Hilton atmosphere during womens' game has deteriorated.

[BringBackJohnny]

So here is how I see this thing potentially happening.........................

Each ISU Fan Unit (Family, Alum, Student, etc.) has a fixed amount of ISU Fan Power (Time, Money, Energey, etc.)

Each ISU Fan Unit can then spend their ISU Fan Power on various ISU events each year until that amount of ISU Fan Power is depleated.

In years such as this with record attendance in football, Cyclones.TV, bowl trips to Memphis, and a surging MBB program. Those activities get much of the attention of the ISU Fan Units and can be considerd the Meat and Potatoe expenses of being an ISU Fan Unit. With the bowl trip and such adding extra Meat and Potatoes this year it caused many ISU Fan Unit's ISU Fan Power to deplete faster than average and not be able to be used on WBB (Cake and Cookies).

[Mr Janny]

So, why bother to say anything at all? If you don't like the women's games, don't go, don't talk about it, and don't waste the time of people who actually DO appreciate and support successful Iowa State programs. I do not understand the need of some people to make comments about things on a message board (or anywhere else) they clearly have no interest in. If you're so bored by women's hoops, stay out of the the women's basketball threads. It's not rocket science. We'll all be much happier if you stay away.

Because this is a thread about why the atmosphere has deteriorated, and his was a valid reason. For me, when the men were terrible, it was nice to watch successful basketball. Now, that men's is exciting again, I've lost a lot of my interest. I think a lot of people were like that. It's not a pleasant fact, but it doesn't change what it is. Men's bball is just more entertaining to a lot of people.

[Triggermv]

I wonder if the surging volleyball program has siphoned off some WBB fans as well.

I hate to admit this, but I'm in this group. In the past, I've always followed WBB to some extent while even going to a few games. With that, our volleyball team was terrible and didn't have enough power to draw my interest or even give them a chance. Anyways, since our volleyball team has risen to power, I started to give them a chance and realized how much I truly love watching ISU volleyball and even college volleyball as a whole. This is even to the extent that I have been an avid follower for the past few years and watch nearly every home game either live or on Cyclones.tv. The unfortunate thing with watching our volleyball team is that I've learned how much I enjoy watching women's volleyball over women's basketball, no matter how successful each team is. With that, my following of volleyball has gone up and WBB has fallen. I know this is a lame excuse beings how they are in two different seasons, but WBB has somewhat lost its lackluster to me. Don't hate me for being honest please.

[ByronRiceAlum]

So here is how I see this thing potentially happening.........................

Each ISU Fan Unit (Family, Alum, Student, etc.) has a fixed amount of ISU Fan Power (Time, Money, Energey, etc.)

Each ISU Fan Unit can then spend their ISU Fan Power on various ISU events each year until that amount of ISU Fan Power is depleated.

In years such as this with record attendance in football, Cyclones.TV, bowl trips to Memphis, and a surging MBB program. Those activities get much of the attention of the ISU Fan Units and can be considerd the Meat and Potatoe expenses of being an ISU Fan Unit. With the bowl trip and such adding extra Meat and Potatoes this year it caused many ISU Fan Unit's ISU Fan Power to deplete faster than average and not be able to be used on WBB (Cake and Cookies).

Trust me there are plenty of us who are fortunate to have the time and enough money to take in all of this. I live in the Des Moines area and tonight will be my 4th time to Ames since last Saturday, 3rd ISU athletic event. I know this much: the atmosphere last evening between 2 Big 12 women powers was so lacking compared to what it HAS been in the past. The overall buzz at the arena seems to be gone and I still don't feel I have the answer why.

[mred]

Has it actually been deteriorating? After the teams of 99-00 through 02-03, attendance dropped quite a bit, but after a temporary dip it bounced back somewhat and has been pretty steady the past several years, and the games I've been to in person I've seen attendance stay pretty steady.

Also, this was a weekday game: weekday games will always be attended worse than weekend games.

[cydney]

I've been going for the past ten plus years, and for the right games at the right times, it does not seem to have fallen off much. Maybe it's where you are sitting. The crowd was very into last night's game where I was sitting.

Last night was a Tuesday night, not the usual night for Big 12 basketball. There were lots of high school games in the area. That takes a chunk of the crowd, including some of the younger crowd.

The crowd last Saturday night vs TCU was larger, possibly because of good game time, various promotions, and having some of the crowd from the men's game stay for the day.

[Dryburn]

I think it is possibly several things:

The success of the men's team probably has something to do with it. At some near point in the future, the MBB may become so popular that they will be sold out and tickets will not be available. At that point, maybe more people will attend the WBB.

I don't think the WBB last year, and even so far this year has been as exciting as some of th teams in the past. I'm not sure what it is though. I know the last couple of years, the team has not been as good at 3 point shooting as some of the teams in the past, but I don't know if that would be enough or not. I think there are some players now with Kidd, Brynn, Nikki, then Jadda and Tyseanna next year who might bring some more exciting basketball to Hilton.

I think ISU needs to start playing a slightly better non-conference schedule. I don't think you have to play top 10 teams every game, but would one or two per year really hurt that much? Plus, there are plenty of BCS teams that are not in the top 10. I just think you need to get people interested in your product, and playing some better quality teams at home is one way to do that.

What confuses me though is that ISU is always up near the top in attendance, supposedly. The numbers they are announcing for each home game are usually well above the number of people that are actually at Hilton. I know....I did crowd estimates of every event in Hilton for 10 years. So, obviously, they are counting the actual tickets sold, which is fine as long as everyone else is doing that. But two questions.....if those tickets are sold.....why are the people not there? Also...I think it raises the question of how the student ticket sales are counted. If there is a student ticket that gets you into all winter sports at Hilton or something, and each of those is counted for all Hilton winter events, then that is also going to skew the attendance numbers.

As an example...last night's crowd was announced at 10379. Seriously? I guarantee you there were not more than 6000 there, and I don't think there were that many. So who were the other 4300 people who had tickets but didn't come?

It is a little difficult to see the balcony seats on tv, but I am guessing that maybe the 4 main balcony side sections on each side were less than half full. In rough numbers.....the arena circle seats, side and ends, about 1500. The Parquet seats about 4500. The balcony seats a little over 8000.

[Cycsk]

Trust me there are plenty of us who are fortunate to have the time and enough money to take in all of this. I live in the Des Moines area and tonight will be my 4th time to Ames since last Saturday, 3rd ISU athletic event. I know this much: the atmosphere last evening between 2 Big 12 women powers was so lacking compared to what it HAS been in the past. The overall buzz at the arena seems to be gone and I still don't feel I have the answer why.

I wonder if there has been a drop off in marketing. Once upon a time, it seemed that every junior high girl I knew was going to all the games with their parents (and grandparents).

[mred]

Also...I think it raises the question of how the student ticket sales are counted. If there is a student ticket that gets you into all winter sports at Hilton or something, and each of those is counted for all Hilton winter events, then that is also going to skew the attendance numbers.

The attendance numbers drop quite a bit during winter break. Students don't get those games (I believe) so that leads me to believe those tickets are always counted.

[alarson]

but would one or two per year really hurt that much?

Except we basically have done this with the increase to 18 conference games.

[twistedredbird]

Except we basically have done this with the increase to 18 conference games.

yeah, but we see them every year. ;-)

I understand coach's position, but I don't have to like it, and he knows many fans have complained. While the holiday tourney is basically when we play quality non-con opponents, it isn't in Hilton.

[casey1973]

It's funny I thought the same thing last night while watching on TV regarding the empty seats around the parquet. I for some reason am having a hard time watching the Cyclones due to the constant turnovers and the game in general. I don't think it's just the Clones, it's women's basketball in general. I think the game has become so physical that unfortunately isn't as appealing. No doubt our players are giving everything they've got day in and day out. It'll get better.

[Three4Cy]

Good information. I totally agree about the Lil/Jr Clone Club drop-off, wow! We use to take our daughters to every game and even week nights were packed behind the east basket. Last night there were about 30 youngsters in that section.

I understand numbers are down and some of these contributing factors but for those who go, COME ON! Sounded like Carver Hawkeye Arena during one of their womens' games. If you go, participate in the game. Help energize your team!!!

You and I were obviously at different games last night.

[CyCrazy]

I hate to be the first one to say it, but it's kind of boring.

Kind of boring is an understatement.

[twistedredbird]

Kind of boring is an understatement.

As is Audrey Hepburn