This team deserves more....

[thakeepa14]

Oh, and I noticed too....whether it's for better or worse: GMac's gameplan of slowing the game down really has changed the complexity of the crowd too. Anyone else feel like that? In the Morgan era, at times it could be steal-dunk, steal-dunk, steal-behind the back pass-slam......and we would go crazy. This team is undoubtedly different (more discipined for sure) so the crowd need to recoginize the highs and lows in there are going to be a little different. Either way, we have such a great crowd.

[thakeepa14]

Cyfreddy, I agree. It's loud in there...LOUD.....but some are more into it than others. I suppose it may always be a little like that. Just as long as you're respectful, it's not a church service so get up and show some emotion. But I think that'll come with winning. Not trying to be satisfied about the situation, or complacent?, but we have it pretty good.

[Kyle]

I do not understand how some fans go to games and do not get up and cheer the Clones on ! I could not make it to yesterdays game yesterday as I was attending a funeral, but my wife and kids were there. In this day and age everybody stands throughout the game, my wife was explaining to me that the guy behind my son told him to sit down when the game was on the line with a minute to go. It is good thing I was not there, as I would have told him a thing or two. Why do fans that do not enjoy standing or do not get into the game bother coming to the game, when they could stay home and watch it on tv. I know some of you are going to say that they have paid for there ticket, well so have I, and if I want to stand and yell my team on, I am going to do it!

That is my opinion, I am curious to what others think.

CyFreddy

I think this makes a good case for a standing encouraged section. I might want to sit too if I was 70 years old or something. We can have senior sections for those people. Thankfully no one asked me to sit down in the student section of the balcony.

[SlyCy]

Taking Prone2Clones numbers shows the following attendance pattern

JO 13,363
TF 11,920
LE 11,380
WM 11,472

I think some of the decrease was due to higher ticket prices that started in the TF-LE era. That has me a little concerned about the new FB ticket pricing.

I think these numbers show the attendance has been going down with the steady decline of the basketball program. I beleive it will take some time for those fans that may not be "Cyclone Fanatical" to see what we already see. Give it some time and we'll be up to "Here's Johny" status.

I believe!!!

Bottom line, no matter how bad it looked for those of you at the game, it was never metioned or seen on ESPN. A big plus! (The blue hairs down front do need to get some walkers so they can stand instead of looking like they are waiting for their prune juice and pudding in a nursing home.)

[GoShow97]

Almost a thousand empty seats yesterday and several of the full seats in the balcony were KU fans. If we don't get sellouts on a Saturday against the #6 team in the nation while we are undefeated, can we really call ourselves that great of fans? Sure the fans that are there are great, but with the hustle and heart this team has, they deserve more.

I agree. Give it time. I liken it to a WM hangover.

[ISUCY11]

I blame it on the weather. I made it to the game, but barely, as my truck had a VERY tough time making it just across town to Hilton. I'm guessing alot of the people missing were older or had younger kids, so they didn't want to risk driving in the snow. I would guess at least 1000 people who bought tickets didn't go because of the weather, and I can understand that.

I, however, was given 2 student tickets by my roomates who decided the game didn't matter enough to attend. So I stood in the 3rd row of Cyclone Alley and screamed my throat out, even though I just got my wisdom teeth out and im recovering from strep throat. I still have no voice, but I had the time of my life. If anyone saw, I was the one with the sign reading "Blame it on your SELF" and "Beware the Flurry of the Jiri".

[DaddyMac]

I agree, it must be no-shows and probably the weather. Although down here in DSM it wasn't that bad. Don't know what Ames or north had to deal with.

I tried to get tix on Thursday for the game and all I could get for two together were row 17 in the corner. But obviously there were plenty sold.

KU is always a tough ticket. Given they were #6 and we were 2-0 with some nice wins against Mizzou and NU, I'd say it had to be travel issues.

[ISUCY11]

the weather was decently bad...not as bad as today, but it would have provided a struggle for some out of towners.

[Cydog]

I was most upset with our crowd in overtime. There was 20 seconds left and we were down 3. KU was shooting free throws. Now in my mind, I'm thinking 'ok we're down three in overtime against the 6th best team in the country.....if I go crazy and everyone else does in Hilton, MAYBE he'll miss and can tie it up..' well..besides cyclone alley, no one was standing.....i was digusted at this point...the place wasn't very loud. Just because the odds were against us, doesn't mean hilton magic is dead. Maybe if all of Hilton was going crazy, it would have rattled them. Who knows. I was very upset with our crowd in overtime.

This is EXACTLY what I thought! I was thinking ok, we're going to go nuts like in the game against Texas in 04 and maybe he'll miss, but instead I look over to each side and nobody was even standing, let alone making noise.
I have to say however this is the only complaint I have about our crowd on Saturday. I was in Cyclone Alley and it was nuts and the entire crowd was very loud the entire day. I expect to see more of this the rest of the season.

[ISUCY11]

We (Cyclone Alley) tried our best to keep the whole place rockin'...we just need to get the rest of the place standing up, and if they don't want to, we might need to stretch the student section around the courtside...ive never seen so many people who will only stand up if the fight song is played.

[ISUFan22]

The couple to the right of us at Hilton drives from Dubuque. They've made 8 of the home games so far - pretty could for someone that far away.

They managed to make the game Saturday with the subpar weather too...

[soulman]

Wow - this brings back some great memories of the JO era. Growing up, I used to listen to all the games on radio (didn't have enough money for a TV, let alone to go to a game), but LOVED listening to them... "HERE's JOHNY!"

Back to the subject - we'll get back there, as long as there is a consitently good, exciting product on the floor (same with football). There have been too many up and down years lately, which tends to dampen the spirits a bit. I think GMac will get us there in b-ball.

YEAR RECORD % TOTAL AVG.
1983-84 12-4 .750 202,801 12,675
1984-85 14-3 .824 225,404 13,259
1985-86 13-0 1.000 182,308 14,024
1986-87 12-3 .800 201,730 13,449
1987-88 12-3 .800 213,572 14,238 ** Hilton capacity listed as 14,092
1988-89 11-2 .846 175,868 13,528
1989-90 7-6 .539 178,076 13,698
1990-91 7-5 .583 162,463 13,539
1991-92 14-2 .875 198,514 12,407
1992-93 16-0 1.000 217,549 13,597
1993-94 10-5 .667 189,669 12,645
1994-95 13-3 .813 202,450 12,653
1995-96 13-3 .813 192,174 12,011
1996-97 14-3 .824 207,896 12,229
1997-98 10-6 .625 171,475 10,717
1998-99 12-3 .800 152,134 10,142
1999-00 18-0 1.000 189,767 10,543
2000-01 16-0 1.000 197,760 12,360
2001-02 11-6 .647 205,869 12,110
2002-03 14-5 .737 223,122 11,743
2003-04 17-1 .944 203,574 11,310
2004-05 13-3 .812 179,343 11,209
2005-06 10-6 .625 190,331 11,896

[cycloneworld]

I didn't think the weather was a factor. We had no trouble getting to Hilton from Des Moines. Parking...now that was a different story. You couldn't see the lines in the parking lot so it was pretty much one big mess.

The announced attendance was 13,226...or about 800 shy of a sellout. If some people purchased tickets but decided not to show up that's their choice to waste their money. It would be different if it was a sellout and those people were taking tickets away from people who actually wanted to see the game. But there were 800 tickets left so anyone that wanted to go to the game could have.

I think we will average over 12,000 during conference play and that will put us near the top of the Big 12 in attendance. Not bad for a team many picked to end up last in the conference.

[pulse]

Hilton Magic peaked during the Orr era, because everyone was always excited with players like Hornacek, Grayer, Hoiberg, Meyer, Tompkins, and even the infamous BAM, Baugh, Mack, and Alexander. There was never a serious dropoff to make attendance go down. People looked forward to Hilton games. The Championship season came out of nowhere and took everyone by surprise, and then the cupboard was bare again and then enter Wayne Sleepy Morgan.

As I've said before, the students had rotating seats that allowed them to sit courtside. They really had good seats, even when they rotated to the balcony. Sticking them behind the basket I'm sure hasn't helped. The Blue Hairs have been leaving games early since the beginning of time. Apparently the terrible traffic gridlock that occurs in the metropolis of Ames is so bad that leaving their seats before the game ends allows them to get home a whole 3 or 4 minutes earlier...

[cycloneworld]

As I've said before, the students had rotating seats that allowed them to sit courtside. They really had good seats, even when they rotated to the balcony. Sticking them behind the basket I'm sure hasn't helped. The Blue Hairs have been leaving games early since the beginning of time. Apparently the terrible traffic gridlock that occurs in the metropolis of Ames is so bad that leaving their seats before the game ends allows them to get home a whole 3 or 4 minutes earlier...

Someone needs to tell all of those people that leave early or leave their seats and stand around in the area between the parque and the balcony that they aren't the only ones with that idea. You didn't outsmart anyone by leaning over to your wife and saying "Honey, I have this great idea...let's leave a little early so we can get out of the parking lot 5 mintues faster. And don't tell ANYONE about this secret plan."

Just look around...half the crowd is doing that.