When I look around the Jack and see the seats empty of long-time fans, it makes me mad as well as sad, that our administration would allow this sore to fester for so many years. I'm not speaking of how much money they gave to the program, I have no idea of anyone's donations, if any other than the price of the seats, but for the loyalty and devotion of so many years of following the program. You other long-time fans know who I'm talking about. I only bought two of the cheaper seats, but I was a loyal fan for about thirty years, never missed a home game for the first 25 or 26 years. I still haven't missed over four or five, and one or two was weather related. Many of these were Trojan fans years before I ever saw a Trojan game. And most of these people were folks that went to some road games, and attended many of the conference tournaments.
You know, if they could afford it, that would be an interesting question for a marketing survey.
(03-12-2014 11:11 AM)LRTrojan Wrote: [ -> ]When I look around the Jack and see the seats empty of long-time fans, it makes me mad as well as sad, that our administration would allow this sore to fester for so many years. I'm not speaking of how much money they gave to the program, I have no idea of anyone's donations, if any other than the price of the seats, but for the loyalty and devotion of so many years of following the program. You other long-time fans know who I'm talking about. I only bought two of the cheaper seats, but I was a loyal fan for about thirty years, never missed a home game for the first 25 or 26 years. I still haven't missed over four or five, and one or two was weather related. Many of these were Trojan fans years before I ever saw a Trojan game. And most of these people were folks that went to some road games, and attended many of the conference tournaments.
The decline in the UALR basketball program is a direct result of the incredibly poor leadership at the Athletic Director level. I know that a lot of fans want to blame all of the programs woes on the coaching staff, but in reality the whole thing begins and ends at the top. As long as Chris Peterson is the Athletic Director of UALR the program will continue its downward spiral. It would be nice to think that the bully could have an epiphany and start acting and doing things right, but that is pipe dream stuff. A leopard doesn't change his spots.
I have no idea why many of these long-time fans that I spoke of have left, other than one or two who have posted their reasons on this board. I can think of probably fifty others(beginning with the Platt era)that I know personally that have left for simply a "lack of interest", and disgust that the program hasn't progressed over the years. Most of the fans I spoke of in the above post, I couldn't say that I personally knew, but I knew of them, mainly because for their long time support and seeing them year after year. One or two because of their animated support in the stands. Loved Gumbo man. One of the best fans we've had. Haven't seen much of him in several years. Don't know if I even saw him this year.