Read an article yesterday with the media questioning attendance at MBB at a Big 10 program and the sharp decline the last few years. The program, Iowa. At the same time, their WBB is setting attendance records. There are only X number of fans and Y amount of money. It’s simple math and logic…follow the money. Catlin Clark is marketing gold today. Fans just migrated to WBB.
So stepping away from the forest, UL softball and baseball has grown over the last 30 years. UL has X number of fans with Y money. As those sports grew, MBB attendance has shrunk. It’s been a growing issue for years and nobody apparently bothered to figure out why. The numbers were there every year in the media guide.
SB is always competitive and baseball righted the ship after a lull for a FEW years.
SB is a NCAA tournament regular. Baseball has 18 NCAA appearances since ‘88 (35 years). MBB has 7, WBB 1.
Always follow the money. I am NOT faulting the fans, it’s basic human nature. Throw in the pain the ass attending games at the CD has become, that’s just another reason.
Note to football, same applies. The SBC championship game set an attendance record. Hiring a home town hero looked good on newspaper (media), but hasn’t translated to ledger paper bottom line. Didn’t move the needle at all for WBB.
Growing the fanbase isn’t happening. That’s why the dome has mostly boomers who were around decades ago. And the same will occur with the other sports if the X number of fans remain static. People leave for other sports, age out, or become indifferent and just quit coming. UL needs to figure out how to replace those fans.
Yesterday’s attendance is unacceptable. Sleeping on the CD/MBB attendance dropping since year one falls on many people.