College Basketball Arena Atmosphere
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.
December 15th, 2018 at 8:53 PM ^
It was a shitty opponent during finals week. What were you expecting?
December 15th, 2018 at 8:57 PM ^
I don't think it's too much to ask for a sellout crowd to provide some type of home court advantage to a team fighting to be #1 in the country. Even on that big run at the end of the half some people were sitting on their asses in the lower bowl.
December 15th, 2018 at 9:00 PM ^
That's generally the complaint against Michigan sports fans in all sports anyway so anybody expecting anything different is kidding themselves
December 15th, 2018 at 10:29 PM ^
serious question: are you any relation to meanjoe?
December 15th, 2018 at 10:42 PM ^
Good question. How many offspring does the average koala produce?
December 15th, 2018 at 11:15 PM ^
i am hesitant to guess. too many ways that could go wrong. wouldn't want to offend mean joe.
December 15th, 2018 at 10:59 PM ^
Was there last Saturday for S. Carolina and sellout certainly doesn't mean the seats are full. Lower bowl above Maize Rage was at least half empty. There were also at least six rows empty in the three sections of the upper bowl behind the band.
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.
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
December 15th, 2018 at 9:33 PM ^
Fans cheering. Like I said there is nothing up on the Jumbotron. Most fans don’t cheer unless others do and for some reason if the Jumbotron in NBA games says cheer or defense suddenly fans are more involved.
December 15th, 2018 at 8:56 PM ^
bad opponent and poorly played game during finals week. nothing on the jumbotron would’ve made it louder or more exciting.
December 15th, 2018 at 8:57 PM ^
College basketball is not the NBA.
December 15th, 2018 at 9:15 PM ^
Thankfully...
December 15th, 2018 at 9:17 PM ^
Thank God...
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.
December 15th, 2018 at 9:36 PM ^
I want fans cheering. I felt like a pariah clapping and yelling at the game. Sit home if you want to be a stiff bag of shit. NBA game atmosphere is fantastic. I want the Maize Rage through the arena.
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.
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.
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.
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.
December 15th, 2018 at 9:16 PM ^
UNC was absolutely bonkers. Loudest arena I’ve ever been in when they went on the run to start the second half and put the game away.
December 15th, 2018 at 9:00 PM ^
Expand the maize rage in the lower bowl.
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?
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.
December 16th, 2018 at 1:25 PM ^
I know you are just joking and all, but students don't eat much more from concessions than an empty seat. I know when I was in school my friends and I would pretty much never buy anything at the concessions, too damn expensive for us at the time.
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.
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.
December 16th, 2018 at 9:31 AM ^
I would guess the #1 way is TV dollars or PSD’s for football games. PSD’s for basketball amount to pennies on the dollar.
December 16th, 2018 at 9:52 AM ^
All of those places have more sideline student seats than Crisler. Breslin alone has 2,500 in the lower bowl
December 16th, 2018 at 11:04 AM ^
The actual students of this school should be damn glad they aren’t paying PSD for their good student seats? Holy shit man.
December 16th, 2018 at 11:16 AM ^
Uh....two of those you mentioned have their entire student sections around the court.
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".
December 15th, 2018 at 9:02 PM ^
You're really on a roll today with angry, terrible comments.
December 15th, 2018 at 9:02 PM ^
Why does it bother you so much?
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
December 15th, 2018 at 10:36 PM ^
At least the basketball players don't sit when they make the NIT
Dude, whole teams vote not to play in the NIT every year.
December 15th, 2018 at 9:03 PM ^
I went to the UNC game at 930pm on Wednesday. My experience was pretty different. Hmm wonder why? Probably because the jumbo Tron was cracked to 11!!!!!
December 15th, 2018 at 9:11 PM ^
Interesting. One of the rare complaints I have about the NBA experience is the constant artificial noise on every trip down the floor.
December 15th, 2018 at 9:12 PM ^
Needs more thundersticks and "MAKE SOME NOISE" on the jumbotron.
Or that clap...clap...clap clapclap clap clap stuff
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
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
December 15th, 2018 at 9:57 PM ^
Don’t attend another game vs a non conference opponent that is outside the top 200... It’s pathetic you’re bringing this up vs Western Michigan and relating the Jumbotron as part of your displeasure.
Please go to a game vs a quality opponent and let me know if your opinion changes, that’s all I ask.
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.
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.
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.
December 15th, 2018 at 9:58 PM ^
A meta-question; does a comment about “uptight codgers” open the door to a comment about “millennial douchebags”?
Asking for a friend.
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.
December 16th, 2018 at 10:05 AM ^
You obviously either were bad or are lying. You don’t need a crowd, but a cheering supportive crowd gives you a boost. A dead crowd is destracting. Ask the players and you will get an answer much different then yours.
December 15th, 2018 at 11:56 PM ^
No one's forcing you to go. Stay home if you don't want Michigan to be Michigan and/or don't understand that a crappy game in December is always Crisler at its most boring.
December 16th, 2018 at 10:08 AM ^
Wow so many special people here. The opponent doesn’t matter, the time of year doesn’t matter. The arena was full and it was dead 90% of the game. Maybe the lazy ass non cheering fans should stay home if they won’t support the team. Is it hard to cheer? So many shitty fans here.