Declining attendance at UofU Basketball Games

[TripletDaddy]

When it comes to basketball in Salt Lake City, the Jazz has been and always will be King. Majerus' best years at the U coincided with the Jazz best years as well. The Final Four appearance was the same year the Jazz were in the Finals for the 2nd time.

If I were you, I'd be more concerned about when the Y was going to advance to the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament than how many butts are in the seats at the Huntsman Center.

It is a free country. If I want to think about Ute fans' butts, that is my business.

[BoylenOver]

All the more indication that the U really never was a basketball school.

These aren't my numbers, of course. The attendance figures don't seem to be in dispute by anyone here, although I do question BoylenOver's assertion that the U runs at 95% capacity when I see that average attendance is around 9K over the past few years.

The lack of attendance and inability to attract fans at the level of the traditional basketball schools seems to speak for itself. I was just expressing surprise.

LA Ute mentioned entertainment alternatives. Are there that many in SLC? A Utah basketball ticket is pretty affordable...it is a cheap ticket.

That is my mistake, 95% is for football, not basketball. Of course we aren't at 95% capacity for basketball.

[il Padrino Ute]

All the more indication that the U really never was a basketball school.

These aren't my numbers, of course. The attendance figures don't seem to be in dispute by anyone here, although I do question BoylenOver's assertion that the U runs at 95% capacity when I see that average attendance is around 9K over the past few years.

The lack of attendance and inability to attract fans at the level of the traditional basketball schools seems to speak for itself. I was just expressing surprise.

LA Ute mentioned entertainment alternatives. Are there that many in SLC? A Utah basketball ticket is pretty affordable...it is a cheap ticket.

That would be 95% capacity of RES.

And yes, there are many other entertainment alternatives here. You need to think outside the LA entertainment box. Think outdoors in the winter.

[il Padrino Ute]

It is a free country. If I want to think about Ute fans' butts, that is my business.

It's a free country for now....

[TripletDaddy]

It's a free country for now....

what have you been doing the past few weeks!!!???? what's going on?

[il Padrino Ute]

what have you been doing the past few weeks!!!???? what's going on?

I've been building my bunker for when the Marxists in the White House and Congress pass their policies.

[TripletDaddy]

I've been building my bunker for when the Marxists in the White House and Congress pass their policies.

This explains why you didn't bother going to the Utah/Michigan basketball game.

[il Padrino Ute]

This explains why you didn't bother going to the Utah/Michigan basketball game.

It would seem that way, but I had an alternative activity that night.

[TripletDaddy]

It would seem that way, but I had an alternative activity that night.

Jazz game. I get it.

[il Padrino Ute]

Jazz game. I get it.

I can honestly say that I would rather have been at the Jazz game.

[OrangeUte]

i wonder if the 9K the runnin' utes are averaging in the seats this year during the pre-season is higher than the majerus years during the pre-season when such fantastic programs as rippon came to town.

majerus did a very good job selling tickets - it just was hard to get motivated to show up for many of his pre-season spectaculars.

i remember watching utah v. texas in the mid-90's and the place was packed. i believe that was a december game. i also attended a few u. wisconsin green bay games where the attendance couldn't have been much more than 7K.

boylen is doing the only thing that can be done to get fannies in the seats - schedule the big names.

i miss the days of the ute classic tournament. does anyone know why that ever stopped?

[DrumNFeather]

One of the things that I think BYU does right is the All-Sports pass. You pay a one-time fee and get assigned seats for football and then can walk into any sporting event if you flash your card. I have to wonder if Utah wouldn't see a jump in student attendence if it 1) Offered this at the beginning of the school year when signing up for the MUSS (or whenever you do that) and 2)offered more decent seating to the students. BYU essentially gives one whole side to the students, I think that is a great way to go.

[OrangeUte]

One of the things that I think BYU does right is the All-Sports pass. You pay a one-time fee and get assigned seats for football and then can walk into any sporting event if you flash your card. I have to wonder if Utah wouldn't see a jump in student attendence if it 1) Offered this at the beginning of the school year when signing up for the MUSS (or whenever you do that) and 2)offered more decent seating to the students. BYU essentially gives one whole side to the students, I think that is a great way to go.

good point. i wanted tickets to the utes v. wake forest game when tim duncan was coming to town. i had gone to every ute game as student that year and the year before, but the line was so long that i didn't get tix to that game... pissed me off that all of those "big game" fans got to go but i didn't.

[DrumNFeather]

good point. i wanted tickets to the utes v. wake forest game when tim duncan was coming to town. i had gone to every ute game as student that year and the year before, but the line was so long that i didn't get tix to that game... pissed me off that all of those "big game" fans got to go but i didn't.

I believe in that event, BYU will require its all-sports holders to attend a women's game and then afterward they get first dibbs at a big game which, again, isn't a bad idea.

[UteStar]

I am frustrated about the attendance. I have been a season ticket holder every year that I have lived in Utah since college and the attendance is depressing. Even though he was winning, Majerus hurt a lot of the attendance numbers for a couple of reasons: terrible opponents and a who the hell cares about the fans. Then Giac came along and was a disaster who didn't pay attention to the fans and then his teams (besides the first year) were terrible.

Boylen is doing everything he can. Good solid teams...big name opponents and he sells this program nonstop. He goes to the students, he is on the radio all the time talking up the team, etc. I am convinced if Boylen decides to leave, part of it will be over his frustration of not getting enough fans to the game.

Now, with all that said...the fans that do go to the games have been pretty good this year and last year. It is a pretty vocal group. But the attendance needs to improve. I think conference season, the numbers will get to the 10K range...but that is not good enough in my mind either.