MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Pioneer Hoops Fan]

Big news coming out of the Southwest corner of the state.  UWP lands a big local recruit for the upcoming school year.

http://www.uwplatt.edu/athletics/basketball/mens/0708/3-21allen.html

[John Gleich]

What is happening  is EC can happen in Point.

While I know this is true, I think that it is being prevented by several different factors you mentioned, plus others.  For one, the Pointer program is moving in the "right" direction.  Over the past 5 years, Point is 125-25, has 3 conference championships and 2 National championships.  With no disrespect to the Bluegolds, their program appears to be headed in the opposite direction.

Point has 1) been in the schools, 2) runs camps, 3) had days where they shoot with kids in the mall.  I've talked to people at church about coming to games.

The local support is there from the community... actually, until this season, it seemed like there was MORE support than from the student body.  This year the "Purple Haze" really stepped up and was a presence, but this hadn't been the case for a few years (not since those wacky guys danced around, banging on a purple and yellow keg). 

This is really where the support needs to come from.  What'd Duke known for?  The Cameron Crazies are STUDENTS, not people from the community.  The Orange Crush at Illinois is a large STUDENT organization that does so much more than cheer at basketball games... they do community service, raise money for charities, scholarships, etc.  This COULD be the case at the WIAC schools... but it needs a jumpstart.  Is it from the administration?  Alums?  Some diehard students who have the free time and the skills to create something that leaves a legacy that continues long after they have left the university?

Maybe it's a combination of the three.  But there needs to be excitement from the student body, and this has largely been what I feel is lacking from most WIAC schools.

[Stout survivor]

The student body is a huge factor.  At Stout there is the "Blue Crew" which has brought a lot of students to the games but they sit in different parts and are not very organized, baby steps. 

Point is headed in the right direction but do not take it for granted, EC should be a lesson for them, they were on top for a while and now ... well .... you know

The points you mentioned about what they do for the attendance is right on target but the players have to want to do those things.  They all want more people in the stands but need to put in the foot work and not just go through the motions.

They are good guys and just need go the extra mile.

[Just Bill]

It is hard to generate that student support, since in most cases you must start from scratch when the student arrives on campus.  At UW-Madison most incoming freshman have been Badger fans for years by the time they get to campus.  (in fact, for many that's why they went to Madison in the first place.)  That makes the transition to a great student section pretty easy.  Incoming freshman at WIAC schools usually don't feel that way about their new school teams right off the bat.  That's why it's so important to try and hook those younger students as soon as possible.

I think athletics can be a tough sell to some new freshman.  They often have more allegience to their old high school than their new college, and exploring their new found freedom in a college social scene often takes priority.  Young college students don't realize that in 4 years you have a lot (and trust me, I mean A LOT) of nights to party, but only about 50 home basketball games to go to.  (Of course, the really smart ones figure out that the basketball games ARE the party.)

I still remember being on UWSP's campus one fall and stopping to watch the football team practice a little bit.  A bright eyed freshman passed and remarked to her friend, "Oh my God!  I didn't know they even had a football team."  I wonder where she is right now?

[bulk19]

Greetings, earthlings...

Stout Survivor - just a question out of curiosity... If you had to play in front a packed, hostile (ie on the road) WIAC arena crowd, which one would be the most intimidating for you as a player?

I suppose you block out the crowd, but which setting, if it was full, really offers the best 6th man? Is there one arena where the fans are right on top of you, so you notice them? One gym that has the potential to be louder than others? One place where the fans can have an impact?

I'm thinking back to when I was in school, during the Ken Anderson era, and a packed Zorn was a definite advantage for the home team...

Which WIAC schools had a full attendance, or near sellouts, during your playing time at Stout? UWSP, probably. Any others?

[bulk19]

Random thoughts on the attendance, from a Blugold's perspective...

The UWEC men and women both do get out into the community, for community service projects and to mingle with the grade schoolers. So, that's good. I'm guessing other schools do, too.

Plus, UWEC has youth nights at Zorn, and some fun nights throughout the year, where kids can come to the gym and use the pool and be tazmanian devils and stuff like that, blowing off steam. The athletes are on duty then, to meet and help them.

But it's difficult to get these creatures out to games on school nights; many are probably in their jammies by the time the game is over... Need to get them to Zorn on Saturdays... They (grade schoolers) are probably not going to make a dramatic impact on the annual attendance figures, but maybe you are creating a fan base for later years, if they stay in the EC area...

High schoolers? Not sure how to get them to the games, either. I grew up in La Crosse, and didn't go to many UWL hoops games. Football, yes. But not hoops. Which leads me to an earlier comment I've made here - just win, which is what the Indians, er, Eagles, football teams were doing, but the hoops teams weren't. That does help with attendance. Easier said than done, though...

EC has a good base of post-collegiate-aged fans for the women's games, since many players are from the area, thus drawing mom and dad, and sisters, and brothers, and aunts and uncles, and nieces and nephews, and grandmas and grandpas... But how to get the average person to Zorn? There again, I'm not sure...

As far as the college kids? I need to start another post to cover that...

[Stout survivor]

Zorn my first year was great it was a double header and the crowd was there students and all half an hour before the game(we were first then the women) letting us have it, I loved it, I missed that my last couple years.  The most intimidating would be if full ..... any one but your home floor.

As for 6th man it would be platt, it you airball it early you here it the rest of the game.

The players notice the crowd be it durring free throws if you are not shooting or on the bench getting a rest, but we do tune them out while playing for the most part.

Potential goes to River, so small and when Melzer played they were loud plus there is NO room between the floor and the stands.

Fans have a big impact.  I have played at suptown in front 100 (maybe) people and at Kohl in front of 17,000 fans.  When the crowd is not there it is hard to play at times.  Not to say that players don't get jacked up to play but if you get up be 15 it feels like a schrimage and not a game that shows up in your record.  Best game I have been in would be WIAC tourny last year in our home game against Point, packed house with both sides of fans being vocal.  Fans always have an impact.

Sellouts, Point, Platt, EC (4 years ago), River (4 years ago), WW (WIAC championship game), and Stout.  Lax is getting there with about 200 more people each year going to the games.

[BDshotblocker]

Bulk 19,  I have to put my 2 cents in on this.

I ALWAYS payed attention to the crowds (for me it was part of the expirence).  Loved getting heckled, or making the crowd go dead silent.   Best heckle was this year, students referred to Survivor and I as "Mary-Kate and Ashley" in reference to the Olson twins.

P-Ville had an advantage, one of the band members sister dated my brother-in-law and spent thanksgiving with us.  Everytime since, chants would rain down on me during free-throws, chants that only I would know.  Very funny.

Playing at RF during Melzer's senior year was the most intimidating.  He would tie his shoes and get 'MVP" chants.

WW students never liked Stout.  Although most times it was only half full, they were loud and creative.  Even the older guys who sit in the bleachers underneath the basket

Point lacked creativity.  Always full but always polite.

Oshkosh would always be talking about things to say and maybe one guy would say it.

LAX was like playing in a library.

Suptown had very few people, but the students would give it to ya..........................and you'de really hear them since they were the only one's there.

Zorn, like Survivor said, AWSOME during double-headers.

Stout has always had good crowds, can be loud but not the best hecklers.

The Greatfull Red rode Suvivor and I like rented mules, tons of fun

[bulk19]

Just Bill - You make a good point about freshmen still having allegiances to their high school teams...  I do remember watching my hs alma mater when it came to EC to play EC Regis and CF McDonell in football and hoops, but I'm not sure how many UWEC hoops/football games I went to that first year... Not many, though.

However, I generally don't think it's a case of them choosing to actually attend high school games over college ones, though. For, as you say, they are adapting socially, and sowing their oats, too, and chosing other forms of entertainment over sports...

But like you say, sports is the party! Which leads us back to the ultimate question - how do you get them to realize that, right off the bat, when they are freshmen? I'd think it would be an easier sell nowadays, with the drinking age 21, as an alternative entertainment form, than when I was in college and it was 18... And students get in free, too! We had to pay!

Perhaps it's a generational thing? Maybe today's young multi-taskers, with cell phones and Ipods and computers and video games and whatever, are bored, or restless, ADD-like, or like hyper cats who, all of a sudden, feel as if they need to be in the next room? Perhaps students get anxious if they have to sit still for 90 minutes, because of the way society and technology are/were when they were growing up?? Maybe they don't know how to relax? - which is what sports does for me...

The minute I enter a sports venue, be it football field, gym, hockey rink, or baseball diamond, the weight of the world is lifted, and all my troubles are gone, for two hours, irregardless of how the game turns out, or what the final score is... How do you sell that two hours to students, who are worried/stressing about the next day's classes, assignments and tests, and what other things to do for fun? (They need to plan it into their schedules as study breaks!)

Alas, if only I'd been as wise then, as I am now, I'd have gone to more games than I did!

[bulk19]

Stout Twins -
Good comments, and funny stuff... Now get off of this board, and suit up, gentlemen. North Carolina is getting beat at half, and if they lose, my bracket is gonna be busted up! 

[Just Bill]

Ways to get more students to attend basketball games:

1. Cover "Gymnasium" sign with "Underage Drinking Zone" banner.
2. Announce addresses of the "cool" parties during final time out.
3. Three-pointer for the home team = 1 free music download.
4. Make cheerleaders wear phone numbers on uniforms.

[bulk19]

Whew... dodged a bullet on the UNC/USC game. Just the threat of having the Twins suit up sparked the Tar Heels... But now there's an even bigger problem lurking on the horizon than having my NCAA bracket busted up - a giant flying turtle named Gamera is intent on destroying all planets!

Just Bill - too funny on the attendance ideas... Did I hear correctly that students are subject to a $750 fine per each illegally downloaded tune? Ouch.

Although, seriously, with your creative, funny ideas, it wouldn't surprise me if you get drafted onto some sort of brainstorming committee to discuss ways and marketing avenues to really get them to attend...

P.S. Anything involving cheerleaders is good, in my book! 

[Stout survivor]

LOL .... love the ideas and the threat of us changed the game.... lets ask Roy

p.s.   my bracket is taking a beating, brutal, but if Kansas wins it i have a chance

[bulk19]

I picked Kansas, too... So odds are, based on my track record, we're both screwed! lol

1988 Championship - Kansas 83, Oklahoma 79... I had Oklahoma, the only one in the office pool. I'm still pissed at Danny Manning! I think I had an extra beer to drown my sorrows that night... As an aside, that was in Green Bay... NCAA title game that night, Brewers opening day, and what did the local tv stations lead the sports with? Some Packer story! Can't remember if it was a free agent signing, or spring training camp, or what...

[BDshotblocker]

The best bar in Green Bay to drown away your sorrows is Gippers,  that's where I drowned away the Badgers losing to Mich St in the Final Four

Also have great nachos