Realistically, How Quickly Can We Move On From Sha?

[HallX2]

There's a lot of teams like SJU that have hired guns who have gained in fan interest. So I don't think the players themselves being hired guns is what caused lost interest on a macro level. For a few fans here and there, but not going from 9000 to 2500 in the stands.

If SJU were having our season they would have a lot of empty seats too.

 

[NCAAsorBust]

1. You insult the length of my posts again and this will the last respectful reply I give. I don’t have the patience for childish keyboard warriors. I just ignore all posts that can be constructive debates.

2. It’s not an all or nothing proposition for me. Sha has some areas he needs to grow and things he should get credit for. Words like pathetic, failure, incompetent are not ways I would describe this season currently. So I am not going to take the rage bait anymore like others.

3. Hines should play the lion share of the minutes. It should be 28/12 split if you ask me. But he is clearly gasses and can’t handle that work load.

On point number 2. What are you basing it on? Just wins and losses? Exceeding expectations in preseason poll? Does the fact no one expected about 5 big east teams to be as mediocre or as bad as they are come into play? Does the fact playing straight up half court basketball has led us to be down by 12+ in most big east games factor in. It’s not because these guys aren’t playing hard, we just don’t execute offensively or defensively in the half court. I know you don’t like the other guys word choices for it, but what would you call that? Luckily we have a press that’s amazing. without it we’d be 3-13. But fact is we do have it and we get to use it on bad teams so it’s helped the record. I don’t know what the stats are but just memory this is as terrible of an OOC schedule I’ve seen since 2011-2012. We’ve capitalized on cupcake city in the OOC and bad basketball by opponents in our conference. If our plan for future success is schedule soft and hope the conference stinks, we need a new one.

 

[NCAAsorBust]

If SJU were having our season they would have a lot of empty seats too.

But it’s not because they have hired guns. It would be because they’re painful to watch.

 

[NYC Pirate]

In my opinion the attendance challenge for the students vs alumni are two separate issues.

Here are my thoughts on the alumni issue:
- Start time
I know this sounds petty, but if your not initially vested in the team, you are not going to leave work early for a 6 pm start or sacrifice your sleep for the next day of work for an after 8 pm start. Don’t compare that sacrifice to a die hard. It’s not the same mind set for them. TV dictates scheduling, but you want that ideal 7 pm start time on a weekday to maximize fan turnout.

Speaking of TV
More and more people have cut the cord and don’t have 8 different streaming services.
To watch Seton Hall this year, you needed to have ESPN+, peacock, Tru Tv/ HBO-Max, and Foxsports1.
I guarantee most fans didn’t watch more than a game or two prior to Big East play. They have no idea who is on the team. They have zero connection to the players or even the program for that particular season.

Product on the floor:
I am not talking about Wins and Losses or NCAAT births. I am talking about the pure entertainment value of what they are watching. Jeremy Hazell, Isaiah Whitehead, or Myles Powell, were fun exciting players that could score and were in teams that could score as well. The average fan does not enjoy a rock fight with the score in the 50s and 60s. Heck, I was disgusted watching the recent road win @ Butler. That was visually unappealing basketball to watch.

Cost to attend.
Let’s say I want to bring a family of 4. And I don’t want the crappy cheapest ticket in the building. Personally I would rather stay at home and watch on TV than have a bad set.
The average price for a SHU big east conference game ticket is $56 according to AI. Plus parking / food and drink and you are conservatively talking about a $350 expenditure to take your family to a game. With the cost of everything else around us going up with crazy inflation, is this a realistic number to expect the causal fan to spend on watching a Seton Hall basketball game vs Butler?

You need to develop die hards while they are students in school. Then you have an audience that is willing to overlook or ignore the challenges above. Until that happens most the fans will pass on attending a game for the various reasons above.

Good points about the attendance.

Some other issues:
A good deal of Seton Hall fans have migrated out of the area. They still come to games, but don't live close enough to attend all of them. It has to be difficult for our fans that live in Monmouth and Ocean Counties to make it to the weeknight games. Way more families make it to the weekend games I have noticed. Add in the prices as you mentioned and that's going to hurt the business model. I believe The University need to do a data collect and find out exactly where their fans are arriving from. Not sure if the Devils have done that type of analysis, but they draw well from what I understand. Plus, a good chunk of fans have moved completely away and are not returning any time soon. This is certainly a different time than when Seton Hall played at The Meadowlands. It felt like those fans lived within striking difference of East Rutherford.

The Prudential Center:
Still a solid arena and the Lower Bowl is perfect for a school of Seton Hall's size. It's the only option at this time. Newark is a tough sell. It has good points, but not a modern city feel. So, there is that. Parking increases almost every year and it's out of hand for a college game. The concessions are serviceable, not great. Prices are way too high at every venue. When they makeover the arena I would hope they address the entry points. They need to be innovative getting people in there in a more efficient way. Perhaps some Blue lighting on the Exterior for SHU games? Others have suggested some theatre lighting during the game to create a different atmosphere. They should at least try it. I would like to see a different court than this one .(Lol, I know others like this one). The bottom line is the SHU experience may need a new look. Some aspects have improved over the years.

Most Important:
No secret that The Program has to upgrade the Offensive style of play. Seton Hall can be a winning Program if they change their recruiting philosophy. It's the only way to have more success against the top teams in and out of the conference. It lends itself to a more exciting brand of basketball and something fans want to make the effort to see. The students will also return.

 

[Left Coast Pirates]

1. It’s not an insult it’s a question..keyboard warrior? Yea ok..comes off self important and obnoxious

2. I’ve never said any of those words so not sure what that means

3. Why is he gassed? Isn’t that a coach issue? You’re still not admitted that might be a misallocation of resources if he isn’t going to play him

In your opinion what are the areas sha should improve on?

Roster construction.
1. I would also like to see some shooters. However with our budget I am not expecting them to be good two way players

2. I would rather pay for a more athletic 2 way PF instead of a center. I am ok with my center being a value priced player who is more of a rim deterrent.

3. I would recruit a true backup point guard who probably belongs at a mid major. Offer him a 2 year contract that incentivizes him to stay and maybe pass the baton. But we need two players who can play PG.

4. I would offer our best players multi year deals that escalate in value, maybe even some incentive bonuses for team performance. But make the extra years really worth it. But it comes with a caveat. If they explode and want to leave there is a buyout to help recoup some money for NIL.

In Game Management.
1. He has to be better at using his timeouts earlier to slow down runs.

2. If he is going to have non two way players for offense then they have to be able to effectively play some zone.

3. I would press all day long with my second unit. Don’t care about foul trouble. Create pace and chaos.

4. Be more flexible with lineups if players are struggling. Consistency is good. But Williams and Payne have had some struggles and it took way too long to just try something new.

Program management
1. Win or lose you gotta deal with the local radio media. Not ok to bail on that.

I could probably keep going but I don’t want to insult you by being obnoxious with too long a post.

 

[HallGuy2323]

Roster construction.
1. I would also like to see some shooters. However with our budget I am not expecting them to be good two way players

2. I would rather pay for a more athletic 2 way PF instead of a center. I am ok with my center being a value priced player who is more of a rim deterrent.

3. I would recruit a true backup point guard who probably belongs at a mid major. Offer him a 2 year contract that incentivizes him to stay and maybe pass the baton. But we need two players who can play PG.

4. I would offer our best players multi year deals that escalate in value, maybe even some incentive bonuses for team performance. But make the extra years really worth it. But it comes with a caveat. If they explode and want to leave there is a buyout to help recoup some money for NIL.

In Game Management.
1. He has to be better at using his timeouts earlier to slow down runs.

2. If he is going to have non two way players for offense then they have to be able to effectively play some zone.

3. I would press all day long with my second unit. Don’t care about foul trouble. Create pace and chaos.

4. Be more flexible with lineups if players are struggling. Consistency is good. But Williams and Payne have had some struggles and it took way too long to just try something new.

Program management
1. Win or lose you gotta deal with the local radio media. Not ok to bail on that.

I could probably keep going but I don’t want to insult you by being obnoxious with too long a post.

Too long. Not reading more than 2 paragraphs. NEXT

 

[PhishingPirate088]

Roster construction.
1. I would also like to see some shooters. However with our budget I am not expecting them to be good two way players

2. I would rather pay for a more athletic 2 way PF instead of a center. I am ok with my center being a value priced player who is more of a rim deterrent.

3. I would recruit a true backup point guard who probably belongs at a mid major. Offer him a 2 year contract that incentivizes him to stay and maybe pass the baton. But we need two players who can play PG.

4. I would offer our best players multi year deals that escalate in value, maybe even some incentive bonuses for team performance. But make the extra years really worth it. But it comes with a caveat. If they explode and want to leave there is a buyout to help recoup some money for NIL.

In Game Management.
1. He has to be better at using his timeouts earlier to slow down runs.

2. If he is going to have non two way players for offense then they have to be able to effectively play some zone.

3. I would press all day long with my second unit. Don’t care about foul trouble. Create pace and chaos.

4. Be more flexible with lineups if players are struggling. Consistency is good. But Williams and Payne have had some struggles and it took way too long to just try something new.

Program management
1. Win or lose you gotta deal with the local radio media. Not ok to bail on that.

I could probably keep going but I don’t want to insult you by being obnoxious with too long a post.

Not bad. #2 and #4 can’t happen

And you missed his biggest failure but that’s fine

The point is you’re obviously a good fan but, you are among a few of the old Willard haters that have to save face by constantly propping up Sha. Call it what it is.

He’s been below average and disappointing. He should not/will not be fired. He will not change. We have to hope he finds players that buy into him and play for him and have success his way with our $$. That’s it.

 

[HallX2]

But it’s not because they have hired guns. It would be because they’re painful to watch.

I’d say it’s both. Not in equal measures but the who are these guys feeling resonates.

 

[NCAAsorBust]

Roster construction.
1. I would also like to see some shooters. However with our budget I am not expecting them to be good two way players

2. I would rather pay for a more athletic 2 way PF instead of a center. I am ok with my center being a value priced player who is more of a rim deterrent.

3. I would recruit a true backup point guard who probably belongs at a mid major. Offer him a 2 year contract that incentivizes him to stay and maybe pass the baton. But we need two players who can play PG.

4. I would offer our best players multi year deals that escalate in value, maybe even some incentive bonuses for team performance. But make the extra years really worth it. But it comes with a caveat. If they explode and want to leave there is a buyout to help recoup some money for NIL.

In Game Management.
1. He has to be better at using his timeouts earlier to slow down runs.

2. If he is going to have non two way players for offense then they have to be able to effectively play some zone.

3. I would press all day long with my second unit. Don’t care about foul trouble. Create pace and chaos.

4. Be more flexible with lineups if players are struggling. Consistency is good. But Williams and Payne have had some struggles and it took way too long to just try something new.

Program management
1. Win or lose you gotta deal with the local radio media. Not ok to bail on that.

I could probably keep going but I don’t want to insult you by being obnoxious with too long a post.

I'd like to see us build a roster with guys who can play a good zone defense. Depth becomes less of an issue. Now you can really spend on 5 or 6 guys and hope for the best. Instead we're trying to spread 6 mil over 11 guys, I'd rather see us use 5 mil on 5 or 6 guys and spread the other million for depth with potential.

 

[HallGuy2323]

I'd like to see us build a roster with guys who can play a good zone defense. Depth becomes less of an issue. Now you can really spend on 5 or 6 guys and hope for the best. Instead we're trying to spread 6 mil over 11 guys, I'd rather see us use 5 mil on 5 or 6 guys and spread the other million for depth with potential.

But how will we show off by beating FDU and Wagner by playing 10 guys 20 minutes each and our bench scoring more than the starters? We need to show off depth. It’s very important.