Student section/Cyclone Alley

carvers4math

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Mar 15, 2012
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Just as a comparison, students at Texas Tech get into any sporting event for free (we'll, it's built into tuition/fees). It's basically first come, first served, but their game attendance is kept track of, and in order to get priority seating for their big rivalry games (Texas), they need to attend a certain number of the "lesser" games.

They have a really good home court advantage. It's not as good this year since the team hasn't been great, but I find it interesting how they do things there.
At least part of the time when my first Cyclone son was at ISU, they tried doing something similar. They kept track of points for games you went to including women’s games. He started going to those then and kept going even when they stopped. I think they were supposed to be able to line up sooner for KU or something but it never worked well. He got shoved into the wall in the line and was bleeding enough that security told him to go to first aid, which of course he didn’t cause he needed to get a seat.

When one of my sons was a grad student at UCF, all of their sports were “free” to students and even with their huge enrollment, it was never hard to get in.
 

thisISnextyear

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Lawrence, 25 miles from KC 2.5 mil metro plus Topeka.
Proximity to a population base has an impact on attendance. It does NOT have an impact on the energy of the venue.
You could argue that a sellout has more energy but even with a sellout at Hilton and AFH, there is a night and day difference between the two. Much of it has to do with Hilton having an upper deck and AFH being one continuous level but most of it has to do with the people inside.
For our game at AFH we(and nearly the entire crowd) stood the entire game. At Hilton standing is reserved for 2-3 moments per game max and even then it is about 50% of the crowd. It was evident that the in game production at AFH was designed to make it loud. That’s not the case at Hilton for hoops. The production for Beauty and the Beast was better with better song choices(I get that some of this is part of the performance) but we need to reevaluate this and have do something different to create separation between the in venue atmosphere and watching at home.
 

AltoonaFish

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Proximity to a population base has an impact on attendance. It does NOT have an impact on the energy of the venue.
You could argue that a sellout has more energy but even with a sellout at Hilton and AFH, there is a night and day difference between the two. Much of it has to do with Hilton having an upper deck and AFH being one continuous level but most of it has to do with the people inside.
For our game at AFH we(and nearly the entire crowd) stood the entire game. At Hilton standing is reserved for 2-3 moments per game max and even then it is about 50% of the crowd. It was evident that the in game production at AFH was designed to make it loud. That’s not the case at Hilton for hoops. The production for Beauty and the Beast was better with better song choices(I get that some of this is part of the performance) but we need to reevaluate this and have do something different to create separation between the in venue atmosphere and watching at home.
Ive been to AFH once. Your experience is far different that mine. I did not stand the entire , barely at all and that was last years 1 point game.
 
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thisISnextyear

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Ive been to AFH once. Your experience is far different that mine. I did not stand the entire , barely at all and that was last years 1 point game.
I can’t argue with your personal experience but you were also required to wear a mask last year. The difference between being there this year and last year was significant.
 

AltoonaFish

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I mean it got loud last year and I completely forgot about the mask thing. That building is set up that a group of kindergarteners would make it deafening. It just annoys me that fans crap on other fans because other schools are better.

Why don't we say, man we had more fans and students than any other big 12 school this season last night , on a Wednesday night at 8:00 with impending doom snowstorm and a 2 game losing streak against a TCU that has no real significance as a rival to most. Because thats what happened.

Could it have been better? yes. Could it have been worse? Yes
 
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SEIOWA CLONE

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Dec 19, 2018
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Without a doubt, students need to be at the games, but I have thought for years, that it would be better for everyone if ISU allowed the general public to purchase tickets behind the baskets in the upper deck. Starting at row six and above offer them to the general public or as new season ticket holders. Reserve the seats for students for the big games on the schedule, when we play KU, Baylor UT or teams like that, maybe 4 per year, and then sell the rest to general public.

I went on-line looking for tickets through ISU when we were allowed to purchase, the only tickets available through ISU was in the top couple of rows in the balcony. I would rather watch the game on TV then drive 2.5 hours each way to Ames for those seats, put me around row 10 and I am willing to do it.
 
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carvers4math

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Without a doubt, students need to be at the games, but I have thought for years, that it would be better for everyone if ISU allowed the general public to purchase tickets behind the baskets in the upper deck. Starting at row six and above offer them to the general public or as new season ticket holders. Reserve the seats for students for the big games on the schedule, when we play KU, Baylor UT or teams like that, maybe 4 per year, and then sell the rest to general public.

I went on-line looking for tickets through ISU when we were allowed to purchase, the only tickets available through ISU was in the top couple of rows in the balcony. I would rather watch the game on TV then drive 2.5 hours each way to Ames for those seats, put me around row 10 and I am willing to do it.
Does anyone actually stop someone from moving into student upper deck?

With our two hour drive and husband’s work starting at 7:00 am, no way we were going even though they kept sending us emails that tickets were available, which is why it seems odd all the ******** about the students for this game.
 
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CyPunch

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May 3, 2019
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It would make some sense to sell the upper deck student section seats to the general public for weeknight home games against historically lesser quality opponents (TCU, Oklahoma, Ok State, etc).

There is no excuse for having a poor turnout last Saturday though. With a top 15 team and what is nationally known as a top environment in the sport… That’s embarrassing.

The final week night home game is a Monday at 8PM vs West Virginia. The seniors deserve a packed house that night.
 

8bitnes

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Nov 21, 2010
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Proximity to a population base has an impact on attendance. It does NOT have an impact on the energy of the venue.
You could argue that a sellout has more energy but even with a sellout at Hilton and AFH, there is a night and day difference between the two. Much of it has to do with Hilton having an upper deck and AFH being one continuous level but most of it has to do with the people inside.
For our game at AFH we(and nearly the entire crowd) stood the entire game. At Hilton standing is reserved for 2-3 moments per game max and even then it is about 50% of the crowd. It was evident that the in game production at AFH was designed to make it loud. That’s not the case at Hilton for hoops. The production for Beauty and the Beast was better with better song choices(I get that some of this is part of the performance) but we need to reevaluate this and have do something different to create separation between the in venue atmosphere and watching at home.
Who asked about AFH and the F cares? Must be rough to have been able to pay players for decades and have the NCAA turn a blind eye because KU is too big to punish
 

HFCS

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Aug 13, 2010
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Proximity to a population base has an impact on attendance. It does NOT have an impact on the energy of the venue.
You could argue that a sellout has more energy but even with a sellout at Hilton and AFH, there is a night and day difference between the two. Much of it has to do with Hilton having an upper deck and AFH being one continuous level but most of it has to do with the people inside.
For our game at AFH we(and nearly the entire crowd) stood the entire game. At Hilton standing is reserved for 2-3 moments per game max and even then it is about 50% of the crowd. It was evident that the in game production at AFH was designed to make it loud. That’s not the case at Hilton for hoops. The production for Beauty and the Beast was better with better song choices(I get that some of this is part of the performance) but we need to reevaluate this and have do something different to create separation between the in venue atmosphere and watching at home.

The entire crowd stands the entire game? Calling BS.

I would believe that KU students stand the entire game, there were plenty of games in late 90s/early 00s parts of the ISU student section stood almost the whole game, so I've been part of that and know that's possible. The general admission crowd? Doubtful.

There's no way the entire AFH stands up the entire game unless they ban people over 40 from buying tickets. Plus they need to rest from all the booing they do.
 

dafarmer

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Mar 17, 2012
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SW Iowa
We started walking out from the top row of the balcony with 20 seconds left in the game and had 0 issues getting out of D3 and still didnt make it home till 11:00 on the northside of Johnston. I can see why anyone with kids would not attend a 8pm weeknight game.
Add 2 hours plus to get home and the reliability of the weather forecasters, and I can see peoples reluctance to go, especially on a weekday. I feel the students need more input for game attendance and promotions.
 

CYdTracked

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Mar 23, 2006
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Grimes, IA
First off thanks to the students that did show up last night. I don't want to lump those into the same category as the ones that didn't show up last night as most that did show up I bet rarely missed a game. That being said it was a pathetic showing when the even the lower levels of the student sections were not filled to the top. This was a ranked matchup and I don't know what else most of them could be doing at 8pm at night other than maybe some had an exam or some other important school work to be doing. Even then I find it hard to believe THAT many had that reason to miss the game.

That atmosphere was lacking some energy with that many students missing. And some that were there apparently felt the need to spend their energy on making a foam finger snake to the upper deck instead of paying attention to the game. I would have killed to have the perks that Cyclone Alley gets when I was attending ISU and it was rare that I would miss a game when I was a student. I had nights that I had an exam and as soon as I finished I was on my bike and hustling it to Hilton even if it meant I'd be sitting in the nosebleeds to watch just the 2nd half. Would love to hear some of the reasons why so many did not go last night because weather should not be an excuse when most are able to walk or take the bus a short distance to get there.

Again, thanks to those that did show up last night to support your team and fellow students. Hoping that more of your peers follow your lead and show more devotion to regulary attending games and not just when they play certain teams. You are only a student for a short time and then there are a lot more things that will complicate getting to attend games than there are now once you are no longer a student so enjoy every game you can now.
 

David Moss

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Nov 5, 2020
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You realize there is a tendency to lose interest when you've been turned away, right? Also, only so many tickets are sold, so some freshmen don't even get them. We're actively doing things to decrease interest in attending games for students. Looks great on TV when we have tents outside for KU, but think about having to show up that early for a game. It's really a bunch of ********. Its their school and team, and the athletic dept is screwing it up big time.

Side note - this team is hard to watch.
 

awd4cy

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Dec 29, 2010
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Central Iowa
The entire crowd stands the entire game? Calling BS.

I would believe that KU students stand the entire game, there were plenty of games in late 90s/early 00s parts of the ISU student section stood almost the whole game, so I've been part of that and know that's possible. The general admission crowd? Doubtful.

There's no way the entire AFH stands up the entire game unless they ban people over 40 from buying tickets. Plus they need to rest from all the booing they do.
Yeah, I’ve been to AHF twice, 2017 and 2019, both great games and I don’t remember standing anymore than Hilton. It was very loud both games though.
 

ISUCubswin

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Mar 3, 2011
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My Playhouse
I just emailed Jamie Pollard what I think is an acceptable, level headed response to last nights showing by our students.

Dear Jamie,

Hey, sorry to bother you about this, but what in the actual **** was that showing last night by our students? Please email all professors at the university that exams shall not be given on game nights. Also, please consider adding a $1,000 fine to students who have season tickets but did not show up last night.

All I’m trying to say is I didn’t attend your university 10 years ago to skip multiple exams, lose multiple friends, and get arrested for “disorderly” conduct twice at Hilton for the students to have the performance they did last night.

Love you,
Chris W.
 

8bitnes

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Nov 21, 2010
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You realize there is a tendency to lose interest when you've been turned away, right? Also, only so many tickets are sold, so some freshmen don't even get them. We're actively doing things to decrease interest in attending games for students. Looks great on TV when we have tents outside for KU, but think about having to show up that early for a game. It's really a bunch of ********. Its their school and team, and the athletic dept is screwing it up big time.

Side note - this team is hard to watch.
Disagree on the hard to watch part. Watch both ends of the floor.
Imagine being so upset about missing a game and the solution is skipping the next one.
I didn't make a car sale today, so I decided to not greet the next customer
 
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cytor

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Seems to me that ISU could have free pizza to get people to come. I hear other schools do that. :jimlad:
 

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