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Post by tuckfinn42 on Dec 11, 2003 15:27:29 GMT -6
Does anyone have any ideas on how we can get people to come the games over break? Somehow we need to advertise them otherwise there will not be that many students there and we really need them against UIC, Detroit, and Butler. IMO I know i'll be there cheering my ass off.
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Post by admin on Dec 11, 2003 18:25:40 GMT -6
Fans over break will be tough.
Our best bet is that people realize the BU game is always a classic and that they will at least show up for that.
The athletics department is working on some various ticket deals and should have those posted some time soon.
I know what you mean though...US Cellular is a great stadium, but with only 3,000 people attending there is absolutely no home court advantage.
Later, UWMfreak
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Post by dtk on Dec 11, 2003 20:27:47 GMT -6
can you still get into the games this year for free with a student id? or do you have to pay now at the uscellular?
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Post by admin on Dec 11, 2003 20:29:15 GMT -6
Free with an ID once again. ;D Plus busses are running for the dorms and the union down to the stadium, starting 2 hours before the game.
Later, UWMfreak
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Post by Kroener3535 on Jan 8, 2004 23:40:58 GMT -6
I guess after tonights game vs Butler I am a little dissapointed in the atttendance. 4,200 people is pretty sad. I mean the past two years at Klotsche we've had over 5,000. It just seems to me that this idea of playing downtown is not panning out in the least bit. The one thing we can hope for is that we play well from here on out and get 8 maybe 9 thousand at a game this year. I know even Butler doesnt get that many people at games game in and game out, but for a rivalry game it is just a little upsetting that we drew 4,200 fans...agree? I mean there were a good share of students there so we cant really blame the student support...Fans alums, and just anyone in the community needs to come to these games...I feel bad we can only draw 4,200 people is all, when I see the potential for more
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Post by johnjaymilwaukee on Jan 9, 2004 2:06:37 GMT -6
All we have to do is win and keep winning. This IS a basketball town, but people will not be distracted from their distractions unless something sensational is going on.
At Butler vs UWM, the game WAS sensational and so was the student turnout, considering schools out, and it's cold, and there's parking issues.
From my end of the court, you guys in the student sections looked super and I am absolutely certain that you made a difference. I am also sure that Butler could hear you as much as I could.
Keep coming and be on that bus to Loyola on Saturday morning.
It looks to me that the snowball is gathering some weight and size. The word will get out to those that missed Thursday's game.
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Post by HinklePower on Jan 9, 2004 8:14:39 GMT -6
A basketball town? Milwaukee??? sorry.. but I do not agree..
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Post by pnthr97 on Jan 9, 2004 8:23:55 GMT -6
For those of you that are "new" to the program, understand this is a work in progress. Back in the day, even when UWM went 23-4 (1992-93), they were lucky to draw more than 3,000 fans. In my college days a crowd of more than 1,000 was considered an accomplishment.
4,200 fans at the game last night, with students not in session, cold, and the possibility of snow, is a nice crowd. It would have been nice to get 6-7,000, but we didn't get any favors in our schedule.
What's important is that we continue to hype up UWM. That's the only way to draw a greater following. BP's holding up his end of the bargain. We need to continue ours.
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Post by pnthr30 on Jan 9, 2004 10:44:48 GMT -6
Come on man, we got at least 1,200 there! But then again, I think I could recognize and personally say hi to everyone that was there. haha So maybe it was only 1,000.
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Post by tuckfinn42 on Jan 9, 2004 12:44:38 GMT -6
I'm glad you stated your opinion but I don't get how you wouldn't think Milwaukee is a basketball town. We have 2 division one schools that both made the tourney last year and will continue to do so on and off and the Milwaukee Bucks get great fan support compared to a majority of the NBA teams. One reason for this is that there's no football programs to follow in Milwaukee except high school and as great a city Milwaukee is, there still isn't a wide variety of things to do so people go watch basketball.
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Post by uwmfan on Jan 12, 2004 14:13:10 GMT -6
"I guess after tonights game vs Butler I am a little dissapointed in the atttendance. 4,200 people is pretty sad. I mean the past two years at Klotsche we've had over 5,000."
A couple of things....keep numbers in perspective. Average nationally for DI college is closer to 5-6 grand than it is to the 15,000 you see on TV.
Also, Klotsche would only get 5k once or twice a year...while even 3k could get the KCPE rocking, not a site that's going to allow further development of the program and draw bigger name schools. Having been around the last time we made the Arena transition, having 4,200 around, during break, no media attention (is that new? NOT!), freakin cold out, etc., in the past we could have played that game in my driveway and watched from the luxury box of my kitchen window.
I too hope and want larger crowds, but be patient. This kinda growth is spread by word of mouth. Continue to tell folks, then challenge them to tell a friend. It'll happen....
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Post by admin on Jan 12, 2004 15:29:36 GMT -6
Just 2 years ago the student section consisted of myself and 3 others. That went for almost a full season. So we have gone a long way. I too wish we would get at least 5,000 for the majority of our games, but I have recently realized that's not going to happen with Marquette in the same town. Were not a final 4 team, the general bball fan will always pick the major national team over a mid major.
What we really need to do is make more out of our small numbers...
Right now we have maybe 100-150 consistent students who attend the game. I imagine after that we're always getting new sets of students for the majority of games. We're not that bad, just look at UIC, but we can be a lot better...
I think our biggest problem isn't that we cannot fill the stadium, rather it's that our student section right now is waaaay too unorganized. I think if we try to establish cheers that everyone knows to say and that are established for certain events in the game people will be more willing to join in (maybe even the adults too). Right now only the first 3-4 rows at the big games are really doing the cheering. And within these first few rows the cheers are decided on the spot and few others have time to join in to really be loud. We need to include those in the back more often. If they have fun, we'll see them all attending more games.
People who have been to a UW football game or watch the Cameron Crazies on TV know how organized they are. If a bad call is made or someone makes a 3, the entire student section knows what to chant automatically. They also make up their own cheers and are very creative with their wording in their chants. They dont cuss nearly as much as we do, and when they do they cover it up politely or in a much more hilarious way. Most of our current chants have been done by so many other schools, we need to create our own cheers.
The student section also needs to step up our image for when we are on TV. When you see a huge blob of yellow behind the benches on TV, you know you are watching Michigan. When you see Neon green (2yrs back), you know it was Notre Dame. Duke on the other hand wears whatever, but you know it's them on TV because they jump almost the entire damn game. Hell, Butler's fans for the past two years on and off have been showing up in blue face paint and kilts doing their best Mel Gibson impression. I personally like it when we all wear yellow...it looked extremely good on national TV during the HL tourny when we all had yellow on (of course that's been done by so many schools...even MU).
It's time to put the thinking caps on and come up with more traditions.
Later, UWMfreak ps. BTW, the Bruce Pearl cheer is really our only creative move for the student section. It was created by Andy Kivioja, UWM Cross Country, back in the days of the early student section. Infact it first started as a James Wright cheer.
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Post by pnthr97 on Jan 12, 2004 16:03:04 GMT -6
I completely agree with Freak's observations. First, let me say this, as an alum, I am happy to see the student fan support grow to the point it has, but realize more needs to be done.
As for crowds in general, keep in mind that at many early season MU games, they don't even have 10,000 fans in attendance - frequently at the 8,000 mark. They may have more announced due to prior sales that don't come (no shows), but their crowds are often sparse. I was at the Grambling game this year. The lower bowl (capacity 8,500) was two thirds full and there were maybe 2,000 fans in the upper bowl.
Our program's biggest concern should be non-conference scheduling. Do a 3 year contract with a major, top ten program (2 away, 1 home) to attract a large home crowd. There's nothing wrong with that. That's one of the few ways to reach credibility with local media - play strong non-conf opponents, even better so if at home. I know it may be tough to get those programs to play us, but if Detroit (at Duke) and Butler (at Michigan) can do it, why can't we?
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Post by pnthr30 on Jan 12, 2004 17:32:01 GMT -6
As far as colors go, I personally like the yellow. Freak is right, it did look cool on TV. Besides, as an opposing player, it is always more intimidating to go into an arena with a strong sense of support for their team (by both cheers and attire). For example, did anyone watch the UW vs. MSU game on TV on Saturday? All you saw was red! That is cool! But overall, we just need to get more people to wear UWM colors. I have to admit that I have seen quite a bit less UW and MU gear at games this year, but any amount is to much IMO. What is the "gear" like at the bookstore these days? Do they have some nice T shirts and sweatshirts? How about in yellow? At one point someone mentioned something about a "trade-in" day for MU and UW clothing, is there still talk of that?
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Post by pnthr30 on Jan 12, 2004 17:37:22 GMT -6
Pnthr97 is right, we need to start to get a "major" program at home. I know this is easier said than done, but it is possible. In 1998, we had Utah at home - they went to the Final Four that year (we played in Salt Lake City the year before). Granted, there was a tie between Rick and Ric, but the bottom line is that the game was scheduled. I am sure that BP has some "friends" that would do a 2 for 1 deal. A lot of times, schools will recruit kids and try to get to their home town at least once during their 4 years, maybe we can use that avenue....
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