College Basketball Arena Atmosphere

Submitted by CarlosSpicyweiner21 on December 15th, 2018 at 8:45 PM

Went to the game today which was my first in Crisler Center. I found the in game atmosphere to be awful compared to say a NBA game. Is there rules against showing things on the Jumbotron to try and get the crowd into the game in college arenas? I get it wasn’t a huge game, but it seems like some stuff on the Tron would help keep the fans interested. 

shoes

December 16th, 2018 at 10:21 AM ^

True but I was there for both games and there were fewer empty seats yesterday than against South Carolina. I have been going to games forever and for a mid-December game in which we were favored by 24, yesterdays' crowd both in terms of size and enthusiasm compared pretty pretty da-n favorably to historical norms.

Wolverine Devotee

December 16th, 2018 at 12:10 AM ^

It was a sellout crowd. In tickets

Not the athletic department's fault a lot of our season ticket holders suck and don't go to enough games. Must be nice to have money to blow on lower bowl seats you won't fill for most games.

These old fools near me have 4 seats, have showed up to 2 games through the first 7 +exhibition, had their two other seats empty every single night (thanks for the coat holder seat) and leave with like 5 minutes left if it's not a close game.

Unbelievable. There are actual people who could fill those seats that ACTUALLY CARE

Jasper

December 15th, 2018 at 9:18 PM ^

... and thank goodness for that.

Carlos (OP): Do you really like a lot of flashing lights and unnecessarily noisy bullshit with your basketball? (I just described the atmosphere of most of the NBA games I've seen.) I'm thinking something else entirely. I'd like to ditch the cheesy PA guy and replace him with the guy who does football games. I guess I'm just old.

Clarence Boddicker

December 15th, 2018 at 11:09 PM ^

Agreed. They should NOT sell tickets to or admit stiff bags of shit. The smell is probably still pretty bad despite the solidification. Plus it's a health hazard--imagine the sheer amount of bacteria you'd find in a stiff bag of shit. So yeah, stiff bags of shit should be probably disposed of, or perhaps used as fertilizer, not allowed to freely attend basketball games.

nowicki2005

December 16th, 2018 at 9:25 AM ^

Michigan fans are games are really shitty for the most part. Just old rich stuck up white alumni. My first football game was the first under the lights against ND with the huge comeback and last second win. I was actually told to sit down multiple times from the old white people behind me.

 

Atmosphere at football and basketball games is pretty weak. 

444

December 15th, 2018 at 11:04 PM ^

Then I must be getting old too because that guy also drives me crazy.  When I am home, I keep the remote handy in order to hit mute for 3 to 5 seconds after every THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!  When I am at the game, I just have to sit there and take it.  I wish that they would ditch him too.  Cheesy, to say the least.

Amaizing Blue

December 15th, 2018 at 8:58 PM ^

I also went, first game in several years.  It was definitely quiet, but think it was a combo of lackluster play, finals week, and a blah game.  Don't judge by this experience alone, Crisler can rock pretty hard during a bigger game.

Section 1.8

December 15th, 2018 at 9:53 PM ^

Do you have any idea how much revenue that would cost the Athletic Department? Do you know what the lower bowl season ticket holders are paying in PSD’s and season ticket prices?

Where else can we make up that revenue?

Tom Bombadil

December 15th, 2018 at 10:56 PM ^

They'd make up some of it from concession sales. Empty seats don't eat.

I'm obviously joking, but there's a trade-off between the big money people and the better atmosphere of the student section (given our students don't always show up either but they might if the process to get a decent seat wasn't a day-long ordeal). I've been to a few basketball games this year, including North Carolina. There were a fair number of vacant lower bowl seats for that game. Still a great atmosphere, but it could've been better. The students filled up to the back wall.

Diagonal Blue

December 16th, 2018 at 1:21 AM ^

Last I checked college athletics was FOR THE STUDENTS. Our AD makes over $185 million dollars in revenue a year and you are worried about "lost revenue" when literally every other big time basketball school in the country has their student section near the court. 

The greed of some people. 

Section 1.8

December 16th, 2018 at 3:07 AM ^

It isn’t greed; it is the number one way that the Athletic Department funds itself.

We do have a student section; courtside at center court.  For which those lucky students should be damn glad they aren’t paying the $1500 to $4000 PSD’s that their seats would otherwise command.

I don’t think that students are accommodated any better at Breslin, Schottenstein or IU Assembly Hall.

 

Dayton Blue

December 15th, 2018 at 9:00 PM ^

Then don't go to the games.  At least the basketball players don't sit when they make the NIT instead of March Madness like other "scholar athletes". 

stephenrjking

December 15th, 2018 at 9:07 PM ^

1. Basketball is a far less violent sport than football. Season-altering and career-altering injuries are significantly less likely to take place in one game. There's less practice downtime, too--it's an extra week rather than an extra month.

2. NBA prospects have a much greater chance of making the NCAA tournament due to the structures of the sport.

3. USC's Chimezie Metu to sit out NIT, prepare for NBA draft

MaineGoBlue

December 15th, 2018 at 9:21 PM ^

It was kids club day many people had kids on their laps or in their arms (myself included) sorry if I didnt stand at the end of the half against the number 200+ team in the country.  I have completely failed as a fan and am ashamed of myself...

Did you go to the big house vs SMU or wait for it... Western Michigan.  If you did how was the atmosphere?  Spoiler alert!!! it was pretty lame, but fun nonetheless.  Wisconsin and Penn St completely different story.

If you want atmosphere go to a different game, UNC was off the charts, Purdue was very fun, maybe try MSU later this year and reassess your “Jumbotron is the source of bad atmosphere” comment

CarlosSpicyweiner21

December 15th, 2018 at 9:39 PM ^

Why does it have to be a big game for fans to cheer and support their team?? I won’t be attendinging another game if the crowd is full of uptight codgers. Don’t bitch when the team loses hard to be motivated surrounded by a snoozing crowd. 

 

I played basketball and the crowd cheering gives you such a boost. A dead crowd is draining and distracting

CarlosSpicyweiner21

December 16th, 2018 at 10:00 AM ^

The opponent shouldn’t decide how much cheering goes on. You cheer to support the freaking players. 

I have attended 3 Cavs games this year and while the team blows the crowd cheered a million times more then at the Michigan game yesterday. Amazing someone trying to get fans to support the team and cheer is getting ripped apart for it. 

 

Simply put out a few Jumbotron things saying get up or get loud or defense isnt asking a ton.

MaineGoBlue

December 16th, 2018 at 9:17 PM ^

Again... the Jumbotron is the issue... you’re so right.  Because when I’m watching a basketball game I’m looking at the Jumbotron just waiting for it to tell me what to do.  Honestly I think the concept of something telling you what to do when to do it is one of the worst things in sports.  It’s forced and fake, go back to Ohio and get yourself some good Jumbotron. 

CarlosSpicyweiner21

December 17th, 2018 at 2:36 PM ^

Seems you haven't attended many games. I find most fans at games are not cheering on their own. Yet once the big screen says cheer those uptight stiffs suddenly cheer. I can't explain why, but it seems to work. 

 

Again sorry if I expect fans at a game to cheer their team on. Lets just cancel all games with bad opponents then. 

outsidethebox

December 15th, 2018 at 10:07 PM ^

To each his own.

I played too-and played a very pivotal role. I loved to play the game and compete...and to be a good teammate. I didn't give a damn if anyone showed up and cheered...for the reasons I loved to play. If you need a cheering crowd to make you play hard-that's on you. Your last sentence in just pathetically wrong.