Wichita State vs. JSU Pregame Discussion 11-9-21

[Dan]

I’m just gonna guess that we have a big chunk of people that are still avoiding crowds - especially the older demographic. The students are the ones that need to get their butts in the seats.

[Horn28Clem30]

Wichita -7.5, over/under 141.5 to open, thoughts?

[WuDrWu]

It's not any "one thing" but a variety of differing options and obstacles that's affecting attendance everywhere, not just at WSU.

I would argue that even capitalism, in a small part, affects attendance. Look at NFL games. 20 years ago, with very few notable exceptions, you'd only see a smattering of visiting fans at games. Nowadays there are 1000s of fans of the visiting team at every game because people know they can buy tickets and sell them at a profit to insane fans. I'm not suggesting this goes on here and today at WSU but it absolutely did at times in the last 10 years.

You also have the need to garner corporate dollars which leads to less passionate fans. While I attend almost all of the games, I know often times I have extras at the last minute and can rarely even give them away. That NEVER happened 20-30 years ago. 40 years ago I could find any of 50 people meandering around the arena at game time to give a ticket to and that just isn't the case anymore, again for a variety of reasons.

I would simply add this....in my advanced and declining years, I realize more value in supporting the kids (and their coaches), especially the ones I've gotten to know one way or the other, and regret when I can't show them that support in person. I kind of feel like I owe that to them for entertaining me so often. It literally is the least I can do.

And I don't want to feel that regret any more than I have to.

[Wuzee]

This isn't really directed at SF - But...

For those of you in Wichita and the surrounding area that regularly read this board and are NOT going tonight... Why?

I get the masks, really I do, its super annoying. I also don't mind it if they are hands off in the enforcement.

I really question how spoiled and ridiculous many of our fans have gotten.

And maybe I am wrong... but it seems like there are... dozens of posters here who would rather sit at home and ***** than pay $8 and have fun at the game. And I find that to be silly.

Or, maybe, they never have gone to the games and are just posturing. Would love to know the split on that.

[wichshock65]

It's not any "one thing" but a variety of differing options and obstacles that's affecting attendance everywhere, not just at WSU.

I would argue that even capitalism, in a small part, affects attendance. Look at NFL games. 20 years ago, with very few notable exceptions, you'd only see a smattering of visiting fans at games. Nowadays there are 1000s of fans of the visiting team at every game because people know they can buy tickets and sell them at a profit to insane fans. I'm not suggesting this goes on here and today at WSU but it absolutely did at times in the last 10 years.

You also have the need to garner corporate dollars which leads to less passionate fans. While I attend almost all of the games, I know often times I have extras at the last minute and can rarely even give them away. That NEVER happened 20-30 years ago. 40 years ago I could find any of 50 people meandering around the arena at game time to give a ticket to and that just isn't the case anymore, again for a variety of reasons.

I would simply add this....in my advanced and declining years, I realize more value in supporting the kids (and their coaches), especially the ones I've gotten to know one way or the other, and regret when I can't show them that support in person. I kind of feel like I owe that to them for entertaining me so often. It literally is the least I can do.

And I don't want to feel that regret any more than I have to.

in my advanced and declining years

Oh please! You are neither advanced nor (or is it or?) declining. We will be there and hope to come home with no voice, like what happened at TBT. So many tickets on secondary market. We wait to buy until last minute for best deals but noticed as low as 5 bucks this morning. Shocker tickets for $5....crazy.

With all games being on TV, I get that it's damn convenient to sit at home in the Lazy Boy and not fight parking and a drink at the Roundhouse that might cost twice as much as your ticket. But let's support these kids and there's nothing like the experience. Watching the Shocks kick butt with 10,506 of your closest friends. Nothing better!

As Pin sometimes says, IT'S GAMEDAY BITCHES! BASKETBALL IS BACK!

GO SHOCKS!

[pinstripers]

Usually we can give our tickets away, when we can't go.............

[SubGod22]

This isn't really directed at SF - But...

For those of you in Wichita and the surrounding area that regularly read this board and are NOT going tonight... Why?

I get the masks, really I do, its super annoying. I also don't mind it if they are hands off in the enforcement.

I really question how spoiled and ridiculous many of our fans have gotten.

And maybe I am wrong... but it seems like there are... dozens of posters here who would rather sit at home and ***** than pay $8 and have fun at the game. And I find that to be silly.

I'm going to wait and see if mask enforcement continues to be non-existent for more than just one game. I can't sit with a mask for two and half hours and need more than just the exhibition game to prove that they aren't going to enforce it.

[shoxlax]

This discussion reminds me of the Yogi Berra when asked about a popular restaurant:

”Nobody goes there anymore because that place is too crowded”

[Stickboy46]

I would simply add this....in my advanced and declining years, I realize more value in supporting the kids (and their coaches), especially the ones I've gotten to know one way or the other, and regret when I can't show them that support in person. I kind of feel like I owe that to them for entertaining me so often. It literally is the least I can do.

While i'm not quite in my advanced and declining years ... yet ... i agree with this. The majority of the reasons people complain about here have nothing to do with the kids on the court. They have no control over whether masks are mandated, what promos are run, what the in house non-game experience is like, the cost of concessions, the cost of tickets ... they have no control at all over that. They did choose to spend their time here representing the university. I want to support them for that.

On top of that, many of them likely chose WSU in at least some capacity BECAUSE of that fan support. If we start only consistently putting 5k butts in seats, we lose one of our major recruiting advantages ... we don't have many of those advantages in comparison to who we are recruiting against. I don't want to see our program head downhill because people stopped going over trivial reasons.

Just my 2 cents (which will buy you one kernel of popcorn ... no butter or salt though).

[wichshock65]

While i'm not quite in my advanced and declining years ... yet ... i agree with this. The majority of the reasons people complain about here have nothing to do with the kids on the court. They have no control over whether masks are mandated, what promos are run, what the in house non-game experience is like, the cost of concessions, the cost of tickets ... they have no control at all over that. They did choose to spend their time here representing the university. I want to support them for that.

On top of that, many of them likely chose WSU in at least some capacity BECAUSE of that fan support. If we start only consistently putting 5k butts in seats, we lose one of our major recruiting advantages ... we don't have many of those advantages in comparison to who we are recruiting against. I don't want to see our program head downhill because people stopped going over trivial reasons.

Just my 2 cents (which will buy you one kernel of popcorn ... no butter or salt though).

I wonder if we start showing up in the top 25, will that help attendance?

[Stickboy46]

I wonder if we start showing up in the top 25, will that help attendance?

Always does ... but shouldn't be the only reason people show up.

[BostonWu]

Many games on ESPN+ this year. My big gripe is that there is no way to hide scores or select “start from the beginning” like on the MLB app for example. Super annoying if you’d like to start viewing a little late in the broadcast, which for me, is almost always. When my wife is around, I have her start it up and rewind it to the beginning for me. So stupid they can’t figure that out.
#firstworldproblems

Nail on the head. Need to take a page from MLB app. Hide scores and choice to start viewing from the beginning. Seems so simple.

[Shockm]

In years past, during the games prior to Christmas, we never had more than 8-9K in the seats. Totally sold out, but not with seats full. Conference games were always full and totally rocking after Christmas. Probably after the pandemic, we aren't sold out, but maybe close to what it was.

[WuShock16]

I am hoping to be back to regularly coming to games next season. I should have season tickets again, and my son will be old enough to start coming to games (though we need to get the kid potty trained too...with bag issues, I'd rather not mess with having to bring diaper bag). Having my kids start coming to games with me should help me attend more games because rather than leaving my wife at home with the child units to go to games, it will be an easier sell to say that the kids are coming with me.

Tonight is a no-go for me because my FIL is heading to a memory care unit today, and I am guessing that my wife won't be handling that well. I probably should should stay home to help her out.

[ShockerExpress]

While i'm not quite in my advanced and declining years ... yet ... i agree with this. The majority of the reasons people complain about here have nothing to do with the kids on the court. They have no control over whether masks are mandated, what promos are run, what the in house non-game experience is like, the cost of concessions, the cost of tickets ... they have no control at all over that. They did choose to spend their time here representing the university. I want to support them for that.

On top of that, many of them likely chose WSU in at least some capacity BECAUSE of that fan support. If we start only consistently putting 5k butts in seats, we lose one of our major recruiting advantages ... we don't have many of those advantages in comparison to who we are recruiting against. I don't want to see our program head downhill because people stopped going over trivial reasons.

Just my 2 cents (which will buy you one kernel of popcorn ... no butter or salt though).

Yup, agreed 100-percent. If there are 6.5K there we lose quite a bit of our advantage on many fronts, conference expansion, recruiting, ability to retain coaches - ect. - and when I see tickets going for $8 on stubhub, there is just no excuse. Put up or shut up.