|
|
Post by believeinthebeavs on Jan 4, 2020 13:14:24 GMT -8
markarmour04 says: "I am 59, and can be the youngest person in the surrounding seats." Yeah, I hear you...I'm one of those guys who make you among the youngest in the crowd....Here are some of my personal observations about the old-timers who fill Gill..... Game in and game out WBB at Gill pretty much plays before a retiree fan base.....If you arrive early for a Sunday game 90% of the fans in seats are of retirement age - many considerably beyond...By game time it's probably down to 75%....The main support group for the team ("Rebounder's Row) is almost entirely 65 or older...At the end of season WBB banquet the tables are filled with retirement age fans...Loyal fans... My experience with these fans is that they are fairly knowledgeable about basketball (but not overly so); more importantly, they feel a kinship with the players and the coaching staff...They know everyone's first name but they have to think twice to recall their last name. (At the Showcase in Vancouver I was chastised by several loyal fans for pronouncing Taya's name incorrectly. As though anyone who knew anything thing would know it requires a long a, not a long i. These Beaver fans know they are not part of the team, but they feel as though they are...They repeatedly use "we" when describing the team....When a player is injured they talk not about how the injury will affect the team, but how much it must hurt the player. They take it personal - everything about the team they take personal... Sometimes they're more like parents than fans...When the game is over many don't leave the gym. They stay. They linger. They chat. They wander down to the court and mingle with players they don't know and tell them they are so proud of how well they played. Players who never saw game time get congratulated. It's remarkable. I've never seen anything like it. And I've been seriously (very seriously) involved in the game for 50 years... These Beaver fans talk about Coach Rueck with reverence. They love him. They love what he stands for. They see in him a teacher, a minister, a coach, a son-in-law. If he left for another program they would be disbelieving, broken-hearted...These Beaver WBB fans are unlike anything I've seen elsewhere. Collectively, in their thousands, they make Gill a special experience..It's not their numbers, it's their heart. Coach knows it, and the fans know he knows it... That's the deal..... GO BEAVS !! Very well put. |
|
|
|
Post by shelby on Jan 4, 2020 13:18:25 GMT -8
WEREBEAVER - You do admit it is early - RIGHT ? There are three teams that are 13-0 right now, , there are two that are 12-1, one that is 11-1 overall.We have played a soft schedule and we are one game into the PAC season.
In terms of attendance, we have been passed up by the sucks. They have more than 2K more per game ( 2018 - 2019 - I haven't seen 2020 yet - but they are showing 9,800 on their site ). Did they use to outdraw us ? Do we have an equal or better program and coach / staff ? Best recruiting compared to what ) ourselves ? We are now being challenged for top players in every market and we need to look at upping our game. Most season tix by how many ? Can it be MUCH better ? YES.
Moving in the right direction has to be considered against our competitors - not ourselves.
WE can do better and we should , if we are going to keep Scott, his Staff and the athletes interested in Corvallis.
I am a realist ! STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT !
|
|
|
|
Post by Werebeaver on Jan 4, 2020 13:25:44 GMT -8
WEREBEAVER - You do admit it is early - RIGHT ? There are three teams that are 13-0 right now, , there are two that are 12-1, one that is 11-1 overall.We have played a soft schedule and we are one game into the PAC season. In terms of attendance, we have been passed up by the sucks. They have more than 2K more per game ( 2018 - 2019 - I haven't seen 2020 yet - but they are showing 9,800 on their site ). Did they use to outdraw us ? Do we have an equal or better program and coach / staff ? Best recruiting compared to what ) ourselves ? We are now being challenged for top players in every market and we need to look at upping our game. Most season tix by how many ? Can it be MUCH better ? YES. Moving in the right direction has to be considered against our competitors - not ourselves. WE can do better and we should , if we are going to keep Scott, his Staff and the athletes interested in Corvallis. I am a realist ! STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT ! I hope you’re still managing to enjoy the games despite all of the program’s embarrassing shortcomings. Just speaking for myself, I’m enjoying this season enormously. |
|
|
|
Post by markarmour04 on Jan 4, 2020 13:48:56 GMT -8
I am a season ticket holder who also goes to an occasional men’s game, and I often feel like there is more excitement at the men’s game even with comparable attendance. The women attract a much older crowd — I am 59, and can be the youngest person in the surrounding seats. When I go see the guys, I am surrounded by students who are loud and rowdy. Wow, we are criticizing the WBB fans for not being as loud and rowdy as the MBB fans. We’ve come a long way. I was not criticizing. Two different crowds, for better or worse. The men’s crowd, even when the team is good, feels more “of the university.” The women’s crowd are people I run into at the north co-op or the farmers market. Good people, both. |
|
|
|
Post by Werebeaver on Jan 4, 2020 14:01:14 GMT -8
Wow, we are criticizing the WBB fans for not being as loud and rowdy as the MBB fans. We’ve come a long way. I was not criticizing. Two different crowds, for better or worse. The men’s crowd, even when the team is good, feels more “of the university.” The women’s crowd are people I run into at the north co-op or the farmers market. Good people, both. Understood. And I agree. |
|
|
|
Post by bvrbooster on Jan 4, 2020 15:08:58 GMT -8
In 2013-14, we were 5th in conference with average home attendance of 2,049. We trailed Stanford (4,266), Cal (2,778), Colorado(2,507), and UCLA (2,119). For the next 4 years, we led the conference with 4,194, 4,379, 4,353, and 4,979 respectively. Last year, we averaged 5,457 (second to Oregon's 7,217). Through 9 games this year, we're averaging 5,466, but that number will go up dramatically as the conference heats up.
So, attendance has risen tremendously in a relatively short time span, and will be roughly 3 times in 2020 what it was in 2014. That's a very, very good thing, but it is true, as pointed out by others in this thread, that, of the 4,000 or so going to games now who weren't doing so 6 years ago, about 3,000 of us are paying for the tickets with money from our required withdrawals from IRA's or 401(k) plans. Five words make that a very bad thing for the program - we've entered our mortality years.
So I agree wholeheartedly that the Athletic Department should broaden the fan base by getting the students in their own section at games. If I were doing it, I'd appeal to the women on campus to support their fellow women. When my daughter was at OSU, her sorority had their own 'spot' in the student section at football games, and the house would be there en masse. The same could be done for an extremely successful womens basketball team , and you build lifelong support while they're students.
You could then pitch the sorority alumnae associations to buy a block of season tickets in one section for those who have graduated but still live in the area. Tickets are inexpensive, so that's very doable. It's all just marketing, a concept which, alas, seems elusive to the Athletic Department.
|
|
rafer
Sophomore
Posts: 1,627 
|
Post by rafer on Jan 4, 2020 15:59:50 GMT -8
In 2013-14, we were 5th in conference with average home attendance of 2,049. We trailed Stanford (4,266), Cal (2,778), Colorado(2,507), and UCLA (2,119). For the next 4 years, we led the conference with 4,194, 4,379, 4,353, and 4,979 respectively. Last year, we averaged 5,457 (second to Oregon's 7,217). Through 9 games this year, we're averaging 5,466, but that number will go up dramatically as the conference heats up. So, attendance has risen tremendously in a relatively short time span, and will be roughly 3 times in 2020 what it was in 2014. That's a very, very good thing, but it is true, as pointed out by others in this thread, that, of the 4,000 or so going to games now who weren't doing so 6 years ago, about 3,000 of us are paying for the tickets with money from our required withdrawals from IRA's or 401(k) plans. Five words make that a very bad thing for the program - we've entered our mortality years. So I agree wholeheartedly that the Athletic Department should broaden the fan base by getting the students in their own section at games. If I were doing it, I'd appeal to the women on campus to support their fellow women. When my daughter was at OSU, her sorority had their own 'spot' in the student section at football games, and the house would be there en masse. The same could be done for an extremely successful womens basketball team , and you build lifelong support while they're students. You could then pitch the sorority alumnae associations to buy a block of season tickets in one section for those who have graduated but still live in the area. Tickets are inexpensive, so that's very doable. It's all just marketing, a concept which, alas, seems elusive to the Athletic Department. Wait until the sucks have a down year, and it will happen, it happens to everybody. Do you think the fans will still be there? That school has the worst case of bandwagon fans on the planet, whhhishhhh gone.....they think they're the only school in the country, the rest are pretenders... Whilst I believe that when the Beavs have a comparative down year, a large portion of the fans, you know, those old folks, will still be there...... |
|
|
|
Post by tarpedseats on Jan 4, 2020 16:19:04 GMT -8
I enjoy the crowd and game quality as is for now. As noted we have seen a steady increase in crowd size and will continue to build on that with winning seasons. Slow and steady is fine with me. Of course I don't use the other program down the road as comparison in any sport and never will as a measuring stick for my enjoyment of Beaver athletics. I have attended WBB games fairly regularly for 5 years and purchased season tickets for the first time this year. And I am squarely for now in the under 65 crowd. We have great attendance and a great atmosphere that everyone else seems to covet. I think it is presumptuous to think 4k more fans makes much more of a competitive advantage than already exists.
|
|
|
|
Post by jegerklog on Jan 4, 2020 16:21:47 GMT -8
The people in my section are so old that there are two defibrillator machines and one person in charge of waking up people who appear to be asleep.
|
|
|
|
Post by bvrbooster on Jan 4, 2020 16:34:36 GMT -8
I enjoy the crowd and game quality as is for now. As noted we have seen a steady increase in crowd size and will continue to build on that with winning seasons. Slow and steady is fine with me. Of course I don't use the other program down the road as comparison in any sport and never will as a measuring stick for my enjoyment of Beaver athletics. I have attended WBB games fairly regularly for 5 years and purchased season tickets for the first time this year. And I am squarely for now in the under 65 crowd. We have great attendance and a great atmosphere that everyone else seems to covet. I think it is presumptuous to think 4k more fans makes much more of a competitive advantage than already exists. Geez, I wish I were still squarely in the under 65 crowd. But there's a lot to agree with in your comments. It is a very positive, polite, and enthusiastic crowd, and, for a bunch of old folks, we can make some noise. We are, however, a bunch of old folks, who won't quit going to games if the team has a down year, but will do so when they take our driver's licenses away from us. It wouldn't accomplish much to bring in 3,000 more of us, but they need to bring in younger people to fill the cheap seats now, and then move up to take over our better seats when we're limited to Friday night Bingo at Stoneybrook. |
|
osu82
Freshman
Posts: 656
|
Post by osu82 on Jan 4, 2020 18:23:05 GMT -8
I probably should know this, but what is the policy for student seating in Gill these days? Is there a dedicated student section like there used to be? Is admission free with a student ID? And...If there's 5,000 at a WBB game, how many would be students on average?
|
|
|
|
Post by sparty on Jan 4, 2020 19:18:59 GMT -8
WEREBEAVER - You do admit it is early - RIGHT ? There are three teams that are 13-0 right now, , there are two that are 12-1, one that is 11-1 overall.We have played a soft schedule and we are one game into the PAC season. In terms of attendance, we have been passed up by the sucks. They have more than 2K more per game ( 2018 - 2019 - I haven't seen 2020 yet - but they are showing 9,800 on their site ). Did they use to outdraw us ? Do we have an equal or better program and coach / staff ? Best recruiting compared to what ) ourselves ? We are now being challenged for top players in every market and we need to look at upping our game. Most season tix by how many ? Can it be MUCH better ? YES. Moving in the right direction has to be considered against our competitors - not ourselves. WE can do better and we should , if we are going to keep Scott, his Staff and the athletes interested in Corvallis. I am a realist ! STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT ! Shelby, I posted this on the other attendance thread for this years stats on average attendance for each p-12 school.
These are from the Pac-12 website in the stat section. Kind of buried in the team stats for this season up to today.
Oregon 9,743
Arizona 4,650
Oregon St. 4,282
Stanford 2,906
UCLA 2,429
Arizona St. 2,381
Utah 1,791
Colorado 1,426
Washington 1,337
Cal 1,283
USC 678
Wash.St. 651
|
|
|
|
Post by nwhoopfan on Jan 4, 2020 19:24:39 GMT -8
Kudos to Arizona. That big spike in their attendance during the NIT last season has carried over fairly well this season.
Say whatever you want about Oregon but that's great attendance, has to be among the national leaders, and way ahead of the rest of the Pac. USC and Wazzu...just pathetic.
|
|
|
|
Post by shelby on Jan 4, 2020 20:09:29 GMT -8
Bigger population base than Corvallis !
Thanks for sharing/ advising on the actual numbers.
My wife and I drive down from Portland for the games we can make ( season tix ), and donate our seats when we have other commitments / obligations ( Boys & Girls club ).
|
|
beav74
Freshman
Posts: 741
Grad Year: OSU 1974
|
Post by beav74 on Jan 4, 2020 20:23:45 GMT -8
Bigger population base than Corvallis ! Thanks for sharing/ advising on the actual numbers. My wife and I drive down from Portland for the games we can make ( season tix ), and donate our seats when we have other commitments / obligations ( Boys & Girls club ). They will see a drop off next year after losing four starters..... |
|
