The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(04-25-2018 03:12 PM)bigdunks Wrote:  Attendance at Bartow keeps dropping year after year. Someone is not doing a very good job. I remember UAB basketball went into the high schools during early days to attract more fans. They also marketed program a bit differently. I remember over 9 thousand on WENN radio night at Bartow. What changed or who forgot how to market program that way. And UAB baseball program does absolutely nothing to attract fans to Regions. If UAB promoted thirsty Thursday for baseball games, they'd draw at least 5000 like the Barons. But if baseball has a weather delay they might get kicked out of Regions too... I think UAB basketball needs to think more like Memphis, Louisville and Villanova and play some games at BJCC. It would be a lot
cheaper for UAB football to stay at Legion Field . Using that same reasoning to play every game at Bartow would be same argument to not build a new football stadium. I like playing at Bartow but it's not doing so hot there. Try something else.

I think the key factors are UAB's rating, their opponent's rating and whether or not made a tournament in the previous year.

Attendance Season Kenpom Opp. KenPom
3,524 2002 95 141
4,423 2003 73 175
4,909 2004 46 137
6,037 2005 51 130
5,464 2006 56 186
4,752 2007 117 144
5,011 2008 61 151
4,953 2009 53 183
5,970 2010 62 126
5,167 2011 65 162
4,564 2012 138 145
4,118 2013 159 206
4,304 2014 115 219
3,258 2015 178 199
4,791 2016 106 237
4,134 2017 129 219
3,512 2018 114 232

Using this, and factoring in tournament appearances, the baseline season attendance for UAB is 5,957. From there, they lose 11.5 fans for each increase in UAB's KenPom rating and 3.2 fans for their opponent's average rating. Making the NIT brings in 415 fans the next season, and making the NCAA tournament bring in 830 fans the next season.

Obviously there are a lot of outside factors here, like the increase in 2003 during Anderson's first year, or the dip after Ehsan's hire, but it seems to me like best thing they can do is be good. Being good really solves a lot of the problem (duh).

EDIT: I'd love for this to transform UAB soccer as well. It's a difficult sport to be profitable in, but there are some smaller schools that do it.