I wonder what the excuse will be come next Saturday when the Hump is half empty. It’s time for people to start supporting this team. I honestly believe people are just finding excuses not to go just bc they don’t want to make the drive or buy the tickets. It’s beyond embarrassing. One guy on Elitedawgs is suggesting letting people in for free. That’s ridiculous.
Men’s Basketball
- Thread starter msudawg1994
- Start date
The excuse now and for many more years to come: if you screw the people who attend regularly when you are building a program, don’t cry when the bigger money folks don’t attend when your program goes in the *******.
Here you go:
1. Students have finals this week, then can head home Thursday or Friday for Christmas break, OR hang around and watch our men’s team that they only care a little bit about, play some team from the AAC or whatever that they care absolutely nothing about.
2. Next Saturday in Starkville the weather is supposed to be rainy all day with a high of 50 degrees. That’s enough to make the locals think twice about driving to campus, parking, and walking the half-mile it takes to get to the Hump in the 45 degree temps.
3. The game tips at 7:30 PM, meaning when it’s over folks will have to walk back to their cars in the rain and the temp will be 38 degrees.
4. The game is on SECNetwork. It’s 70 degrees in the living room and if State starts slow and looks awful they can change the channel and watch Polar Express on Hallmark again until the game gets better or is over.
I hate it but it’s true.
Last edited:
I'd open the gates for free on all OOC games. The hump looks great with a crowd, empty seats don't buy sodas and bad hot dogs, and it might entice some to return for SEC games. 12-15 years ago the hump was the place to be. To return it to that you have to get ppl back in the building, no matter the cost. There is going to be huge buzz in the spring to get some of the seats at the new Dude. I'd give away a voucher for a free admission to a baseball game with the purchase of a basketball seat.
I don't know what the problem is with MSU Men's Basketball December attendance at the Hump but the Athletic Department needs to address this issue. Maybe home games need to be scheduled at times that are more convenient to the fans. I know that it is finals week and students are out of town, but what about the non-student fans? What is their excuse? Are they visiting family out of town for the holidays? Are the ticket prices too high? I have lived in Starkville for 30 years and it has always been like this. The fans don't come to the Hump for mens games until the SEC schedule in January. And recently the ticket prices were raised several years ago. We have two nationally ranked college basketball teams in Starkville and the fans need to support these teams. Maybe some of the men's fans have switched over to the women and that's fine I support the women but I know there are a lot of MSU alumni in Columbus, Tupelo, North Mississippi, and central Mississippi that are sitting on their butts and not coming to these games. Maybe the AD needs to improve the atmosphere at the Hump like they did with the Junction to attract more fans. There is a renovation project for the Hump planned and maybe that will attract more fans.
That is a great idea to have the OOC games free. I would support that. Maybe some wealthy alumni will sponsor this. If the wealthy alumni live to far away from the Hump to come to every game, then they could purchase more tickets and redistribute them to local lower income fans who want to come to the games. I call it "The Robin Hood Plan." From a basketball standpoint, it doesn't matter who pays for the tickets as long as each ticket is paid for. An alumnus could make one large donation to cover a certain number of tickets.
My question to everyone: How far are you travelling to be there? Or how far are you not travelling to stay home? I'm just curious. I'm driving 117 miles to be there Saturday.
When the Hump was rocking from 2002-2009ish, what else was going on in our fair Athletic Department?
1) MSU football fell off a cliff, with one winning season and one bowl game in that period
2) Baseball was in the dregs of Polk II followed by Cohen’s rebuild years
3) Women’s basketball was mired in the year after year mediocrity that preceded the Schaefer hire
Simply put, men’s basketball was the ONLY thing going right for the better part of an entire decade. So, our fans poured everything into it. Sellout home crowds, traveling for road games, etc. MSU’s core fanbase is probably the 2nd or 3rd smallest in the entire SEC, and fans in general only have so much emotional capital to invest on our sports teams. The end result is that the recent success in football and women’s basketball has cannibalized men’s basketball and even baseball to a certain extent.
Nobody brings up that we had a brand new state of the art ballpark we rolled out last season for baseball, had a super regional team the year prior, and we still had entire sections of chairbacks that were completely empty during SEC weekends early in the year. For some reason, the basketball attendence drum is the only one that gets beat to no end. Anyway, the root cause is the same for both. Our fans who aren’t local can’t just spend 10 months out of the year commuting to Starkville. Choices have to be made. Many went from diehard baseball / men’s basketball to football / women’s basketball and haven’t looked back. No attendance incentives or reseating plan is going to change any of that. The only thing that will change it is unprecedented success on the scale of football in 2014 or WBB in 2017-2018. And when that happens, you’ll also see a drop in support of the other sports.
1) MSU football fell off a cliff, with one winning season and one bowl game in that period
2) Baseball was in the dregs of Polk II followed by Cohen’s rebuild years
3) Women’s basketball was mired in the year after year mediocrity that preceded the Schaefer hire
Simply put, men’s basketball was the ONLY thing going right for the better part of an entire decade. So, our fans poured everything into it. Sellout home crowds, traveling for road games, etc. MSU’s core fanbase is probably the 2nd or 3rd smallest in the entire SEC, and fans in general only have so much emotional capital to invest on our sports teams. The end result is that the recent success in football and women’s basketball has cannibalized men’s basketball and even baseball to a certain extent.
Nobody brings up that we had a brand new state of the art ballpark we rolled out last season for baseball, had a super regional team the year prior, and we still had entire sections of chairbacks that were completely empty during SEC weekends early in the year. For some reason, the basketball attendence drum is the only one that gets beat to no end. Anyway, the root cause is the same for both. Our fans who aren’t local can’t just spend 10 months out of the year commuting to Starkville. Choices have to be made. Many went from diehard baseball / men’s basketball to football / women’s basketball and haven’t looked back. No attendance incentives or reseating plan is going to change any of that. The only thing that will change it is unprecedented success on the scale of football in 2014 or WBB in 2017-2018. And when that happens, you’ll also see a drop in support of the other sports.
Last edited:
The Hump was rocking way before 2000. I was there when we beat Shaq, Chris Jackson, and Stanley Roberts when they all 3 played at LSU. Shaq and Chris Jackson were incredible to watch, and we sat four rows off the floor right on the sideline.
Imagine this...students would line up four or five hours before a game at the Hump, then when they would open the doors 2 hours before tipoff we’d run as fast as we could to get the seats down by courtside. Next best option was first row of the upper deck. We’d sit there and have a great time waiting for Dr Hank Flick to say:
“Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen to Humphrey Coliseum for an evening of BAS-ketball...MISSISSIPPI STATE STYLE!”
And the place would go nuts. I was there when we went four overtimes with Ole Miss (same season I believe) and beat them on a last second shot.
Mind you, this was during the early days of Jackie Sherrill and baseball had Tommy Raffo and a bunch of other great players, so it can be done in all sports, but the students have to make it happen.
i mean, just from a socioeconomic and sheer volume per capita.....all the other economic statistics...it all points to you being right on the money. Start drawing 200 mile buffers around Starkville. Then take the majority of those towns and look up the Average Household Income.
Just different times. Everything has become more expensive...even in a short 10 years.
We all love MSU. But we probably all love our households a little more.
I’m still debating making the 4 hour drive.
I don’t have tickets but I would consider it if they could do away with late tip games. It’s a definite no go with having young kids and driving 4 hours round trip, especially midweek games.
Seriously though the whole situation is a mess. Cohen just needs to bite the bullet and figure out a way to reseat it again. We currently have the worst basketball atmosphere in the conference and it’s not even really close. That’s a damn shame too considering what it was 10-15 years ago.
Seriously though the whole situation is a mess. Cohen just needs to bite the bullet and figure out a way to reseat it again. We currently have the worst basketball atmosphere in the conference and it’s not even really close. That’s a damn shame too considering what it was 10-15 years ago.
Really good points that I really hadn't thought about.
I'd go back to playing a game in Tupelo and Southaven. Try to build a little bigger fanbase. I'd also try something like giving 500 or so tickets a game to students in Starkville and county high schools along with a few other surrounding counties. That could add 1,000-1,500 people per game.
Dont really expect a huge crowd Saturday, but win that game and go into SECplay as a top 15 team and the people will come. We stay around that top 15, and I think you'll see us going back to 8000 or so for weekend games and 5-6000 on weekdays. But the product and style of play has to be top quality to get back to the 2000's level. That is what built the girls following, it's not simply that they're winning, it's the quality. From Dillingham's hustle to ppl falling in love with the Sec of Defense, they simply have a better product.
I'd go back to playing a game in Tupelo and Southaven. Try to build a little bigger fanbase. I'd also try something like giving 500 or so tickets a game to students in Starkville and county high schools along with a few other surrounding counties. That could add 1,000-1,500 people per game.
Dont really expect a huge crowd Saturday, but win that game and go into SECplay as a top 15 team and the people will come. We stay around that top 15, and I think you'll see us going back to 8000 or so for weekend games and 5-6000 on weekdays. But the product and style of play has to be top quality to get back to the 2000's level. That is what built the girls following, it's not simply that they're winning, it's the quality. From Dillingham's hustle to ppl falling in love with the Sec of Defense, they simply have a better product.
First off, I will be there Saturday and yes it is my first game to attend. Live in Jackson and have season tickets but I’ve recently started a new job and just now getting settled in. We are planning to treat Saturday like a football Saturday. Headed up after noon and gonna park it somewhere like Harvey’s or otherwise with a few friends and partake.
We we can blame reseating for students but I have a real problem with these kids not walking over to the Hump and getting in for FREE to watch these games. I mean we have 14-15K right there on campus and we can’t get 1500 of them to go to the game??!
I agree that that we need to open the student section up for free to local students if our students don’t claim the tickets. I need to know if a better way I can offer my tickets up to locals for free to the games we cannot make.
It is is always difficult for folks to go to OOC games especially during football season and our team is doing better than average.
We we can blame reseating for students but I have a real problem with these kids not walking over to the Hump and getting in for FREE to watch these games. I mean we have 14-15K right there on campus and we can’t get 1500 of them to go to the game??!
I agree that that we need to open the student section up for free to local students if our students don’t claim the tickets. I need to know if a better way I can offer my tickets up to locals for free to the games we cannot make.
It is is always difficult for folks to go to OOC games especially during football season and our team is doing better than average.
I have two questions for you..1.are your tickets in the lower bowl? 2. With this being your first game, have you made the previous 5 games tickets available on the secondary market?
Its hard to put people in the seats if the tickets aren't available.
Yes they are in lower bowl. And I have 6 tickets with 2 other couples and for 2 of the 5 they have gone and given my 2 to others. Not sure about the other 3 games. That’s my point is I want to have a better way, other than StubHub, and maybe there is, to have the AD give them to others.
I live 8 hours away but get over to Starkville at least once a month or so. Im always looking for extra tickets and it amazes me that on all of the apps the only tix available are worse than mine, mean while there are 3500 empty seats in the lower bowl.
Where the heck are those tickets? Why won’t people list them and sell them? It literally takes 2 minutes.
This has had an impact all around the SEC but probably nowhere as great as MSU. State fans probably drive a further distance on average per fan than any other SEC fanbase because of the lack of any large population base around the school. I live over 3 hours away from campus and its hard to get motivated to make a 6 hour round trip to Starkville for a 2 hour game when I can watch it in live color from my living room. The women still draw well because they are currently a Top 5 program and do a lot to personally connect with fans. They will suffer too if the program falls off a bit or if CVS was to leave although I do think more local fans are currently supporting the women at games as compared to the men.
QUOTE=Bucky Dog;1568272]
We we can blame reseating for students but I have a real problem with these kids not walking over to the Hump and getting in for FREE to watch these games. I mean we have 14-15K right there on campus and we can’t get 1500 of them to go to the game??!
[/QUOTE]
I was a student last year at state and most students didn’t give a single damn about the basketball program. It was as if the men’s basketball program didn’t even exists. So walking over to the hump isn’t even a thought for a lot of students. Sad.
I will say that the students that actually show up try to make it a good atmosphere. But not many show up so...
We we can blame reseating for students but I have a real problem with these kids not walking over to the Hump and getting in for FREE to watch these games. I mean we have 14-15K right there on campus and we can’t get 1500 of them to go to the game??!
[/QUOTE]
I was a student last year at state and most students didn’t give a single damn about the basketball program. It was as if the men’s basketball program didn’t even exists. So walking over to the hump isn’t even a thought for a lot of students. Sad.
I will say that the students that actually show up try to make it a good atmosphere. But not many show up so...
Last edited:
I told you what the problem is and will remain to be. Fans have supported the team pre sec plenty of years going back to Stans early years. The locals who purchased season tickets and filled the bottom were pushed out on price.
By the way, those locals do support the women. We don’t need more people living here to see that support. We need to stop pricing out the people who ARE here.
I don't disagree with you, but moving the students to the end did more damage than just making attendance less appealing to the students. Even when the students do show up and make noise, the rowdiness of the crowd is almost completely quarantined to the student section. When the student section was on the side, they were able to infect the sections around them which in turn made it more fun for everyone.
Everyone likes to try to point to one thing when it's really a combination of everything, but moving the students was absolutely a mistake and one we could have easily avoided.
Its not an excuse. Its a reason people dont go. Its a reason i dont go. Combined with the fact that we havent been good and our home schedule
is horrible. I can find a ticket easily. I dont care about upper bowl or lower bowl or whining about being run off. But there just isnt much reason to go. I am the problem and i am laying out why im the problem.
And there is really no way to know what other schools are doing during this non con stretch unless you watch every game and study the pan of the arena
is horrible. I can find a ticket easily. I dont care about upper bowl or lower bowl or whining about being run off. But there just isnt much reason to go. I am the problem and i am laying out why im the problem.
And there is really no way to know what other schools are doing during this non con stretch unless you watch every game and study the pan of the arena
Last edited by a moderator:
Its a combination. When every game is available to stream it only makes economical sense for the locals to go to the preseason games. If they aren't going, due to price or losing their seats or whatever, there's not a lot left to support in person except for what students show up. And for this Cincinnati game the students will have already left for the semester.
Students make the atmosphere, bottom line. You have to get the students back, and that's the only focus. And they should be the easiest group to entice, seeing how they pay less (or nothing) and they are all less than 10 minutes away.
During December, personally I think we should just play all games on the road, especially during the latter half of December. Makes your RPI better anyway. I love the idea of playing in Jackson, Tupelo and Southaven or even Biloxi.
Beyond that, heck, December is still football season for most. Basketball doesn't even register on my radar until January.
During December, personally I think we should just play all games on the road, especially during the latter half of December. Makes your RPI better anyway. I love the idea of playing in Jackson, Tupelo and Southaven or even Biloxi.
Beyond that, heck, December is still football season for most. Basketball doesn't even register on my radar until January.
Just to clarify: There IS a ticket transfer option on the MSU Ticket website...
It seems like a lot of people don't know it exists, which I didn't either until recently. They don't really advertise it very well (or maybe at all), which I don't understand. For people like me, season ticket holders who can't go to every game - I will gladly give mine away for free. I want someone to use them.
Anyway, I used the transfer option just a week or two ago. Transferred my tickets to a fellow SPSer who wanted them. Didn't cost me a dime, and I don't think it cost him anything. They transfer the tickets through email. Took me 2 minutes.
Seems like more people ought to use that system.
It seems like a lot of people don't know it exists, which I didn't either until recently. They don't really advertise it very well (or maybe at all), which I don't understand. For people like me, season ticket holders who can't go to every game - I will gladly give mine away for free. I want someone to use them.
Anyway, I used the transfer option just a week or two ago. Transferred my tickets to a fellow SPSer who wanted them. Didn't cost me a dime, and I don't think it cost him anything. They transfer the tickets through email. Took me 2 minutes.
Seems like more people ought to use that system.
Ok here you go:
Students don’t have “tickets” anymore, they get in with a scanned ID. Therefore, MSU has access to ALL information about which students attend which games for which sports.
A couple of ideas:
1. Every MSU sporting event has “points” awarded to it based on the need to draw a crowd. MSU men’s basketball might get you 20 points per game, maybe even more for midweek, while a football game like the Egg Bowl gets, say 5 points. Tennis events get more than baseball, etc.
2. At the end of a semester or year, these points can be traded for MSU Gear, Food credits, a free “drop” test or exam, better parking spots, whatever...they have to have a value to students in the short term or they won’t use them.
3. In addition, the accumulation of a certain amount of points over the course of a 4-year college career can be converted to Bulldog Club points. That way they have long-term value as well.
Let’s face it, the students who attended all the games and supported all the teams are the ones we want buying season tickets to most sports anyway, so giving them a bit of a head start is a good thing.
I know as a student I’d make sure my ID got scanned at every event.
Need a big crowd for a weekend MBB game against Cincinnati while school is out of session? Let Cohen tweet “Triple HailState Points for every student in the building Saturday night”. I guarantee you if I couldn’t be there someone who looks like me would be in my seat.
Students don’t have “tickets” anymore, they get in with a scanned ID. Therefore, MSU has access to ALL information about which students attend which games for which sports.
A couple of ideas:
1. Every MSU sporting event has “points” awarded to it based on the need to draw a crowd. MSU men’s basketball might get you 20 points per game, maybe even more for midweek, while a football game like the Egg Bowl gets, say 5 points. Tennis events get more than baseball, etc.
2. At the end of a semester or year, these points can be traded for MSU Gear, Food credits, a free “drop” test or exam, better parking spots, whatever...they have to have a value to students in the short term or they won’t use them.
3. In addition, the accumulation of a certain amount of points over the course of a 4-year college career can be converted to Bulldog Club points. That way they have long-term value as well.
Let’s face it, the students who attended all the games and supported all the teams are the ones we want buying season tickets to most sports anyway, so giving them a bit of a head start is a good thing.
I know as a student I’d make sure my ID got scanned at every event.
Need a big crowd for a weekend MBB game against Cincinnati while school is out of session? Let Cohen tweet “Triple HailState Points for every student in the building Saturday night”. I guarantee you if I couldn’t be there someone who looks like me would be in my seat.
Last edited:
Serious question...do you have season tickets? I don't think there is a problem with the number of tickets sold, the problem is the number of people who buy tickets and don't show up. I would go to more games if I lived closer, but it makes no sense for me to buy season tickets when I could probably only go to 4-5 games a year and get tickets at the game or from another season ticket holder.
Actually when the renovation takes place and they screw folks out of their seats again it will hurt even more.
So would I and then turn around and go right back to dorm/apt if that was my primary motivation. A points program might help a tiny bit but for any real traction the students have gotta be into it and they won't be into it until its fun & exciting, i.e. we are good. I was at state in the early 80s. Student section was pretty dead because the program had some lean years. The student section will wake up after the team proves it has woke up. If we are for real that will happen prolly this year soon after SEC play starts. If we can sustain it this year then next year the excitement might start at the beginning of the season.
People are also creatures of habit. We built a lot of support in the stans era and because we had an extended period of some success the students and everybody else got in the habit of coming to games. We got out of the habit with the Ray years and haven't gotten it back yet.