2022 Home Attendance and Trends

[Shocktoberfest]

There's really no need to follow Century Two with terrible venue. It goes without saying.

What???? But the Miss USA Pageant!

[shocktown]

It still is 2022 so I was wondering about attendance going forward. Specifically for Thursday playing TSU with potential blowing snow and -30 wind chill!

[asiseeit]

Program and attendance deteriorating fast. Fans are not even using the tickets they have already purchased so they won't likely renew. Probably have gone to my last Intrust game, as well, and I have been to every one.

[WuShock16]

I told my parents to buy season tickets in 2006 because it was getting harder to get them tickets on an individual basis. That’s definitely not the case anymore.

Another big reason to have season tickets is to make sure that you can get tickets to “that one game.” You get K-State basketball season tickets so that you can be assured to get tickets to KU game. You get OSU football season tickets so that you get Bedlam tickets. You get NFL season tickets so that you can get playoffs tickets. WSU doesn’t have “that one game” anymore (Creighton/GameDay 2015/Senior Day 2016).

I renewed this past offseason after shooting my mouth off about being pissed with Darron and then getting my wish. Felt like I kinda owed it to WSU for that.

Unfortunately, I just haven’t cared too much this year. Have barely watched games, let alone gone to them. I would still enjoy going to a few, but my life priorities have changed to where I don’t need to go all the time. My mom is starting to have trouble with stairs at the arena too, so that’s also a problem (nobody’s fault but a problem nonetheless).

So…this year is likely it for me. That said, there is one thing and specifically one thing only that would make me want to go to every single game again. In the words of Lloyd Christmas, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance.”

[pinstripers]

Thursday evening vs University of Nobody, KAKE says potential of -45 wing chill............guessing 2400 butts in the seats

[SubGod22]

Texas Southern isn't nobody, though they are off to a rough start this year. But the weather does look to be miserable. I've also seen some speculation that we could have between 3-6 inches of snow by then, on top of the bitter cold and extreme wind (50mph).

Was it the UAB game around 2007 where we were hit with an ice storm the day before and yet 7-8k showed up? I believe the game was sold out, or close to it. That's the difference between a program with hope and a program with little.

[WstateU]

Texas Southern isn't nobody, though they are off to a rough start this year. But the weather does look to be miserable. I've also seen some speculation that we could have between 3-6 inches of snow by then, on top of the bitter cold and extreme wind (50mph).

Was it the UAB game around 2007 where we were hit with an ice storm the day before and yet 7-8k showed up? I believe the game was sold out, or close to it. That's the difference between a program with hope and a program with little.

I was there… it was colder than a well-diggers arse.

[SubGod22]

I was there too. I believe they pushed back the start time to allow for roads and parking lots to be cleared to make travel to and from safer. It was a slow drive in but the roads, at least the ones I took, where in pretty good shape. I don't know how cold a well-diggers ass is, but if memory serves, it was pretty darn frigid that day.

[pinstripers]

Texas Southern isn't nobody, though they are off to a rough start this year. But the weather does look to be miserable. I've also seen some speculation that we could have between 3-6 inches of snow by then, on top of the bitter cold and extreme wind (50mph).

Was it the UAB game around 2007 where we were hit with an ice storm the day before and yet 7-8k showed up? I believe the game was sold out, or close to it. That's the difference between a program with hope and a program with little.

We were there. Passed 26 (I think) vehicles in the ditch on the way in. Stupid.

[JVShocker]

High school basketball may be a viable alternative for some people who want to watch live basketball, but the question has to be asked: Is it possible to set things right "at this level?" I certainly don't have the answer. But, if you want people to give you money for your product, it begins with being a good product. The University needs a product (basketball, facilities, policies, leaders, coaches, administration, and players) that inspire loyalty and a desire to be at this place. Wichita State basketball in its present form does not fit this criteria.


(begin mindless rant)
In my opinion (your mileage will vary), many of the problems originate from a deterioration of the product (basketball, both collegiate and professional). I commented about this years ago that the way things were headed, segments of fan bases would erode and would be difficult to replace. And I was chided up and down the board with comments like "there's no way fans will ever stop going to Shocker games." (I think actually, someone asked if I had stopped taking any recent medications, of which I don't take any).

The trend line has been down for some time. Lack of basketball (I.Q.), the NIL, Transfer Portal, Covid and greed on all sides have really hurt more than just the Wichita State program. Doesn't help that the NCAA has become a huge cash grabbing cow and that they couldn't enforce rules that had been on the books for years. There's really too much to talk about on the topic, and I can't be the only one who feels impacted by all the poor decision making.

And I have no idea what the answer is. College basketball has become an entertainment industry, like going to the movie theater. Its easier to stay home and stream the new movie than pay the ridiculous prices for tickets and concessions.

[pinstripers]

And I have no idea what the answer is. College basketball has become an entertainment industry, like going to the movie theater. Its easier to stay home and stream the new movie than pay the ridiculous prices for tickets and concessions.

West Warren a few weeks ago, a huge popcorn, mrs p's big gulp and a bottle of water......$23.72

[RoyalRash]

"Originally posted by JVSHocker

"But, if you want people to give you money for your product, it begins with being a good product. The University needs a product (basketball, facilities, policies, leaders, coaches, administration, and players) that inspire loyalty and a desire to be at this place. Wichita State basketball in its present form does not fit these criteria."

The above quote rings true!
FVV wanted to donate to just MBB, and Dumbright rejected it. Until the program gets all in sync we are in for some big probs. NIL is another huge problem, some donors, have not even been approached to help because of the current HC.
Does anyone know the buyout for IB?

[WstateU]

I was there too. I believe they pushed back the start time to allow for roads and parking lots to be cleared to make travel to and from safer. It was a slow drive in but the roads, at least the ones I took, where in pretty good shape. I don't know how cold a well-diggers ass is, but if memory serves, it was pretty darn frigid that day.

[WuShock16]

High school basketball may be a viable alternative for some people who want to watch live basketball, but the question has to be asked: Is it possible to set things right "at this level?" I certainly don't have the answer. But, if you want people to give you money for your product, it begins with being a good product. The University needs a product (basketball, facilities, policies, leaders, coaches, administration, and players) that inspire loyalty and a desire to be at this place. Wichita State basketball in its present form does not fit this criteria.


(begin mindless rant)
In my opinion (your mileage will vary), many of the problems originate from a deterioration of the product (basketball, both collegiate and professional). I commented about this years ago that the way things were headed, segments of fan bases would erode and would be difficult to replace. And I was chided up and down the board with comments like "there's no way fans will ever stop going to Shocker games." (I think actually, someone asked if I had stopped taking any recent medications, of which I don't take any).

The trend line has been down for some time. Lack of basketball (I.Q.), the NIL, Transfer Portal, Covid and greed on all sides have really hurt more than just the Wichita State program. Doesn't help that the NCAA has become a huge cash grabbing cow and that they couldn't enforce rules that had been on the books for years. There's really too much to talk about on the topic, and I can't be the only one who feels impacted by all the poor decision making.

And I have no idea what the answer is. College basketball has become an entertainment industry, like going to the movie theater. Its easier to stay home and stream the new movie than pay the ridiculous prices for tickets and concessions.

You weren't wrong. I might have been right there with you. I remember when people were gung-ho for expanding CKA capacity. I said to pump the breaks because if WSU ever dropped back to .500, "the Marshall Faithful" (my made-up term) wouldn't be there to go to games like "the Stallworth faithful" did during the 90s. I thought that was years down the road though, not within a decade of the Final Four.

I still think it goes back to some arrogance that WSU Athletics had, taking the fanbase for granted for many years. They raised prices and SASO dues with the attitude of "we know you will pay it." Now that things have taken a downturn, I almost think it's karma.

Here's an example that I mentioned to a couple friends. I was fortunate to be able to tithe my income this year, so I made a budgeted plan of how I wanted to give that amount of donations over the year. One donation went to an organization where one of my dear friends is involved. When I gave her that check for $500 a couple weeks ago, she practically bear-hugged me. Not that I want or expect the WSU staffers to do the same, but I kinda get the impression that such a gift would be looked at like "That's cute. We have people who add a couple more digits to their gift." I get it. I'm small potatoes and likely won't ever 5+ digit gift to WSU. But who knows? If I ever find myself in that situation where I can, I do have an incredibly good memory.

[WuDrWu]

We were there. Passed 26 (I think) vehicles in the ditch on the way in. Stupid.

The day was actually picturesque. But yeah it was cold and there was quite a bit of snow, enough that I got stuck getting out of the driveway. Slow and steady won the day and the facilities crew at WSU did a bang up job getting the parking lot usable. And the crowd that made it to the game got after it.

There won't be anywhere near 2400 on Thursday. Maybe a thousand. MAYBE. Hell, I may be alone.

The great run was always going to come to an end, I just don't think anyone expected the fall to be this bad or hurt this much.

Thank you Mark Turgeon for setting the table, and thank you Gregg Marshall for serving the best ****ing decade long gourmet meal I could ever dream of consuming.