What can we do? Something needs to be done

[uwmeasye]

Something i felt was really dissapointing tonight.
Something needs to be done about our student section. Counting today i think we had what.... 20 students at tonights game? Does anyone have any suggestions on how we can get more students in the stands? We have somewhere around 27000 students enrolled at this school it should be no problem getting at least 1000 at a game. there is every oppertunity to go to the game. there are free shuttles and tickets are FREE. at most schools they charge for students we get them for FREE.

[uwmeasye]

everyone keeps talking about how this program should get more respect and be seen at a top-notch program, but its not if we dont get more students in the stands. even our intro has something in it about us having a great "6th" man but we didnt show it this weekend.

if anyone has any suggestions on how to improve this say something because somethign needs to be done

[panther920]

Why not have seats all the way down to the court? I wouldnt mine getting there an hour before game time to get close if i had a seat to sit in. I look up in the studnet section and I see there are more students sitting up in the seats or on the sides of the court then down close to the court. With seats all the way down to the court studnets would fill in better and we would have more studnets closer to the floor which would equal a better "6th Man."

[panthertrax]

unfortunately, when you don't win, you don't get crowds at the games. The atmosphere of the Bruce Pearl era is gone. He interacted with the spectators. I believe those days are gone by. It is sad. Just not the same anymore. Hopefully, the students won't give up on the team, and we will see more than the 50 students that were there last night.

[bball30]

I like that Idea! Kind of how MU has a first come first serve for the student section, however it's one person per seat, so there's no pushing and cramming, this needs to be done!

[mikeb]

its not even halfway through november. it'll get bigger. these were our first 3 games, they will come

[PANTHERfan]

i was extremely dissapointed overall with our student turnout. we haven't seen a section that empty since the mid-90s. i don't care if Bruce Pearl is here or not, we simply must do better than that.

[Pantherholic]

pantherfan said:

i was extremely dissapointed overall with our student turnout. we haven't seen a section that empty since the mid-90s.

were u not at the Oakland and Cleveland State games last year? the only difference between those games and this was everyone stood.

while we can probably market the games better, not many are going to take time out of their day to which the team play like they did on Sat. and Sun. many that i talked to were already under the impression that we're gonna suck this year and this weekend sure did help re-iterate that notion in their minds. young or not, if they don't win, these students won't have much motivation. also, expect this type of crowd in the future when he have to have those 2 other Sunday games. Sundays are just not good days for a game.

[PANTHERfan]

actually both those games last year were better attended. i haven't missed a game in almost 4 years and all of us regulars were surprised with the meager turnout.

i do agree that sunday is a horrible day to schedule a game. i can't imagine our next ones will garner much more attention.

[uwmpanther2005]

Take a deep breath everyone- this tournament was 3 games, was BARELY advertised, and invluded a UWM team that most students/fans have very low expectations for. The team will need to start winning to bring more fans out- and the school will need to do a better job of letting people KNOW that a game is going on downtown (i am most surprised at the lack of good advertising). UAB and WSU were not bad teams. A string of 5-6 wins in a row could go a long way. I'm all about being proactive though, so if anyone has any ideas for drawing more fans- let yourself be heard! I know we will get better as experience builds- we just can't beat oursleves up over the first 3 lackluster Cell games.

[milwsport]

pantherholic said:

pantherfan said:

i was extremely dissapointed overall with our student turnout. we haven't seen a section that empty since the mid-90s.

were u not at the Oakland and Cleveland State games last year? the only difference between those games and this was everyone stood.

while we can probably market the games better, not many are going to take time out of their day to which the team play like they did on Sat. and Sun. many that i talked to were already under the impression that we're gonna suck this year and this weekend sure did help re-iterate that notion in their minds. young or not, if they don't win, these students won't have much motivation. also, expect this type of crowd in the future when he have to have those 2 other Sunday games. Sundays are just not good days for a game.

Most people don't follow UWM hoops like we do. If there are people out there beliving we are going to suck, at least some of that impression came from fans like those this board.

One thing we can do to help the situation is talk UP the team, how it WILL get better and needs encouragement from the fans.

[formerseasonticketholder]

is there are common area in the dorms where they could set up to broadcast the Rob Jeter show rather than doing it in the Gasthaus this season? If the students aren't willing to go out of their way to find the basketball program, maybe the basketball program will have to go to them.
Maybe it could work like kind of a mini-pep rally each week to generate some excitement. Perhaps a couple of songs by a skeleton crew of the band if a few members can make it, a few of the coaches on hand to talk up the program to students in the dorms - whatever it takes to start building relationships between the student body and the bball program.
Does anybody think that may help generate some interest?

[pantherpanther]

Ghola those sound like good ideas, as well as the others already posted. Bottom line, we have to do something. I think the mini pep rallys are a good idea, as well as marketing in the dormitories and more in the Union perhaps?

[PANTHERfan]

the good news is they're moving Jeter's radio show back to the Gasthaus. MTP was nice but just not set up well for the show.

good marketing/adverstising would go a long way toward building a better fan base. as we've seen, a few losses will undo much of the good that's been created over the last 4-5 years. that's a shame but it's also reality. it takes winning over an extended period of time to build a rabid fan base. that environment was notably absent this weekend as mentioned in above posts.

we'll get back there but it's going to take some time. grassroot efforts to build the base will help immensely. seems like the students are the easiest to win over as the games are FREE. making game night known in a very obvious, in your face manner would certainly help keep the team on the front burner.

[DetTitan]

#1 biggest thing you can do is win...that will bring students back...and other fan's back...BUT...there is other ways.

You have to become creative with your marketing strategy. I am currently an intern in the UDM athletic department, under the head of the director of marketing and promotions. My goal is to get more students to the games. Posters, flyers, fan program, incentives program, tailgates, etc...

UIC has a great program that took a couple years to get going, but now it is strong, and run by students. It started off being run by the University and it grew so much in several years. It is called the UIC Fury. I believe Wright State has a fan incentive program, as does Cleveland State.

Hopefully ours will be in place shortly, and pick up steam in the summer and on into next year, and for years to come.

The crowds you guys had for the HL championship games on ESPN were really something. It was important for your school, the conference, and the other school's in the conference. Showing that there are fans who care in the HL.

You guys have 27,000 students....it should be fairly easy to get 1000, IMO. There are only 3k undergrad, , 6k total, and 1k on campus at UDM. So we have a bit more work to do...but the exhibition game the other night had a nice turnout...although it was more like the Student Section social hour...they were all standing, talking on their cell phones, but really didn't sustain any noise or chants for any long period of time. At least they were there. Now it is time to pump them up.