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Post by HometownHoya on Dec 3, 2015 15:21:57 GMT -5
2006-2013 was kind of the perfect storm of losing Esh, getting III, HoyaBlue resurging in force, the new gray shirts, beating Duke, getting back to the Dance, Steve Alleva being awesome at ticket ops, the classes of 2006-07 being Hoops crazy, etc. all of which combined to generate excitement. That excitement just isn't there on campus anymore; going to games is no longer the "thing to do", a lot like when I was on campus (the lowest attendance year in the past 30 years - 2000 - was my sophomore year). The other major factor that wasn't listed: the university subsidized transportation to and from games. From students and alumni I've spoken with, that was huge. Not everyone is like those of us who will walk, bike, metro, or even knee-scoot to games. It's also interesting to track attendance in waves: 1983-1985: Reasons for Georgetown's higher attendance in 1983/1985 is obvious. It is very odd that 1984 was so low. I wonder if there was some strange reason that's not obvious from the numbers themselves. Games weren't played at McDonough by that point, right? 1989-1992: Unsurprisingly, the Mourning era drew well. 1995-1996: Iverson. 2006-2013. The large increase here is clearly attributable to the 2006 Sweet 16, 2007 Final Four, and good teams that followed. 2008 pretty much shows what some have said about winning. If you win in March, people will come to see you. 2013-2014: This drop is attributable in large part to the conference situation, but also the fact that the 2014 team wasn't very good. I would really be curious to see how we would draw, on average, if we were to make a Final Four (or better) again. I am skeptical we would draw as well as 2008, but I think it's easy to see an average over 10,000 if we were not too shy of that last year. It was a great period to be on campus...it really doesn't take much to get the underclassmen excited, get 1 or 2 people per freshman dorm floor (probably a few in New South) and their enthusiasm tends to spread. Agreed that the transportation changes were big, the busses to and from Rosslyn + the metro tickets were invaluable when you're spending too much money on Chicken Madnesses. Really the great thing about college is if you snag them early in Freshman year, chances are they'll stick around all 4 years. Every orientation/until the season starts should include a heavy dose of Georgetown Athletics (inluding Basketball).
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Post by wrestlemania on Dec 3, 2015 19:05:59 GMT -5
Thats what people have been saying for ages. Part of the reason why Hoya Blue/Stonewalls were formed this century. All I'm saying is if you're going to the game (especially as a student), you're there to have fun and make noise, not dwell on the 30+ year olds ready for bed at 7 on a Tuesday night after a long day (one of which I'm quickly becoming). The atmosphere in College basketball isn't starting with the alumni, it's with the students. *This is random rambling, not necessarily focused at last night or your children at GU. Completely understood your point. Same here -- also might add a student who is not cheering on the Hoyas is probably on his phone or taking a picture of himself making a stupid face. Same problem in other forms of entertainment -- musicians complain about it a lot. For a laugh, follow Empty Seats Galore on Twitter (with which I have no affiliation).
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Cambridge
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Canes Pugnaces
Posts: 5,301
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Post by Cambridge on Dec 4, 2015 10:29:55 GMT -5
2006-2013 was kind of the perfect storm of losing Esh, getting III, HoyaBlue resurging in force, the new gray shirts, beating Duke, getting back to the Dance, Steve Alleva being awesome at ticket ops, the classes of 2006-07 being Hoops crazy, etc. all of which combined to generate excitement. That excitement just isn't there on campus anymore; going to games is no longer the "thing to do", a lot like when I was on campus (the lowest attendance year in the past 30 years - 2000 - was my sophomore year). The other major factor that wasn't listed: the university subsidized transportation to and from games. From students and alumni I've spoken with, that was huge. Not everyone is like those of us who will walk, bike, metro, or even knee-scoot to games. I agree on the transportation. There really should be buses, etc. to aid students in getting there. 2000 was my sophomore year too - I actually wasn't into basketball at the time. My basketball fandom arose after graduation (it does happen!). Class of 2002 here, those were dark times.
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Post by Coast2CoastHoya on Dec 7, 2015 10:01:56 GMT -5
I agree on the transportation. There really should be buses, etc. to aid students in getting there. 2000 was my sophomore year too - I actually wasn't into basketball at the time. My basketball fandom arose after graduation (it does happen!). Class of 2002 here, those were dark times. Yeah they were. I think we kind of knew it at the time, but in hindsight, it was even worse. Though, for all we of the class of '02 legitimately have to feel sorry for ourselves about, it doesn't compare to the poor class of 2005. That's an interesting tid bit, hoyasaxa2003. I have a few friends for whom that's that case; glad you've ALL joined our ranks. I was one of those freaks on the other side of the equation who almost never missed a game, ha ha.
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