Scripted or not it’s a fun college experience for the students and fans and really good PR for the WAC to have such an electric atmosphere that’s getting noticed more and more. Frankly idc if it’s scripted. What the difference between cheerleaders leading chants and a student organizer doing it? I think it comes down to people just finding something to knock them for. There’s not a school in the WAC that wouldn’t love to have a game time atmosphere like GCU.
GCU is in a unique situation as a mid-major with money. They have the budget to allow their student body to occupy near half the seats in GCU arena; and many of them sitting in high valued areas of the arena if sold to the general public. A lot of mid-major don't have that flexibility in their budget to simply give away center court courtside seating to the students; reducing the schools revenue stream. So, that atmosphere would be difficult for any other WAC school to replicate. GCU has already sold out their limited inventory of season tickets to the general public for the 2021-22 season.
(This post was last modified: 10-06-2021 12:11 PM by NMSUPistolPete.)
(10-06-2021 11:18 AM)YesCubanB Wrote: Scripted or not it’s a fun college experience for the students and fans and really good PR for the WAC to have such an electric atmosphere that’s getting noticed more and more. Frankly idc if it’s scripted. What the difference between cheerleaders leading chants and a student organizer doing it? I think it comes down to people just finding something to knock them for. There’s not a school in the WAC that wouldn’t love to have a game time atmosphere like GCU.
Thank you Cuban for these comments. I agree with everything you have said here regarding the atmosphere in GCU Arena with one small exception. For us older, non-student season ticket holders, the "experience" is not always fun. When the game is not in progress (pre-game, time outs, etc.) it can get so loud that no discussion is possible with those sitting next to you. You just have to put your ear plugs in and pray you do not get permanent hearing loss. :) The guests I bring always love it, but those of us who have been season ticket holders for years, sometimes miss the quiet DII days when you could watch a good game AND talk with those around you.
Of course, GCU purposely tilts the "experience" towards a student centric model and less towards a fan centric model. Even though I do not always like it, I understand it and approve. It should be about the students.
Indeed, there is nothing phony or rehearsed about a packed house in lil' ol' Wisdom! I'd put it on par with any other adverse environment we'll face this year. Our small but rowdy crowd of 3,000 will definitely be a problem for visting teams! Trying to decide which one I want to come in town for!
(09-25-2021 05:13 PM)KINGALLISON Wrote: GCU fans don't really give them that home court advantage though. They're too nice haha NMSU fans can usually get under the skin of other coaches and players.
For basketball, maybe. Definitely not football. NMSU football fans are unfailingly polite, at least in my limited experience.
The fact that we've had WAC coaches go at it verbally with the NMSU student section shows NMSU fans are the craziest. They know how to get under coaches skins lol
Sometimes I forget that GCU is a basketball arena, looks more like a club. I'll give them credit but GCU is nothing like how the Pan American Center used to rock back in the early 90's. GCU uses a lot of music and fake sounds to make their arena loud .
Watch the beginning of the 1990 #7 UNLV @ New Mexico State on ESPN from the Pan American Center. Now this what you call CRAZY. Sadly, it hasn't been like this for NMSU in a long time.
Of course NMSU won this game and UNLV went on to win the National Championship.
(This post was last modified: 10-24-2021 04:19 PM by KINGALLISON.)
Trying to do some late grading a couple buildings away and the noise is noticeable. Don't think it rates "craziest" though. They aren't wearing matching violet overalls.
We were undefeated at home last year and it had nothing to do with our fanbase. Some of it was our opponents for sure, but a lot was just the shear determination to defend our house, even if in a temporary home of indoor tennis courts............
