Jump to content

What's up with our crowd?


AxnJxn

Recommended Posts

I realize this team has struggled, and it can sometimes be difficult to get excited for games, it was a late start, blah, blah, blah. But, the crowd last night was quiet from the tip, and even when we cut it to 3 late, they were pretty much non existent. This is the same fan base that packed the place when we were fielding a team of walkons early in the Crean regime, so I'm not sure I get it. We were coming off a huge win, and were looking at a chance to turn the season around, and last night was a complete dud in a number of ways, including crowd support. What gives?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 128
  • Created
  • Last Reply
16 minutes ago, AxnJxn said:

I realize this team has struggled, and it can sometimes be difficult to get excited for games, it was a late start, blah, blah, blah. But, the crowd last night was quiet from the tip, and even when we cut it to 3 late, they were pretty much non existent. This is the same fan base that packed the place when we were fielding a team of walkons early in the Crean regime, so I'm not sure I get it. We were coming off a huge win, and were looking at a chance to turn the season around, and last night was a complete dud in a number of ways, including crowd support. What gives?

We have lost 8 of 9 games, what in the world do you expect? The way we've been playing, particularly at home, they're lucky fans still show up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, SIHoosier26 said:

We have lost 8 of 9 games, what in the world do you expect? The way we've been playing, particularly at home, they're lucky fans still show up.

I expect the crowd to come out and support the team - it's not like it wasn't a sizeable amount of people, they just had no energy.. Are we a bunch of fairweather fans now, that only supports the team when they're winning? I realize the game was a struggle throughout, but that crowd was completely dead at the tip.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, AxnJxn said:

I realize this team has struggled, and it can sometimes be difficult to get excited for games, it was a late start, blah, blah, blah. But, the crowd last night was quiet from the tip, and even when we cut it to 3 late, they were pretty much non existent. This is the same fan base that packed the place when we were fielding a team of walkons early in the Crean regime, so I'm not sure I get it. We were coming off a huge win, and were looking at a chance to turn the season around, and last night was a complete dud in a number of ways, including crowd support. What gives?

Unfortunately apathy is setting for some. Not all or majority but for some. I saw in a facebook group about 3 hours before tip people saying they can't go to game....tickets are free. Sad part is the tickets went unclaimed until about 45 before game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Seeking6 said:

Unfortunately apathy is setting for some. Not all or majority but for some. I saw in a facebook group about 3 hours before tip people saying they can't go to game....tickets are free. Sad part is the tickets went unclaimed until about 45 before game.

Yeah, I noticed how cheap tickets were for last night, which is odd because the prices for Sunday's game are ridiculous right now. Dunno. Maybe it was just because it was a late game on a Thursday, but it was really obvious on TV. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, AxnJxn said:

Yeah, I noticed how cheap tickets were for last night, which is odd because the prices for Sunday's game are ridiculous right now. Dunno. Maybe it was just because it was a late game on a Thursday, but it was really obvious on TV. 

If I were in the ticket scalping business I'd start unloading now. No way anyone with a brain would pay over face unless the tickets were very, very close.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, dbmhoosier said:

Need a deep tourney run or a coaching change before the fans will come back.  Apathy is here to stay until one of them happens.

Stop it with this non sense.  If you are not willing to come back until a coaching change then we don't you as a fan.  If you or any of your friends think we need to make a change less than two year sin then I truly don't think you are a real fan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, IU Scott said:

Stop it with this non sense.  If you are not willing to come back until a coaching change then we don't you as a fan.  If you or any of your friends think we need to make a change less than two year sin then I truly don't think you are a real fan.

I don't want a coaching change.  That is way too premature but I'm telling you that many do.  Fred resinging or being fired might do the trick though.  Something needs to hapoen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, dbmhoosier said:

I don't want a coaching change.  That is way too premature but I'm telling you that many do.  Fred resinging or being fired might do the trick though.  Something needs to hapoen.

If Archie and Allen don’t succeed Fred has to go.  I hope they both do succeed and this becomes moot but at this point these hires should be tied to his AD career continuing.  Should.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

33 minutes ago, AxnJxn said:

I expect the crowd to come out and support the team - it's not like it wasn't a sizeable amount of people, they just had no energy.. Are we a bunch of fairweather fans now, that only supports the team when they're winning? I realize the game was a struggle throughout, but that crowd was completely dead at the tip.

Nobody is forced to show up just because they are a fans. College basketball is meant for entertainment, and there's nothing entertaining about this team right now.

They aren't even watchable unless there's whiskey present and unfortunately they don't sell alcohol at the games. But oh well, at least if it was a vertical jumping contest our guys would have a great shot. Basketball on the other hand is a different story.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, dbmhoosier said:

I don't want a coaching change.  That is way too premature but I'm telling you that many do.  Fred resinging or being fired might do the trick though.  Something needs to hapoen.

You just go by your friends over at  rivals and they are not a good indicator of anything.  If those fans won't come back until we win then I don't ever want them back because they are fair weather fans.  we just made a coaching change two years ago so we have already did that and they still aren't coming back so why would they come back if we make another one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

You just go by your friends over at  rivals and they are not a good indicator of anything.  If those fans won't come back until we win then I don't ever want them back because they are fair weather fans.  we just made a coaching change two years ago so we have already did that and they still aren't coming back so why would they come back if we make another one.

Because the next coach is going to magically turn 20 years of mediocrity around the moment he steps foot on campus, duh. Just gotta hire a guy with pixie dust.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, CauseThatsMyDJ said:

Because the next coach is going to magically turn 20 years of mediocrity around the moment he steps foot on campus, duh. Just gotta hire a guy with pixie dust.

Like I said in another thread that some don't see the pattern.  we change coach and  after a few years the fans want a new coach.  We get a new coach and after less  than two years they want another new coach.  Maybe the pattern is not the coaches fault but maybe it is the fan's that need to really look in the mirror.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

Like I said in another thread that some don't see the pattern.  we change coach and  after a few years the fans want a new coach.  We get a new coach and after less  than two years they want another new coach.  Maybe the pattern is not the coaches fault but maybe it is the fan's that need to really look in the mirror.

This post isn't an indicator of my thoughts on Archie. Yes. We'll give him time. I'll wait for judgement towards the end of next year. End of year 3 is more than enough time to start seeing trends.

To your point though. People are angry at the macro with IU basketball right now. 20+ years of being asked to be patient. I know I'm tired of being asked to be patient. That's just me though. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Seeking6 said:

This post isn't an indicator of my thoughts on Archie. Yes. We'll give him time. I'll wait for judgement towards the end of next year. End of year 3 is more than enough time to start seeing trends.

To your point though. People are angry at the macro with IU basketball right now. 20+ years of being asked to be patient. I know I'm tired of being asked to be patient. That's just me though. 

No question there. It’s been BEYOND a drought.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Seeking6 said:

This post isn't an indicator of my thoughts on Archie. Yes. We'll give him time. I'll wait for judgement towards the end of next year. End of year 3 is more than enough time to start seeing trends.

To your point though. People are angry at the macro with IU basketball right now. 20+ years of being asked to be patient. I know I'm tired of being asked to be patient. That's just me though. 

Just look at those 25 years of mediocrity.  We have had 5 coaches and at least 4 AD"S and players come and go so what is the one constant, the fans.  I am not just pointing fingers but looking at myself as well.  I know I live in the past to much and I think that is one problem with this fan base.  Anytime someone mentions we should get rid of the candy stripes or put names on the jersey people freak out.  Maybe it is time for our fan base to start living in the present and future and not look back to the past.  Maybe our fan base needs to stop ripping the coaches and players on social media after every loss because recruits and their families take notice of these things.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

Like I said in another thread that some don't see the pattern.  we change coach and  after a few years the fans want a new coach.  We get a new coach and after less  than two years they want another new coach.  Maybe the pattern is not the coaches fault but maybe it is the fan's that need to really look in the mirror.

This was my point a few weeks ago.  IU fans need to accept the path the AD has chosen and support Archie.  They choose the multi year rebuild hire instead of the elite splash option.  As you pointed out who knows if IU could truly get an elite coach and many elite coaches are formed not hired out of the blue.  But whether it’s instant gratification or delusional blue blood entitlement they don’t want to accept that.  Even I get that way at times.  This is where I would love to see IU throw out a bunch of money at someone considered high level and see what happens.  It’s different than the last 4 coaching options.  Unfortunately that’s no guarantee of anything but it might calm the masses.  But realistically there would just be new complaints to be had.

Archie is here and he is not going anywhere so we have 2-3 more years to see what happens.  So while I can complain about the initial hire, and even the on court choices, thinking Archie is getting fired any time soon is crazy talk and not productive.

Side note I think Fred has to be feeling the heat after that last Trustee meeting.  I was pleasantly surprised to see him get grilled.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Seeking6 said:

This post isn't an indicator of my thoughts on Archie. Yes. We'll give him time. I'll wait for judgement towards the end of next year. End of year 3 is more than enough time to start seeing trends.

To your point though. People are angry at the macro with IU basketball right now. 20+ years of being asked to be patient. I know I'm tired of being asked to be patient. That's just me though. 

I agree completely.  Last night's game was depressing because it confirms my fear that it is going to be at least two or three seasons before we might be good and next year may be no more successful than this season.

Until I actually see the team display substantial improvement on consistent basis, it's going to be difficult to be highly optimistic.  It seems like every year we have to pin our hopes on incoming freshmen to improve our team and various players to suddenly transform the quality of their play (see: Newkirk, Green).  We do have some good players coming back, and a couple of nice recruits, but practically every team in the big ten does too.

Edit: In retrospect, Archies biggest mistake thus far may have been the decision to not pursue McKinley Wright when he was initially hired.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What concerns me is that the students today have not seen IU successful and probably have not been into IU basketball like students of the past.  Also getting more and more out of state students especially form the east there are less students who even know about IU basketball.  To me this could hurt the atmosphere at AH as well as the product on the court right now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

Just look at those 25 years of mediocrity.  We have had 5 coaches and at least 4 AD"S and players come and go so what is the one constant, the fans.  I am not just pointing fingers but looking at myself as well.  I know I live in the past to much and I think that is one problem with this fan base.  Anytime someone mentions we should get rid of the candy stripes or put names on the jersey people freak out.  Maybe it is time for our fan base to start living in the present and future and not look back to the past.  Maybe our fan base needs to stop ripping the coaches and players on social media after every loss because recruits and their families take notice of these things.

I will say I am one that thinks a fresh approach to non oncourt items is needed.  Time to sell alcohol, have alternate jersies, and get input from current players and students on what the want to see on game day.  These young players and students are not tied to these traditions and continue to highlight this blueblood thought process.

I also think remodeling AH while beautiful was the wrong choice.  The balcony is still terrible, under them is just as bad, concession are still jammed at busy games, and bathrooms by the stands are sardine cans.  The new bathrooms by the south entrance are ginormous but hardly anyone uses them as the are so out of the way.  I know many fans who are not ticket holders that struggle to find the varsity shop.  The building inherently has flaws that no makeover can fix.

Nothing beats the sound of a jammed game like when IU beat UNC or Kentucky, but I think holding on to AH was another sign of holding on to the glory days that have been missing for decades.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Zuckerkorn said:

I agree completely.  Last night's game was depressing because it confirms my fear that it is going to be at least two or three seasons before we might be good and next year may be no more successful than this season.

Until I actually see the team display substantial improvement on consistent basis, it's going to be difficult to be highly optimistic.  It seems like every year we have to pin our hopes on incoming freshmen to improve our team and various players to suddenly transform the quality of their play (see: Newkirk, Green).  We do have some good players coming back, and a couple of nice recruits, but practically every team in the big ten does too.

Once Archie has a full roster of his guys, we won't see anyone like Green or Newkirk (I hope). Archie is out there getting basketball players. This freshman class is full of real basketball players and so is the 2019 class so far.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure what the total attendance was from last night, but there was major flooding in central Indiana yesterday/last night.  That could have been a reason people weren't able to make it to the game.  Also, for people who have to work the next day, a 9pm tip is brutal, especially if you have an hour to drive home after the game. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, StLHoosier said:

I'm not sure what the total attendance was from last night, but there was major flooding in central Indiana yesterday/last night.  That could have been a reason people weren't able to make it to the game.  Also, for people who have to work the next day, a 9pm tip is brutal, especially if you have an hour to drive home after the game. 

I have 2 neighbors who have season tickets. They posted yesterday afternoon in our neighborhood message board that tickets were available. They were eventually used but in post they cited late tip, not getting home until 1230 or 1am with early work on Friday as the reason they weren't going. Hopefully this doesn't lessen my fandom card but it is a factor when the team isn't playing so well. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.




×
×
  • Create New...