STrib: Gophers men's basketball on pace for lowest attendance in five decades; average tickets scanned is 3,313

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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Per Marcus:

The Gophers' average announced attendance (tickets sold) through the first eight regular-season games is 8,551. Not counting two seasons ago, when fans couldn't attend because of COVID, that's the Gophers' lowest mark since 1970-71, when they averaged 8,395 the season before Bill Musselman was hired.

This season's official scanned ticket numbers, obtained by the Star Tribune, are even lower. According to the university, the average number of tickets scanned for Gophers men's home games this season is 3,313.

"We've got to get the fans behind us and create an environment and energy here," Johnson said Friday.

The announced attendance for the Michigan game, for example, was 10,004, but the scanned ticket number was 5,872. The scanned ticket numbers for Mississippi State (3,256) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2,584) weren't even close to half-capacity at 14,625-seat Williams Arena.

m.startribune.com

Star Tribune

Your source for Minnesota news today. Read articles, view photos or watch videos about news in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, St. Cloud, Rochester, and beyond.
m.startribune.com m.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!
 


BleedGopher said:
Per Marcus:

The Gophers' average announced attendance (tickets sold) through the first eight regular-season games is 8,551. Not counting two seasons ago, when fans couldn't attend because of COVID, that's the Gophers' lowest mark since 1970-71, when they averaged 8,395 the season before Bill Musselman was hired.

This season's official scanned ticket numbers, obtained by the Star Tribune, are even lower. According to the university, the average number of tickets scanned for Gophers men's home games this season is 3,313.

"We've got to get the fans behind us and create an environment and energy here," Johnson said Friday.

The announced attendance for the Michigan game, for example, was 10,004, but the scanned ticket number was 5,872. The scanned ticket numbers for Mississippi State (3,256) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2,584) weren't even close to half-capacity at 14,625-seat Williams Arena.

m.startribune.com

Star Tribune

Your source for Minnesota news today. Read articles, view photos or watch videos about news in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, St. Cloud, Rochester, and beyond.
m.startribune.com m.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...
This is why the "we can't afford Musselman" attitude is wrong. Millions of revenue lost every year. Several million.
 

What an absolute joke! Very Sad. Tickets are way too expensive for product. No imagination with fan experiences, team shows no effort /fight, selfish players that shoot poor 3’s. Honestly, ugly…….
 



There are possibly several reasons. The Twin Cities is a multi county area and most people avoid Minneapolis now. I overheard a woman saying others can drive in with her for an event since she knows most won't go to Minneapolis and feel unsafe.

And the most important reaso is the team just doesn't have good players - yet. Fans expect below average players to magically play much better than they are and that doesn't happen. Skill level can be incrementally improved only. Go try to make yourself a top 10 at bowling. It doesn't happen. The U is not Duke when it comes to recruiting. The coaching turning over made it worse.

This program needs coaching stability for several years. That is called a rebuild. The fans are a spoiled baby disaster at that. "Mama, tell them I want this team right now to be Duke. Give me more chocolate ice cream too. Tell yhen I could have recruited Dennis Evans, mama. The fans here are pampered babies.

This team needs to work a 4 year plan of stability and recruiting to turn it around. The pampered babies who do not understand a rebuild should take their pampered opinions to Duke.
 


Bfan said:
There are possibly several reasons. The Twin Cities is a multi county area and most people avoid Minneapolis now. I overheard a woman saying others can drive in with her for an event since she knows most won't go to Minneapolis and feel unsafe.

And the most important reaso is the team just doesn't have good players - yet. Fans expect below average players to magically play much better than they are and that doesn't happen. Skill level can be incrementally improved only. Go try to make yourself a top 10 at bowling. It doesn't happen. The U is not Duke when it comes to recruiting. The coaching turning over made it worse.

This program needs coaching stability for several years. That is called a rebuild. The fans are a spoiled baby disaster at that. "Mama, tell them I want this team right now to be Duke. Give me more chocolate ice cream too. Tell yhen I could have recruited Dennis Evans, mama. The fans here are pampered babies.

This team needs to work a 4 year plan of stability and recruiting to turn it around. The pampered babies who do not understand a rebuild should take their pampered opinions to Duke.
Click to expand...
The "I don't feel safe" thing is 90% people who never came to begin with IMO. Notice the Vikings have no issue. It's bad basketball for way too long with a current team that has little hope to win.
 




Oly O Hooper said:
What an absolute joke! Very Sad. Tickets are way too expensive for product. No imagination with fan experiences, team shows no effort /fight, selfish players that shoot poor 3’s. Honestly, ugly…….
Click to expand...
I shouldn’t dare engage with someone that recently joined to apparently fan flames, but I’ll throw caution to the wind. I went with my kid to the Chicago State game for $5 or $10 from the Black Friday deal. Got tix to the Illinois game for maybe $15 per? Can’t remember exactly, but it wasn’t expensive, and that’s directly from the U, not a third party. Paid $250 a ticket to go to the Vikes/Pack game. Obviously not comparable situations, but the point remains that if you’re motivated to find a deal, it’s a good value.
 

Spaulding!No! said:
The Ben quote is tipping toward fan blaming. It’s getting closer…
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Getting closer to saying that people have an obligation to prop up this program no matter how competitive or watchable it is. Getting beyond wins and losses, as that article about McCutcheon put it. Next we'll fall back on the "arms race" rhetoric.
 


I don't think it's any one reason.

It's a combination of factors:
cost of tickets and 'seat donations'
perceived poor non-conference schedules
game times and dates changing (not like old days with more predictable scheduling)
the team's performance is certainly a factor
perceived issues with parking and getting to games on campus
fans staying at home to watch games on big-screen TV's

and this is a trend that has been developing over the last 8 years. it didn't start yesterday.

from the Strib article;

The last time the Gophers' average attendance topped 12,000 for a season was 2014-15. The next year, the Gophers went 8-22 under then-coach Richard Pitino, and their attendance hasn't recovered.

With fans allowed back last season, and Johnson in his first year as head coach, the Gophers created buzz with a 10-1 start, including 5-0 at home. Their average announced attendance for the season increased to 10,267 even though they unraveled and finished last in the Big Ten.
 



Bfan said:
There are possibly several reasons. The Twin Cities is a multi county area and most people avoid Minneapolis now. I overheard a woman saying others can drive in with her for an event since she knows most won't go to Minneapolis and feel unsafe.

And the most important reaso is the team just doesn't have good players - yet. Fans expect below average players to magically play much better than they are and that doesn't happen. Skill level can be incrementally improved only. Go try to make yourself a top 10 at bowling. It doesn't happen. The U is not Duke when it comes to recruiting. The coaching turning over made it worse.

This program needs coaching stability for several years. That is called a rebuild. The fans are a spoiled baby disaster at that. "Mama, tell them I want this team right now to be Duke. Give me more chocolate ice cream too. Tell yhen I could have recruited Dennis Evans, mama. The fans here are pampered babies.

This team needs to work a 4 year plan of stability and recruiting to turn it around. The pampered babies who do not understand a rebuild should take their pampered opinions to Duke.
Click to expand...
Hey, that’s me you’re talking about!
 

It's 95%+ about the team being very bad. Prices, perceived safety, game times are all easy fluff excuses. If we were 13-1 and ranked 4th, the game today at 11 against Nebraska would be sold out. You want sellouts, pay a coach who can do something, not MAYBE in 5 years. Win big early, sorry all you old timers who think it's this 10 year window, it's not.
 

Bfan said:
And the most important reaso is the team just doesn't have good players - yet. Fans expect below average players to magically play much better than they are and that doesn't happen. Skill level can be incrementally improved only. Go try to make yourself a top 10 at bowling. It doesn't happen. The U is not Duke when it comes to recruiting. The coaching turning over made it worse.
Click to expand...

Besides all of the other nonsense you wrote, this team is supposed to be loaded with 'young talent' giving us hope for the future. While I never thought this team would be good this year, they should be more competitive than what they are.

But now the players are all below average?
Garcia - McDonalds All-American
Battle - Honorable mention All Big Ten last season
Cooper - One of the assist leaders in the NCAA
Then there's the '4 talented freshman'

That should be enough to be more competitive than what we've seen so far this season but it's not because the coaching has been so poor. So now people like you start blaming the talent, which is also on Ben. Time doesn't solve everything, and it may continue to make this situation worse.
 

It is gonna play out like this- Coyle leaves and new AD fires Ben.
 

forever a gopher said:
I shouldn’t dare engage with someone that recently joined to apparently fan flames, but I’ll throw caution to the wind. I went with my kid to the Chicago State game for $5 or $10 from the Black Friday deal. Got tix to the Illinois game for maybe $15 per? Can’t remember exactly, but it wasn’t expensive, and that’s directly from the U, not a third party. Paid $250 a ticket to go to the Vikes/Pack game. Obviously not comparable situations, but the point remains that if you’re motivated to find a deal, it’s a good value.
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Fair enough on your nice tix finds! No no, I am referring to their ‘retail’ prices: $35 to $60 / tix!?!? They just have no imagination with promos and fun. How about let HS teams in for $1 each? Father / Daughter Day? Make a Free Throw Win a Car? Sit with PJ? Anything…. / just some fun added to it…… it is SO stale.
 

Bfan said:
There are possibly several reasons. The Twin Cities is a multi county area and most people avoid Minneapolis now. I overheard a woman saying others can drive in with her for an event since she knows most won't go to Minneapolis and feel unsafe.

And the most important reaso is the team just doesn't have good players - yet. Fans expect below average players to magically play much better than they are and that doesn't happen. Skill level can be incrementally improved only. Go try to make yourself a top 10 at bowling. It doesn't happen. The U is not Duke when it comes to recruiting. The coaching turning over made it worse.

This program needs coaching stability for several years. That is called a rebuild. The fans are a spoiled baby disaster at that. "Mama, tell them I want this team right now to be Duke. Give me more chocolate ice cream too. Tell yhen I could have recruited Dennis Evans, mama. The fans here are pampered babies.

This team needs to work a 4 year plan of stability and recruiting to turn it around. The pampered babies who do not understand a rebuild should take their pampered opinions to Duke.
Click to expand...
Are you kidding? I hope so. The fans that are complaining are the ones that care. Most of the town doesn't care anymore. They are lost customers.
 

Oly O Hooper said:
Fair enough on your nice tix finds! No no, I am referring to their ‘retail’ prices: $35 to $60 / tix!?!? They just have no imagination with promos and fun. How about let HS teams in for $1 each? Father / Daughter Day? Make a Free Throw Win a Car? Sit with PJ? Anything…. / just some fun added to it…… it is SO stale.
Click to expand...
It costs $5 to get in to a high school game.......
 

Bfan said:
There are possibly several reasons. The Twin Cities is a multi county area and most people avoid Minneapolis now. I overheard a woman saying others can drive in with her for an event since she knows most won't go to Minneapolis and feel unsafe.

And the most important reaso is the team just doesn't have good players - yet. Fans expect below average players to magically play much better than they are and that doesn't happen. Skill level can be incrementally improved only. Go try to make yourself a top 10 at bowling. It doesn't happen. The U is not Duke when it comes to recruiting. The coaching turning over made it worse.

This program needs coaching stability for several years. That is called a rebuild. The fans are a spoiled baby disaster at that. "Mama, tell them I want this team right now to be Duke. Give me more chocolate ice cream too. Tell yhen I could have recruited Dennis Evans, mama. The fans here are pampered babies.

This team needs to work a 4 year plan of stability and recruiting to turn it around. The pampered babies who do not understand a rebuild should take their pampered opinions to Duke.
Click to expand...
Spoiled????? Are you serious? If there's one thing that Gopher basketball fans are not, it is spoiled. One final four in 1997 (yeah yeah yeah....I still count it).....we would give anything right now for Clem-level results (.500 in the B10 and tournament appearances). That's being spoiled? SMH
 

I was gonna go to the Alcorn State game when I was in town for the holidays. Before it got cancelled the lower bowl tickets were like 40 bucks a piece. Absolutely not. The U is delusional.
 


Lindsay Whalen at least sold tickets early on in her coaching career. Would have to look at attendance to see if it’s remained up.

Lots of factors into decreasing attendance but the biggest one is the product on the floor. I got rid of my season tickets for a couple reasons. I attended the last home game of 2019-2020. I haven’t been in The Barn for a men’s game since. Will try to get to one this year as I think my son would tolerate it.
 

cheeseheadgophfan said:
Spoiled????? Are you serious? If there's one thing that Gopher basketball fans are not, it is spoiled. One final four in 1997 (yeah yeah yeah....I still count it).....we would give anything right now for Clem-level results (.500 in the B10 and tournament appearances). That's being spoiled? SMH
Click to expand...

Absolutely nailed it. During the Clem years, hell, it wasn't even so much about the winning and losing; they had an identity, you knew they were going to play HARD, they were always, ALWAYS a tough out at the Barn, you knew Clem's jacket was going to come off. The Clem Gophers BB teams was arguably one of the most enjoyable times/teams of my life watching Minnesota sports.

Clem was revered in MSP for well over a decade, which is why it makes it infinitely and galactically more idiotic that we have some posters who think Ben is being criticized for "reasons off the court"... F'ng stupid and shameful really.
 

howeda7 said:
The "I don't feel safe" thing is 90% people who never came to begin with IMO. Notice the Vikings have no issue. It's bad basketball for way too long with a current team that has little hope to win.
Click to expand...
No issue? This is 100% false. I know people that have had their cars broken into during games among other things.
 

CentralGopher said:
No issue? This is 100% false. I know people that have had their cars broken into during games among other things.
Click to expand...
I didn't say "no" issue. But of the people who say they'd come to games but they don't feel safe, I would say 90% of the people saying that never came to games before anyway.
 

Bfan said:
There are possibly several reasons. The Twin Cities is a multi county area and most people avoid Minneapolis now. I overheard a woman saying others can drive in with her for an event since she knows most won't go to Minneapolis and feel unsafe.

And the most important reaso is the team just doesn't have good players - yet. Fans expect below average players to magically play much better than they are and that doesn't happen. Skill level can be incrementally improved only. Go try to make yourself a top 10 at bowling. It doesn't happen. The U is not Duke when it comes to recruiting. The coaching turning over made it worse.

This program needs coaching stability for several years. That is called a rebuild. The fans are a spoiled baby disaster at that. "Mama, tell them I want this team right now to be Duke. Give me more chocolate ice cream too. Tell yhen I could have recruited Dennis Evans, mama. The fans here are pampered babies.

This team needs to work a 4 year plan of stability and recruiting to turn it around. The pampered babies who do not understand a rebuild should take their pampered opinions to Duke.
Click to expand...
"I overheard a woman." LOL
 



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