Sycamore hoops attendance plummets in 2015

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Jason Svoboda

Jason Svoboda

The Bird Level
Administrator
Credit goes to ShockerNet as they did a fine job compiling it, post Odum attendance fell through the floor.

2015 - 4,364
2014 - 5,946
2013 - 5,726
2012 - 5,433
2011 - 5,602
2010 - 4,807
2009 - 4,009
2008 - 4,289
2007 - 4,328
2006 - 4,278
2005 - 3,781
2004 - 4,168
2003 - 4,339
2002 - 5,132
2001 - 6,056
2000 - 6,750
1999 - 6,061
1998 - 6,652
1997 - 4,895
1996 - 5,031
1995 - 5,108
1994 - 4,779
1993 - 5,210
1992 - 5,983
1991 - 5,356
1990 - 5,459
1989 - 4,087
1988 - 4,338
1987 - 3,961
1986 - 4,635
1985 - 4,947

Average - 5,016.44

Our home game numbers from this year:

4,348
3,721
5,528
3,561
3,571
3,578
3,948
3,677
4,335
5,496
4,389
4,595
4,250
4,289
6,169

Average - 4,364

http://shockernet.net/forum/showthread.php?20084
 

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I don't think this is a big deal at all. We had a losing season and we still averaged about 300 more people in attendance than the last time we had a losing season.
 
As I noted before, the impact of local players was not as high as I'm sure ISU hoped for ...............that said, again the increase we did have over the past few years and the drop off this year shows that once again we do not develop "ISU FANS" during our peaks in winning. We get a few extra fans for a couple of years but no substained increase. We just don't seem to be able to build up our fan BASE.
Therein lies the challenge for ISU -- and we have no history of success at meeting that challenge.
 

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sycamorebacker said:
For me to make the drive there, it's all about consistency. When I give up an evening, I want to watch a team that makes the effort to be competitive. And it's not just about winning. I don't enjoy watching a game where we are a 12 pt favorite and win by 2.
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Same here, I need consistency. I have a deal with the sycamores. I always get season tickets but only come to the game if they win the road game before. If they don't travel well, then we don't travel to see them. Seems fair to me.
 
Besides a below average product to watch, attendance decline actually started before the season opening tip-off

Upper concourse season tickets went from $50.00 to $82.00.

Or in other words....if you're buying for your family of 5, the total cost jumped from $250 to $410!!!

Making the renewal of season tickets for some, unpalatable and no longer unaffordable.....

Link to new 2014/2015 ticket prices. http://www.gosycamores.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205426172
 
Gotta Hav said:
Besides a below average product to watch, attendance decline actually started before the season opening tip-off

Upper concourse season tickets went from $50.00 to $82.00.

Or in other words....if you're buying for your family of 5, the total cost jumped from $250 to $410!!!

Making the renewal of season tickets for some, unpalatable and no longer unaffordable.....

Link to new 2014/2015 ticket prices. http://www.gosycamores.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205426172
Click to expand...
Why did they do that? That was a great deal that they were doing with the upper-bowl season tickets.
 
treeman said:
Why did they do that? That was a great deal that they were doing with the upper-bowl season tickets.
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The reality is, it's really still a good deal at $82.00.

Where in the country can you purchase Division I season tickets, at that price?

A smart move for our market would have been to raise the prices on the Lower Bowl season tickets (where the real money is) and left the Upper Bowl at $50.00
 

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My family of four had season tickets for 19 years until this year. I did not renew because of required donation to varsity club. I was able to walk up to the door at each game and buy exact same seats and not pay the varsity club donation. That was a 500 dollar savings.................
 
eagletree said:
My family of four had season tickets for 19 years until this year. I did not renew because of required donation to varsity club. I was able to walk up to the door at each game and buy exact same seats and not pay the varsity club donation. That was a 500 dollar savings.................
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With all due respect, you have just illustrated why ISU athletics is in dire financial straits. Where do fans think the money will come from to compete in the Missouri Valley Conference if most of our fan base is offended by the donation to the athletics fund for tickets? I get that the product on the floor wasn't the greatest this year, but in order to survive, ISU needs loyal fans who will pay the donation because they realize that without those donations, we'll never be able to put a consistently good product on the floor. Next year, I hope you'll seriously reconsider your approach and donate to the future of ISU athletics so that we can have programs to be proud of. And I really, honestly meant no disrespect in this post. Just hoping that more people will see that ISU needs more donors, or we won't have to worry about cheering for any ISU team in the future.
 
I donate every time they call on the phone! attend every home football and basketball game and not at a cheap upper ticket price. You would be hard to find a more diehard ISU fan- but it makes NO sense for a working family to hand over an extra 500 a year for the exact same seats. If I had that extra money I might think about it. We are a one income family supporting two kids through ISU. By the way there was another $40,000 donation times two. Think I have done my part but yes we will be there through good and bad seasons yelling and cheering for Big Blue because we are as I said diehard fans. Sometimes you have to make financial decisions.
 
IndyTreeFan said:
With all due respect, you have just illustrated why ISU athletics is in dire financial straits. Where do fans think the money will come from to compete in the Missouri Valley Conference if most of our fan base is offended by the donation to the athletics fund for tickets? I get that the product on the floor wasn't the greatest this year, but in order to survive, ISU needs loyal fans who will pay the donation because they realize that without those donations, we'll never be able to put a consistently good product on the floor. Next year, I hope you'll seriously reconsider your approach and donate to the future of ISU athletics so that we can have programs to be proud of. And I really, honestly meant no disrespect in this post. Just hoping that more people will see that ISU needs more donors, or we won't have to worry about cheering for any ISU team in the future.
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This shit cracks me up . First you people bitch and complain about nobody coming to the damn games . Now your bitching because Eagletree shows up but doesn't donate enough money . If you all were such great at donating then we would be financially secure in out athletics department . People do not know how each person is when it comes to money or anything else . The fact that he pays the price for his tickets regardless of where he sits or how much he donates he is supporting the program by showing up to the game.
 
How many season ticket holders do we have? Not that many, I would guess. Even if it's 1,000, if they each pay $500 that's $500,000, which would be nice, but isn't going to be enough to have a major impact. I'd rather make sure we keep people coming to the games. I plan to start donating more, but it won't be anywhere close to $500 a year.
 

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skdent1414 said:
Same here, I need consistency. I have a deal with the sycamores. I always get season tickets but only come to the game if they win the road game before. If they don't travel well, then we don't travel to see them. Seems fair to me.
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aka I am going to the IU game... Get outta here with all that.
 
Daveinth said:
This shit cracks me up . First you people bitch and complain about nobody coming to the damn games . Now your bitching because Eagletree shows up but doesn't donate enough money . If you all were such great at donating then we would be financially secure in out athletics department . People do not know how each person is when it comes to money or anything else . The fact that he pays the price for his tickets regardless of where he sits or how much he donates he is supporting the program by showing up to the game.
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My point, to put it in a simpler way, is that if we don't have more donors, we won't have to worry about people coming to the "damn games." I know, I know, everyone associated with Indiana State is too poor to afford to donate. Yeah, right. Eagletree, himself, is donating to ISU, by putting two kids through there. I can sympathize with that, and I appreciate it. But there are many, many, many fans who bitch and moan about "that damn donation" and then turn around and wonder why we're never as good as Wichita State. Well, there's a correlation there. Do I need to explain it? Cause I can draw pictures if that would help.

You folks have no idea what ISU athletics is facing. You think you know, but I guarantee you, you don't, or you wouldn't get pissed off by my pointing out that too many people refuse to donate to ISU.

Enjoy our sports while you can...:annoyed:
 
Daveinth said:
This shit cracks me up . First you people bitch and complain about nobody coming to the damn games . Now your bitching because Eagletree shows up but doesn't donate enough money . If you all were such great at donating then we would be financially secure in out athletics department . People do not know how each person is when it comes to money or anything else . The fact that he pays the price for his tickets regardless of where he sits or how much he donates he is supporting the program by showing up to the game.
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Fair point. But to be clear, ITF wasn't really "bitching and complaining" he was pointing out a fundamental problem with Indiana State fans... But the reality of the matter is that a lot of Indiana State fans can't afford another $500 and even if they could they don't have a relationship with ISU where they want to be told that they have to donate.

I kind of sit in the middle on this topic, on one hand yes - Indiana State fans that buy annual season tickets and can afford the varsity club donation should just suck it up. Ticket prices at Indiana State as a whole are more affordable than other places in the country, it is really a decent value. Plus, as ITF mentioned - we are trying to grow something here and lets face it you don't grow anything without any money.

But on the other hand, Indiana State does a poor job with creating a relationship with its fans. First of all the fan experience at a given game is junk (you get what you pay for). The run of show and the promotion of games has been questionable for years. All of this helps create an atmosphere that people enjoy. It's not like they can sell the Hulman Center as an historical venue to watch a game, in addition our program never capitalized on our once historic past. I mean we put John Wooden's name on our court, who outside of Indiana State knows or even cares that Wooden coached here? I don't think very many people. No I don't think people really care what name is on the court or the building, but everything adds up. Indiana State doesn't create a relationship with most fans that would justify them paying an additional $500 a year - so I get it.
 
SycamoreStateofMind said:
Fair point. But to be clear, ITF wasn't really "bitching and complaining" he was pointing out a fundamental problem with Indiana State fans... But the reality of the matter is that a lot of Indiana State fans can't afford another $500 and even if they could they don't have a relationship with ISU where they want to be told that they have to donate.

I kind of sit in the middle on this topic, on one hand yes - Indiana State fans that buy annual season tickets and can afford the varsity club donation should just suck it up. Ticket prices at Indiana State as a whole are more affordable than other places in the country, it is really a decent value. Plus, as ITF mentioned - we are trying to grow something here and lets face it you don't grow anything without any money.

But on the other hand, Indiana State does a poor job with creating a relationship with its fans. First of all the fan experience at a given game is junk (you get what you pay for). The run of show and the promotion of games has been questionable for years. All of this helps create an atmosphere that people enjoy. It's not like they can sell the Hulman Center as an historical venue to watch a game, in addition our program never capitalized on our once historic past. I mean we put John Wooden's name on our court, who outside of Indiana State knows or even cares that Wooden coached here? I don't think very many people. No I don't think people really care what name is on the court or the building, but everything adds up. Indiana State doesn't create a relationship with most fans that would justify them paying an additional $500 a year - so I get it.
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Nicely done, all the way to using "an" before "historical." Your English professor would be proud! And yes, you understood my point. And your points are quite valid as well. Yes, ISU has issues with creating an event that people are willing to pay for. But, on the other hand, if we had more donors, perhaps we wouldn't have to sell every dead space in every game for some stupid promotion. It's all about revenue. But ISU does a really crappy job at selling anything. Heck, sometimes I think that if a donor stepped up, they'd try to talk him into giving less...:angel:
 
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