The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(11-29-2017 03:50 PM)monarx Wrote:  

(11-29-2017 01:32 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(11-29-2017 01:15 PM)monarx Wrote:  

(11-29-2017 12:55 PM)ODUCoach Wrote:  So, I know this thread was specifically about our football attendance, but I've been really interested in college basketball attendance issues as I stare across our arena at a 1/2 full dead student section.

Attendance is a real issue in college sports right now. Even Kentucky is struggling with their crowds: https://www.seccountry.com/kentucky/kent...ari-reacts

Last night, Pitt played in front of 2,399 fans at their home game! Even in our 5-25 season, we had over 5,000 per game. In fact, back in 2004, we played an exhibition against Carleton University and still have more than Pitt did last night. Sad!

All that to say, we're not the only ones with attendance issues.

Student attendance has historically been below average except for big games, hated rivals or years where we were exceptionally good. ODU draws quite well overall when the team is playing well. Student attendance will only improve when we get more and more traditional aged students living on or next to campus and play teams they've heard of and allow the students to be a bit rowdy. ODU would never allow our student section to be as vulgar, rude and crass as VCUs, but who's section is full, fun and loud and who's isn't?

I'm old enough to remember when we were so rowdy that Blaine Taylor had to go on the jumbotron before every game and tell us to calm down. I believe it was the blue bloods on the CAAZone (many still post righteous indignation here) that got the ball rolling to shut the students down and get them tossed out the arena. It was over one stupid chant, but it just hasn't been the same since, even in the 2009-2011 years. Careful what you wish for, you might get it.

I remember that too. Probably the last time the student section could truly rival the best in mid-majors. The school admin got up in arms because the students were yelling "f-em up, f-em up, ODU". Then the admin forced the band to stop playing "Dr. Who" so they wouldn't chant. That seemed to crush student enthusiasm. (for some reason, Im not a big cusser myself). Student section never seemed to recover. Meanwhile at VCU, they encouraged debauchery, vulgarity, creative and not so creative heckling and male stripping. Students loved it.

I know many don't want to hear this, but I really do think it has a lot to do with the performance and style over last few years. I also believe there is a lack of fan engagement from the top down. Runte took pride in the atmosphere, walked the aisles and greeted folks, Jim Jarrett, as bad as he was, was always seen walking the floor and shaking hands, Blaine genuinely loved firing up the fanbase, the team was a lot more vocal and had swag, for lack of a better word, and the team engaged the student section quite a bit. All of those little things really do add up, and we don't see any of them anymore.

Sent from my Pixel C using Tapatalk