FWIW, I bought tickets at SIU about 10 years ago when NIU played down there and I get an email from them every single year like I live in Carbondale. (same with the Chicago Wolves and probably Peoria Chiefs).

I've purchased a large number of tickets at NIU (not a season ticket holder) and I don't think I've gotten one call or email about it the following year asking if I was interested in buying more.

Granted, I find this tactic annoying and tacky but I'm sure it works with enough people as to make it worthwhile. Just like any telemarketing firm. Someone has to give a credit card number or else they couldn't keep the electricity turned on.

I will say this, SIU kicks our ass in attendance. But it's a different culture down there. I grew up in that region and basketball is pretty high on the list of people's priorities (mostly high school basketball but the colleges..I'm including the JUCOs...do really well too). It's basically Hoosiers down there without the iconic movie. And a lot of people down there are big SIU fans. You see their gear all over. The southern part of the state is pretty isolated so there isn't a ton of competition. You get a decent amount of UofI fans and then a smattering of Kentucky and Murray State fans (and maybe a little EIU, SEMO, and Evansville thrown in depending on the area of SoIll you live in). Other than that, they all like SIU to some degree or another.