 |
How do we get more crowds like this at the Sewall Center?
|
the top of the list. For the sake of this blog, it also included data for Robert Morris and other teams in the NEC.
Average attendance
|
% capacity
|
2012-13 record
|
|
LIU
|
2,519
|
83.97
|
20-14
|
Monmouth
|
1,908
|
46.54
|
10-21
|
1,905
|
71.78
|
13-17
|
|
Quinnipiac
|
1,837
|
51.46
|
15-16
|
Bryant
|
1,525
|
58.65
|
19-12
|
Wagner
|
1,507
|
71.76
|
19-12
|
Mount St. Mary's
|
1,227
|
35.06
|
18-14
|
Robert Morris
|
1,196
|
39.14
|
24-11
|
Saint Francis (PA)
|
959
|
27.4
|
5-24
|
Sacred Heart
|
788
|
38.22
|
9-20
|
St. Francis (NY)
|
582
|
48.5
|
12-18
|
Fairleigh Dickinson
|
574
|
19.13
|
7-24
|
Chris: So, I
think the initial reaction is “what the hell guys?” I mean, it’s not like
anyone is surprised by these statistics but it’s still frustrating to see.
Eighth in attendance? Really? Why is that?
One thing to keep in mind is the sort of transition phase
Robert Morris is in as a university. Currently, RMU is still primarily a
commuter school. Of the 5,413 students that go to Robert Morris, only 2,000
live on-campus (approximate numbers). And it’s not just the students either. There have been plenty of games where
students will be there and the community will not. It’s a team effort.
Three things I’ve learned that will get students to games at
RMU…
1) Free t-shirts: We could sell out the Sewall Center
2) Game is on national television: From ESPN to ROOT it
doesn’t matter.
3) …shit. I think it’s just those two actually.
RMU plays only 12 regular season home games this year. RMU
will also be very good. Hopefully, people will be excited for the rare
opportunities the Colonials will be at the Chuck. The excitement is clearly
there. I know this. We had 3,500+ people jammed in at the Kentucky game. There were over 400 people at
Latitude 40 for a viewing party of the Providence
game after that. Will that excitement from March carry over into November? I
hope so but am skeptical.
I think a rewards system would get more students around.
What if after every game you received a certificate of proof that you were at
the game? After four games you receive a small prize, after eight a larger one,
and then complete attendance gives you a grand prize of sorts. What should
these prizes be? Maybe someone a little smarter than I should figure that out.
Lee: First off I must say, the program and school have actually came a longggg way from my freshman year (09-10) to my senior year (12-13). When RMU played in the NEC semifinals on the first Saturday of spring break my freshman year against Mount St. Mary's, there was nobody at the game. I mean nobody. Me and my buddy and about 10 other lacrosse players made up the student section.
The crowd for the semifinal this year on that same first Saturday of spring break (again against Mount St. Mary's) was much better (one of the the best all season). RMU comes out for the big games now which is progress, but there is still work (okay, a lotttt of work) to be done.
RMU should average over 1,800 per contest. Over 2000 is a bit far-fetched, after all no team in the league TRULY did that this past season (but Lee, LIU is over 2000?? Answer: No they were not close to that if you take away their games at Barclays Center where there were BCS program teams playing later in the day. The Steinberg Wellness Center only holds a capacity of 2500. LIU had an empty house for the RMU ESPNU game, and the NEC Championship).
What amazes me is the growth at Bryant. That is where the Colonials should be. They sold out regularly, and provided maybe the best three NEC conference game crowds packing over 2000 into their small gym. They didn't need the excuse of Kentucky to get a sell out.
The Colonials are 35 and 8 at the Sewall Center the past three years, and have regularly contended for the NEC championship. There is a great product on the court but not a great demand. Here is my reasoning...
1) RMU is a commuter school, but that's changing. Hopefully the record number of students (including record number of students living on campus) can increase numbers, and lead to bigger student sections.
RMU students, listen to me, you have four years to act like a lunatic at a game and it be applauded for it. You have the rest of your life to go to a game and casually enjoy it. STAND UP AND GO NUTS. After all anyone who was at that UK game, or Ohio, or even Mount St Mary's or SF Brooklyn games in the NEC tournament will tell you how much fun they had going crazy. It's the best way to take in the game, and every member on the team greatly appreciates them having that behind them. Those guys will tell you it helps them elevate their game!!
2) The schedule isn't appetizing. While a college basketball fan loves seeing Ohio on the schedule at home or Toledo this season, the regular student doesn't find that appealing. Duquesne brings in some local appeal, but there will never be a Kentucky or Duke (or even Pitt) on the regular season home schedule. Maybe the athletic department can get a Temple or Penn State, but even that will be very difficult. The Rider's and Cleveland State's of the world will have to do for now.
3) There is a lot to do in the area. South Side, University of Pitt (both athletics and other activities), other universities, the professional sport teams are all a short drive away, not to mention movies and all those other forms of entertainment. Maybe an RMU/CCSU game on a brisk January night isn't the number thing one most people in the Moon and surrounding areas agenda?
There are probably a lot more questions that go into this even bigger question that the athletic department and many around the university have been trying to solve for years, but we don't have the time nor space to dive that deep into this matter.
One thing is for sure, RMU and the athletic department have never had a win like the one RMU picked up last year in the final game of the season at the Sewall Center to catapult them into a new campaign. This team will once again threaten to win 20 games, compete for an NEC title, and deserves to have the best attendance figures in the NEC. Now it's time for the fans to deliver.
Lee: First off I must say, the program and school have actually came a longggg way from my freshman year (09-10) to my senior year (12-13). When RMU played in the NEC semifinals on the first Saturday of spring break my freshman year against Mount St. Mary's, there was nobody at the game. I mean nobody. Me and my buddy and about 10 other lacrosse players made up the student section.
 |
Last years crowd for the biggest conference game of the year
was less then stellar (photo: Justin Berl)
|
The crowd for the semifinal this year on that same first Saturday of spring break (again against Mount St. Mary's) was much better (one of the the best all season). RMU comes out for the big games now which is progress, but there is still work (okay, a lotttt of work) to be done.
RMU should average over 1,800 per contest. Over 2000 is a bit far-fetched, after all no team in the league TRULY did that this past season (but Lee, LIU is over 2000?? Answer: No they were not close to that if you take away their games at Barclays Center where there were BCS program teams playing later in the day. The Steinberg Wellness Center only holds a capacity of 2500. LIU had an empty house for the RMU ESPNU game, and the NEC Championship).
What amazes me is the growth at Bryant. That is where the Colonials should be. They sold out regularly, and provided maybe the best three NEC conference game crowds packing over 2000 into their small gym. They didn't need the excuse of Kentucky to get a sell out.
The Colonials are 35 and 8 at the Sewall Center the past three years, and have regularly contended for the NEC championship. There is a great product on the court but not a great demand. Here is my reasoning...
1) RMU is a commuter school, but that's changing. Hopefully the record number of students (including record number of students living on campus) can increase numbers, and lead to bigger student sections.
RMU students, listen to me, you have four years to act like a lunatic at a game and it be applauded for it. You have the rest of your life to go to a game and casually enjoy it. STAND UP AND GO NUTS. After all anyone who was at that UK game, or Ohio, or even Mount St Mary's or SF Brooklyn games in the NEC tournament will tell you how much fun they had going crazy. It's the best way to take in the game, and every member on the team greatly appreciates them having that behind them. Those guys will tell you it helps them elevate their game!!
2) The schedule isn't appetizing. While a college basketball fan loves seeing Ohio on the schedule at home or Toledo this season, the regular student doesn't find that appealing. Duquesne brings in some local appeal, but there will never be a Kentucky or Duke (or even Pitt) on the regular season home schedule. Maybe the athletic department can get a Temple or Penn State, but even that will be very difficult. The Rider's and Cleveland State's of the world will have to do for now.
3) There is a lot to do in the area. South Side, University of Pitt (both athletics and other activities), other universities, the professional sport teams are all a short drive away, not to mention movies and all those other forms of entertainment. Maybe an RMU/CCSU game on a brisk January night isn't the number thing one most people in the Moon and surrounding areas agenda?
There are probably a lot more questions that go into this even bigger question that the athletic department and many around the university have been trying to solve for years, but we don't have the time nor space to dive that deep into this matter.
One thing is for sure, RMU and the athletic department have never had a win like the one RMU picked up last year in the final game of the season at the Sewall Center to catapult them into a new campaign. This team will once again threaten to win 20 games, compete for an NEC title, and deserves to have the best attendance figures in the NEC. Now it's time for the fans to deliver.
No comments:
Post a Comment