really??? 4300 people at the Tulsa game???

[proshox]

It was impossible to find Tulsa fans under the age of fifty. I think they have demographic issue that goes way beyond the coaches performance.

[newshock1234]

It was impossible to find Tulsa fans under the age of fifty. I think they have demographic issue that go way beyond the coaches performance.

I noticed that too

[1979Shocker]

I heard on the radio yesterday that Cox asked them if they could broadcast the game in the Tulsa area. The higher ups said no. I guess we know why now. If they would have carried the game, there would have been less at the game.

[MoValley John]

I don't know anything about Tulsa fans and their coach. I do know that while watching the game, the "Kiss Cam" was painful to watch.

[MoValley John]

After posting the above, I decided to Google Tulsa Kiss Cam. It made an appearance on this blog: http://www.midmajority.com/p/2036

At the under 16 timeout, Tulsa had opened up a 37-25 lead. The timeout entertainment was the classic "kiss cam" common at American sports events. Tulsa has turned the "kiss cam" in to a sponsored competition fittingly sponsored by a local dentist clinic. As expected, an elderly couple wins the approval of the crowd.

Like I said, old people kissing. Painful.

[BAShocker]

Beings that I live down here (Tulsa area), and was at the game...I'll give my two cents.
1). The fans I know of, like Wojick. He's a nice guy, active in the community, etc.
2). Remember, this is football country. Every headline in the local news is football first. Basketball takes a back seat.
3). Location to TU isn't the best for getting in/out. Most of the population that would go to a game, live south. The demographics of the town have changed a lot the last 20+ years. If the arena was in south Tulsa, they'd drawn more, IMO. Heck, it's easier - quicker to get to/from your home for an ORU game. (which by the way, if you ever get the chance, and have young kids...you need to go. Great family atmosphere at ORU).
4). Parking at TU games suck, and that's putting it nicely. If you think WSU parking is bad, you haven't seen nothing.
5). Again, media is an issue. They need more games on TV for the local fans to follow. Imagine if WSU didn't broadcast the Shockers away games, and a few of the home games. It's hard for TU to build a fan base without good local media backing.
6). Did I mention football? When the college football is "technically" over (bowl games), the average sport fans here need something to do before spring football starts back up. They'll pay attention to basketball at that time.
7). Not a very strong student body base. Nothing to help out there, just simply not a lot of students who would go watch a basketball game.

Add it all together, and you don't get many fans to a game. Honestly, I would imagine most folks here didn't even know there was a game last night.

That's pretty much the highlights...and I'm sure I'm missing something. That is all.

[shox1989]

Beings that I live down here (Tulsa area), and was at the game...I'll give my two cents.
1). The fans I know of, like Wojick. He's a nice guy, active in the community, etc.
2). Remember, this is football country. Every headline in the local news is football first. Basketball takes a back seat.
3). Location to TU isn't the best for getting in/out. Most of the population that would go to a game, live south. The demographics of the town have changed a lot the last 20+ years. If the arena was in south Tulsa, they'd drawn more, IMO. Heck, it's easier - quicker to get to/from your home for an ORU game. (which by the way, if you ever get the chance, and have young kids...you need to go. Great family atmosphere at ORU).
4). Parking at TU games suck, and that's putting it nicely. If you think WSU parking is bad, you haven't seen nothing.
5). Again, media is an issue. They need more games on TV for the local fans to follow. Imagine if WSU didn't broadcast the Shockers away games, and a few of the home games. It's hard for TU to build a fan base without good local media backing.
6). Did I mention football? When the college football is "technically" over (bowl games), the average sport fans here need something to do before spring football starts back up. They'll pay attention to basketball at that time.
7). Not a very strong student body base. Nothing to help out there, just simply not a lot of students who would go watch a basketball game.

Add it all together, and you don't get many fans to a game. Honestly, I would imagine most folks here didn't even know there was a game last night.

That's pretty much the highlights...and I'm sure I'm missing something. That is all.

Believe me it wasn't like that when Nolan Richardson and JD Barnett were the coaches at Tulsa. Tulsa basketball was a pretty hot ticket in those days.

But it does seem like during the last 10 years or so that Tulsa basketball interest has really dropped. Personally I think part of it has to do with Tulsa changing conferences so much. It is hard to build up rivalries and interest if you change conferences often and/or the teams in your conference change a lot. Tulsa has experienced both a lot ever since they left the Valley.

[shox1989]

It was impossible to find Tulsa fans under the age of fifty. I think they have demog Traphic issue that goes way beyond the coaches performance.

I think that is a lot of Tulsa's problem too. They had an old fan base back in Nolan Richardson days and they haven't built new fans since then. Each year more of their fan
base dies off.

You have to get your games on TV if you want to expand your fan base. Tulsa hasn't been doing that.

Reviving the Wichita St-Tulsa Rivalry would probably do a lot more to help Tulsa than WSU. Unfortunately their Athletic Dept. doesn't seem to realize that.

[WuDrWu]

It was impossible to find Tulsa fans under the age of fifty. I think they have demographic issue that goes way beyond the coaches performance.

There is another fan base dangerously close to mimicking this scenario.......

[shox1989]

There is another fan base dangerously close to mimicking this scenario.......

I agree that WSU has that problem too, but it is not as bad here as there. That is one of the reasons I would love to see more WSU games on Channel 12 (or some other regular TV channels).

Younger people in Wichita are not as much WSU fans as their grandparents and parents.

[BAShocker]

Shox1989, you're right...the conference affliation is another reason for lack of a fan base. They'd much rather play teams in this geographic area. I mean, when Marshall or East Carolina come to town....yawwnnnn. It'll be intersting to see how many show up next week against Creighton.

[wsushox1]

In other news bob lutz estimates close too 15,000 at the wildcat classic. Higgins calling a tight game tonight too, lots of ticky tacky fouls in this game.

[XManCometh]

WSU fans are spoiled. There are A LOT of places in the nation that don't pack out their arena for every game.

[XManCometh]

In other news bob lutz estimates close too 15,000 at the wildcat classic. Higgins calling a tight game tonight too, lots of ticky tacky fouls in this game.

I thought it's been called pretty well, actually. These KSU/WVU players are out of control 90% of the time.

[wsushox1]

Official sellout at IBA.