Haisten Article:" TU Legends Lament Crowds"

[I.I.]

Haisten finally hit today with the TU Haith situation article. Talked how the Legends of the past were horrified to see our crowd of 3405 announced (1700 actual) last night. The attendance has dropped from a Wojcik firing low of 4423 to a Haith low in 2019-2020 of 4043 to this year's low of 2779 (actual 1700). ORU has now surpassed us in attendance at 4953 ......that's terrible to hear..........

Had three questions:

1. Why has TU basketball attendance faded to such a horrific level?

2. What can or should be done about it?

3. Will community apathy compel TU to make a coaching change?

Says he asked several (TU people) (who knows who they are) about a coaching change and the universal answer was "I really have no idea" **** Does that mean they are in areas of TU employment where they don't know basketball history at TU and how teams win?

At least Haisten threw it out there and he suspects Dickson will make a decision at the end of the year. Thanks Bill.

 

[Gold*]

If I had info

the last person I would tell

is Scoop. Just sayin.’

 

['Cane-man]

Scoop obviously reads this message board. He sums up a lot of what has been discussed here.

Everybody knows the aunt is crazy except the crazy aunt!

 

[Gold*]

Even the Illinois

State coach is fired but we

keep the guy he beat (repeatedly)

 

[rusty-c]

Wouldn't mind seeing a couple of editorials from a few of those legends to get their full thoughts.

 

[noble cane]

I like Coley's idea... but I dont think you can aggressively market a turd like this.

 

[TUcandoit]

I get reemed every time I say it on here but I still 100% believe we have the absolute worst marketing department. They keep telling us they want to increase applications and acceptance. Yet it's hard to find TU apparel anywhere except on campus or 2 ugly items at walmart. They seem to market to an aging crowd as well instead of moving into the younger generation. Hit twitter hard, hit facebook hard. Get some radio press that isn't NPR or old country.

 

[rusty-c]

I like Coley's idea... but I dont think you can aggressively market a turd like this.

Unfortunately, ORU is killing us in marketing their product. I know it's easier when your coming off a sweet 16 appearance, but the in game atmosphere is better, the parking is far better, and walk up ticket promos are better, and yes the product on the court is better at this time.

Coley's idea certainly is something that should be happening and something so simple should have happened long ago. TU needs to find someone to "produce" the game experience to bring excitement back even when the product on the court is down.

 

[mcane]

Agree with everything, except ORU's attendance figures also include season ticket holder no shows. There were plenty of empty seats at the TU game with an announced crowd of around 5,500. Hasten should know that OSU is the worst culprit. Regular 8,300 when there can't be more than 5K in the arena. Tons of empty seats in the donor sections. And OU, well we've know from years that their fans and students only bother to show if they have a superstar or are playing KU, Texas or OSU. It's not just a problem with our product - although that is a problem - college basketball attendance outside of the traditional powers is terrible.

 

[noble cane]

I dont disagree with you guys.. our marketing sucks..

Good marketing might get that first ticket purchased.. but unless the product on the floor is worth watching (or chemically addictive) people arent going to buy the second one..

The Thunder have some of the best marketing around, but they are struggling attendance and interest wise because the team isnt worth watching.

 

[EagleBackr]

Agree with everything, except ORU's attendance figures also include season ticket holder no shows. There were plenty of empty seats at the TU game with an announced crowd of around 5,500.

ORU game attendance truly is the highest it's been in years, regardless of announced attendance figures. Actual "butts in seats" estimates from those who attend frequently put the numbers at 3,000-to-3,500 per game:

 

[TU 1978]

ORU game attendance truly is the highest it's been in years, regardless of announced attendance figures. Actual "butts in seats" estimates from those who attend frequently put the numbers at 3,000-to-3,500 per game:

View embedded media

The Titans had bigger attendance back in the Richard Fuqua days than they do now.

 

[EagleBackr]

The Titans had bigger attendance back in the Richard Fuqua days than they do now.

ORU averaged 7,000+ from the opening of the Mabee Center through the '70's; decline began in early '80's with the oil bust coinciding with meteoric rise of Nolan Richardson's TU teams; plummeted with the highly unpopular Ken Hayes firing in 1983.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

The Thunder have some of the best marketing around, but they are struggling attendance and interest wise because the team isnt worth watching.

The Thunder have become almost unwatchable, and it’s hard to even trust management to work through the rebuild properly.

Trading two first round draft picks to get a guy that’s barely G-League capable makes you wonder how they’ll squander the rest of their war chest of draft picks.

 

[I.I.]

I dont disagree with you guys.. our marketing sucks..

Good marketing might get that first ticket purchased.. but unless the product on the floor is worth watching (or chemically addictive) people arent going to buy the second one..

The Thunder have some of the best marketing around, but they are struggling attendance and interest wise because the team isnt worth watching.

I agree the Thunder shows it is not marketing but having a winning product on the floor. OSU and OU are not winning this year and it shows in attendance. Houston (Cougars) are having sellouts compared to the James Dickey era of empty seats. Arkansas is now winning again and 13000 rush the court.

 

[mcane]

3,500 to which I say Whoop Whoop or Whoopi Goldberg. After Abmas leaves welcome back to an empty arena. No one really wants to see the St Thomas Tommies which I truly had never heard of until this year

 

[EagleBackr]

3,500 to which I say Whoop Whoop or Whoopi Goldberg. After Abmas leaves welcome back to an empty arena. No one really wants to see the St Thomas Tommies which I truly had never heard of until this year

LOL - Google “Camron Amboree”. And, get yer popcorn ready.