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Impact of Spring & Winter Break On Bball Games
February 25th, 2013 at 2:29 PM
#302
You sir, have an awesome
February 25th, 2013 at 2:31 PM
#303
Stupid B1G scheduling the
Stupid B1G scheduling the biggest home games of the year during Spring Break.
February 25th, 2013 at 5:09 PM
#304
Does it really matter
Does it really matter at Michigan, though? Our crowds, especially basketball crowds, are pretty lame compared to the rest of the B1G. I really wish that wasn't the case, but the wine and cheese reputation that our crowds have is pretty spot on. It's as if people find it beneath themselves to actually stand up and make a lot of noise.
February 25th, 2013 at 5:59 PM
#305
I completely agree with you.
I completely agree with you. Our crowds can be terrible, but it'd be awesome to have the students here for those two games. The louder the better.
February 25th, 2013 at 2:34 PM
#306
More Games
One way to increase your sample size is to look into games that were played over Christmas break. The students were on break then too.
February 25th, 2013 at 2:34 PM
#307
A good thought, I shall look
A good thought, I shall look into that.
February 25th, 2013 at 2:35 PM
#308
Crisler was a totally
Crisler was a totally different place last year against Purdue when the students were on break. Essentially a neutral site game.
Let's hope the AD can find a way to change that this year.
February 25th, 2013 at 4:58 PM
#309
OTOH, Crisler was rocking two
OTOH, Crisler was rocking two years ago against State (the "Get the f**k off my court" game) despite the fact that it was during the break. A lot of it comes down to the opponent.
February 25th, 2013 at 2:40 PM
#310
When students get season tix,
When students get season tix, do they include the Spring Break games in the package or are they sold separately?
February 25th, 2013 at 2:47 PM
#311
When I was a student
From 06-10 the games over break were not included in season ticket packs but we had the option to buy them. It could have changed, but my guess would be that this is still the way it works.
February 25th, 2013 at 3:38 PM
#312
I believe that is still the case
and not many of my fellow students that I know of bought the Spring Break tix this year either. One of my classmates said, "Well it comes down to going someplace warm with my friends, or sulk about my midterms in the snow."
I think the prof said something like, "What do you mean? You don't like waiting until May for spring?"
February 25th, 2013 at 5:47 PM
#313
Still the same policy.
Still the same policy. Students had the option to buy all the break games. From what I heard, a lot of students have bought MSU tickets. Indiana tickets were included in the seating situation and it is the day before classes start, so expect a pretty big turnout for that game, especially in there is a lot of hype and the athletic department advertises it to students. MSU could take a hit crowd-wise, but at the same time, the rest of the crowd is usually much louder. Expect the place to be loud regardless. Fans care a lot more about MSU than Purdue, Central Michigan, or Iowa.
February 25th, 2013 at 2:51 PM
#314
They don't include the break
They don't include the break games. Those are $10 a pop sold seperately...obviously the price isn't much but the issue is that students tend to overlook the fact that those games aren't included so they forget to order them. Hopefully the fact that it's sparty changes that, I know I ordered it the second I could lol
February 25th, 2013 at 2:41 PM
#315
My concern is that people
My concern is that people will sell their tix on StubHub, and all those MSU fans will buy them up.
I wish there was a way to pick what allegiance you can sell your tickets to
February 25th, 2013 at 2:54 PM
#316
If you're talking about the
If you're talking about the student break tickets, you can't sell those on StubHub. They have a deal with UM that you need to put in the barcode so the University can tell which ones were sold to students and decline them....not that I tried to sell my roommates for a tremendous profit and failed or anything...
February 25th, 2013 at 3:04 PM
#317
Yes but
Students are buying them and giving them to their MSU friends because for this game, no ID is required to buy the tickets. You can find some on eBay too. They need to stop this because we're going to have Spartans in the student section.
February 25th, 2013 at 3:10 PM
#318
hmmm I never thought of this,
hmmm I never thought of this, as I suspend friendship with state fans during game weeks. Well I understand why they don't include these in the student ticket package...but imo they should have put the tickets directly on the Mcard when you buy them (like all of the other tickets) orrr just put on the ticket that you need to at least show an ID with it when you enter Crisler
February 25th, 2013 at 5:51 PM
#319
Well, the difference is that
Well, the difference is that the tickets are specifically assigned for the MSU game, unlike other regular season games. Essentially, whatever it says is where you sit. So hypothetically, it would be pretty easy to sell to MSU fans
February 25th, 2013 at 7:25 PM
#320
Students are buying them and
Students are buying them and giving them to their MSU friends because for this game
Who the hell would do that? I mean, how idiotic can some people be?
February 25th, 2013 at 9:11 PM
#321
Because if you're more of a
Because if you're more of a casual fan, you don't really care. I'm not saying this is going to be rampant, but as a poster above stated, seats are assigned, so they wouldn't even have to camp out and they just buy a ticket listed on eBay and be sitting front row (I found one front row ticket) in the Maize Rage.
Again, I'm not saying the Maize Rage is going to be 50% Spartans because there's only a small number of tickets out there, and a smaller number of students selling. But based on the number of people posting in Facebook groups "NEED 4 TICKETS TO MSU," yeah, people want to do that.
February 25th, 2013 at 2:42 PM
#322
I'd be more worried about a
I'd be more worried about a meteor or comet's impact on a basketball game.
February 25th, 2013 at 2:42 PM
#323
I think with both opponents
I think with both opponents in the top ten the place will be rocking. The losses were to unranked teams and there wasn't as much anticipation. Fans will show up for MSU and IU.
February 25th, 2013 at 2:47 PM
#324
I wouldn't show your boss
this analysis. If he thinks this is how you spend your time after every meaningless sports related question, he might not be so "available" to chat all the time.
February 25th, 2013 at 2:56 PM
#325
Overall it took approximately
Overall it took approximately 25 minutes to do, and I don't think it was meaningless.
February 25th, 2013 at 2:51 PM
#326
If I had the tickets, I'd
If I had the tickets, I'd join the Blue Rage. Those old farts not making it loud enough were a big reason Michigan lost to purdue on Senior Day IMO.
February 25th, 2013 at 2:50 PM
#327
I also think its important to
I also think its important to consider that home court advantage is not just about the crowd.
The home team does not have to travel and practices on that floor with those rims every day. The fans definitely play a role but there are other factors. And I didn't even mention the refs.
February 25th, 2013 at 2:58 PM
#328
I agree, that's why I
I agree, that's why I refrained from calling it anything like complete, exhaustive, etc. I'm not exactly sure how I could even take into account things like the refs, so it's a simple metric for sure.
February 25th, 2013 at 3:00 PM
#329
At first I was like nnaaahhh
At first I was like nnaaahhh but the more I think about it, there could be an effect. The intensity of the crowd will be down from the ohio game (best comparison thus far this season in opponent) because the Maize Rage won't be at full strength, and it seems like this team can really run off of the crowd...especially Timmy and Mitch. Big deal? nah. Kinda sucks? yea.
February 25th, 2013 at 3:02 PM
#330
I am a townie/grad and will
I am a townie/grad and will be attending the 3 March MSU game. I will help pick up the slack.
February 25th, 2013 at 3:10 PM
#331
Students don't get tickets to
Students don't get tickets to the Michigan State game on the 3rd, since it's right in the middle of spring break. Still, student tickets were cheap for that game ($10), so there might still be a decent turnout for those in town.
We did get tickets to the Indiana game on the 10th, so I would expect a pretty good turout for that game, student-wise. A section might not be filled in the upper bowl, but that's about it. Atmosphere should be similar to Ohio State (I plan on camping out the night before).
February 25th, 2013 at 3:26 PM
#332
Do they even let us camp out?
If so, I'm joining you. Otherwise I'll get there at like 6am-8am range
February 25th, 2013 at 4:20 PM
#333
How/why would they stop you
How/why would they stop you from camping out?
February 25th, 2013 at 8:32 PM
#334
Public safety?
I just heard that the people who tried to do it for the OSU game this year were removed, not sure if that's truthful or not
February 25th, 2013 at 5:18 PM
#335
I'm pretty sure there were
I'm pretty sure there were students camping out before the OSU game, so I would imagine this game is the same. Even though 6 am will probably get you bleachers, I don't want to take the chance after I showed up 5 hrs early for OSU and was stuck in the alternate lower bowl section.
February 25th, 2013 at 3:27 PM
#336
This.
The MSU game may be lacking, but expect the IU game to be rowdy. The students have tickets, and it's the day before they have classes so everyone will be there. No exams to prevent them from showing out.
February 25th, 2013 at 3:10 PM
#337
Don't worry
I'll just scream loud enough to cover the 1,000 missing students. No prob.
February 25th, 2013 at 3:30 PM
#338
We will
win both games. YES.
February 25th, 2013 at 4:01 PM
#339
Another conclusion to draw,
Another conclusion to draw, although it's already been made, is that whoever scheduled us this year did a craptastic job. Of course, this is all in hindsight, but honestly with @Indiana, Ohio State, @Wisconsin, @Michigan State within a couple weeks and then putting MSU and Indiana over our spring break, pffft.
Though Indiana I imagine will be a rocking atmosphere, also a potential #1/#2 matchup if Michigan wins their games leading to that one. I'm sure Crisler will fill up for it (last day of break, students returning, no exams/hw to really deal with, etc.)
February 25th, 2013 at 5:02 PM
#340
Every Big Ten team had a
Every Big Ten team had a gauntlet to go through at some point. It wasn't just us. MSU is in the midst of a stretch of IU, OSU, Michigan and Wisconsin. OSU has recently faced Michigan, IU, Wisconsin and MSU. IU has recently gone on the road to OSU and MSU and will soon play us. In a deep league, these stretches are pretty unavoidable.
As for playing during spring break, you can't really fault the league office there. It likes to have marquee matchups late in the season. We happen to schedule our spring break unusually early.
February 25th, 2013 at 9:05 PM
#341
MSU got 2 home and 2 away
MSU got 2 home and 2 away games to our 3 road games.
Ohio State also had two of the opponents you listed at home so far, and while they faced all that you mentioned, it wasn't back-to-back-to-back-to-back like ours. There was a sprinkling of Northwestern and Minnesota to break up those games. IU doesn't have a stretch like ours at all. So, our schedule was objectively the worst of the top of the Big Ten.
Also, MSU's break is the same as ours. I don't really want to bother looking up everyone else's but your last point doesn't make sense. If the league wants late marquee-matchups, yet our spring break is early, what are you even trying to say? I don't think that countered anything I said, but maybe I am misunderstanding you.
February 25th, 2013 at 7:16 PM
#342
Doesn't work that way. The
Doesn't work that way. The league office sets the schedule. We have no control over when any game on the schedule is.
February 25th, 2013 at 4:01 PM
#343
For what it's worth...
Well, the band will be there for the MSU game. Not for the Indiana game, though, but the alumni band will probably go to that one.
February 25th, 2013 at 4:06 PM
#344
Championship teams play
Championship teams play through challenges like this. Do I wish that Crisler will be a craazy environment for what is sure to be a nationally televised game? Yeah, but if these guys want to hang a banner, they'll have to play through this stuff and get it done regardless. Beat State. Beat Indiana.
February 25th, 2013 at 4:56 PM
#345
I went to that stupid Purdue
I went to that stupid Purdue game at Crisler last year, taking my record to 1-7 in that building. A stark contrast to my 26-2 record at the Big House. (That's why I don't go to basketball games anymore because I'm bad luck.)
But even knowing the students would be gone, the atmosphere was surprisingly bad, even before a shitty Boiler team took control of the game. And the alumni pep band, bless their hearts, sounded just awful.
Students aren't the main factor but we should have the best possible atmosphere for the State game. Why the hell couldn't we have a home game against Penn State or Nebraska during spring break?
February 25th, 2013 at 5:23 PM
#346
Of Minor Note...
I could only go back through three years (as I have to work while I do this, as strange as that sounds), but at least for spring break, the trend seems to be towards attendance actually being better that average, at least overall (not necessarily students).
| DATE | ATTENDANCE | SEASON AVG. ATTENDANCE |
| 2/25/2012 | 12,721 | 11,326 |
| 3/5/2011 | 13,751 | 10,951 |
| 3/2/2010 | 10,561 | 11,603 |
Last year, attendance was actually almost 11% greater than the season average, so at least in the past two seasons, Crisler has managed to remain full even during break. I was there for the State game in 2011 - the place was pretty darn loud despite Spring Break being that week.
February 25th, 2013 at 5:58 PM
#347
I noticed this too, games
I noticed this too, games over spring break seem to fare decently when compared to the season average. Perhaps it is a non-issue
February 25th, 2013 at 6:31 PM
#348
I added some attendance
I added some attendance figures to continue what LSUClassof2000 started. Crisler exceeded season average attendance 18 out of 23 games played over student breaks.
February 25th, 2013 at 6:55 PM
#349
Keep in mind, though, that
Keep in mind, though, that the season average is always weighed down by those couple of December games each year, against teams with RPIs in the 300s, that no one buys individual tickets for. We always seem to have a couple of games with attendance of like 8,500 and then the rest are 11-13K.
February 25th, 2013 at 9:09 PM
#350
I don't think 3k under your
I don't think 3k under your average for 2 out of 18 home games will throw off your average significantly. It could impact perhaps two or three of the games listed, some were close to the average.
February 25th, 2013 at 7:28 PM
#351
But you're cherry-picking by
But you're cherry-picking by choosing that arbitrary date. We've since played Illinois at home and we're going to play MSU and Indiana at home soon. Meanwhile, we have no road games remaining against contenders.
You're basically complaining that our schedule was front-loaded, whereas teams like MSU and IU have a back-loaded schedule.
February 25th, 2013 at 8:12 PM
#352
How is it not cherry-picking
How is it not cherry-picking when you chose a cutoff date immediately before we started a very favorable stretch of the schedule?
Every contender has gone through or is going through a rough stretch in the schedule. Ours was a little earlier than everyone else's, yes, but now it's evening out. Incidentally, we only play 10 total games against the other contenders, while MSU plays 12. We're not the only team with a gripe.
The Big Ten has to find a way to give 12 teams an 18-game schedule. There are going to be imbalances in the schedule. As for whether our schedule was "wise," what does that matter? The Big Ten isn't supposed to favor anyone. It's not going to take pity on a team just because some guys graduated or transferred the year before.
February 25th, 2013 at 10:46 PM
#353
Sorta been there done that...
Confirming everything people have said so far about tickets to these games, had to buy Sparty seperately but IU was included. Also confirming that these seats can not be sold online due to barcode restrictions. This is forcing people to sell them to fellow students who missed the deadline to order them due to the fact that the actual ticket needs to change hands.
Two years ago we played State at home over break and Crisler was absolutely rocking. I'm hoping the fact that this is an even bigger year for us and the increase in overall student interest will make it even better this year. My roommate and I were talking yesterday about how anytime we are playing sparty, no matter the sport, the crowd is more electric. It is simply a natural law of the universe.
