RE: Joseph Goodman: Will UAB ever be a basketball school again?
I'm not saying this to talk trash about AK, who I think is a very good coach, but has he done much to drum up student support and get people to the games? - like Pearl has - as everyone likes to mention on here...
I would be frustrated about the attendance too, but there's multiple issues going on - as everyone has outlined in detail. Quick things to be done that could help are direct, Coach and player involvement with the students to get them excited and at the games. UAB has to pick up the ball on advertising and marketing - that is almost nonexistent. How do we have such amazing hype videos and social media videos, but near zero actual marketing and campaigns to try and boost attendance?
I agree the absolute biggest thing, far and away, is to win, win consistently, win conference titles, get to the big dance, get ranked, and win games in March. Without that, our attendance overall, and the fanbase, will not get a whole lot better. UAB is great at crapping the bed anytime we have momentum or positive light - in both basketball and football. If AK is frustrated by the attendance, which is a fair gripe, he needs to look in the mirror a bit, examine our home schedule, and look at the fact that we crapped the bed in a televised, hyped up, game against a team that no one knows (but that is admittedly VERY good) - in a season where we are supposedly transcendently "talented" and supposed to do huge things.. If we keep losing games like that where we get some momentum, some national shine, and some positive press, no one will show up to watch us play Presbyterian, or FAU, or UNT, or anyone really..
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