlanta Wrote:  As much as folks want to blame JP - and I blame him too, attendance started trending down due to two primary factors IMO. First, the team, itself was having trouble winning big games under JP. And 2nd, the big games became so few & far between at home, especially OOC, that interest waned. And it's the dumbing down of the OOC schedule that has had me deciding whether to continue buying 4 season tickets. I already miss most of the games living in the Atlanta area & there is absolutely no motivation to drive over to see the Tigers play Incarnate Word & the like. Even worse, to play a pretty good team like an unknown Monmouth but lose at home (point being if we're going to lose OOC home games then do so against Gonzaga, WSU, UCLA a B1G or BE school). I am hopeful that Tubby & our AD will begin to beef up the home OOC schedule & to continue to win tough OOC games one the road like OU. Here's the reality, the last big home OOC game I recall is the Gonzaga game - and the atmosphere was electric - and we won, coming back late on a unbelieveable block by Joe Jackson on that 7' Gonzaga center. We need games like that to put butts in the seats & keep floks coming back. Hoping Tubby & our AD can see the essential reality of scheduling a big time schedule if they want Memphis to get back to being big time.

It's multi-tiered.

The Athletic Department has been really bad lately about scheduling the mid to bottom part of the non conference schedule.

And if you're going to schedule solid mid-majors that will help the RPI and look good on the resume - Monmouth, Murray State, Stephen F. Austin, etc. - then you need to actually win those game.

Win enough AND have a good/intriguing schedule and you get a few thousand back.

Lose to Monmouth and then play Incarnate Word and you get what you deserve really.

I'll be surprised if Tubby's here for his entire contract - either by way of his decision or other factors. I don't think he would've been hired to begin with if it hadn't been for the safe hire perspective and the powers-that-be's certain thoughts around imminent B12 inclusion.