What Do You Think Are The Biggest Factors For Attendance?

[gtmoBlue]

people have made it a custom to come hang out for a couple of hours 16-18 times a year, have a few drinks with friends and maybe watch a little basketball. The key here is in Omaha is that the basketball is secondary for most people. It's just a social event.

The old "they come for the BEER" line. You couldn't come up with something original?
Thanks "sciencesker"

[bluejayfanatic]

I disagree almost 100% with sciencejay. When we play Nebraska the arena is maybe 10% Husker fans, and that's being generous. No more than if we played any other big state school within 100 miles. Also, as gtmo pointed out, the "They Come for the Beer" argument is tired and has been debunked. First of all, the fact that Jays fans travel so well, thousands of miles in some cases, puts the "casual/social fan" argument to bed. Second of all, when we're playing an opponent with a pulse, the 18,000 Jays fans at the game get loud and are very much into the game. Such a Husker/Wichiturd argument to make.

[sciencejay]

Gtmo and BJF: Sorry, but I am entitled to my interpretation of what I have seen during my time as a season ticket holder for the past 9 years. I attend 90% of home games. What I see is the Bud Light zone packed and the lower bowl ~1/2 to 2/3 full during the entire game except for the times when an opponent is good or a game gets tight or something really cool happens. That's what I have consistently seen over a long time frame. I have family that is part of the zone crowd and I visit that area nearly every game. Again, the majority of people in that area are socializing, not watching the game. Sorry, that's not a tired, debunked argument. It's what I see regularly.

Don't get me wrong, I love the big crowds, because when the game gets tight, the place gets noisy. And I love the social aspect. When Longwood is in town, how many people do you think would show up if they didn't sell beer? Geez. I left at halftime to watch the Jays VB team beat Michigan and go to the Elite 8 (OUTSTANDING!). What a snooze fest. Based upon what I have seen over an extended period of time, I think the crowd would be consistently half the size it is now if we didn't serve beer.

Now, what IS tired and overwrought is the typical name-calling that results when someone speaks to a perspective that you disagree with. I am a two time Creighton alum. I am a donor to the school of Arts and Sciences and the Graduate School, and I donate to the athletic department. I have a daughter at UNL, but I have never donated anything to that school. Further, I have never been to Wichita, although I do miss the intensity of the rivalry we had with them. Those late February games with WSU were when the crowd was completely dialed in for 40 minutes, and we had one of the best CBB atmospheres in the country.

Now I am tired.

[Omaha1]

I think the crowd would be consistently half the size it is now if we didn't serve beer.

Man, you are crazy. Why would someone drive 30 minutes, buy a ticket and pay to park downtown, walk through freezing cold weather and then pay $10 just to sit there for a beer? I've been to virtually every home game since the building opened and have probably had 2 beers ever. Not my thing and damn near every seat in the lower bowl section where I sit is full the entire game, every game.