HEY !! There was a game today
- Thread starter geewago
- Start date
I live in Indiana, but I stream/watch the majority of ISU women’s bb games. The quality of the play is so much more fun to watch this year versus the last several years. I think interest tends to lag behind a little. It will take the average Cyclone fan a little while to figure out the girls are fun to watch again.
Have been a season ticket holder for 20+ years. Have not missed a home game all that time. I check the site a couple times a day as I am retired. This is one of the best teams we have had for a number of years and is fun to watch as part of the crowd. As to attendance the one area that has gotten smaller is the Cyclone Kids Club. Seems to be less then in the past not sure why because with the early games during the week it allows parents to get the kids home at a decent time.
It certainly can't be the ticket price...best deal in town for most games. Heck, against Drake we got 4 parquet seats, 4 glasses, and 2 signed team pictures for $6.
It would help if the Register actually covered the team...I feel that the Ames Trib and this site are about the only public coverage.
And kudos to CF for having a forum for WBB and volleyball. Really like that IMHO gives them something that most fan forums do not have.
We watched the game on ESPN+ (I think - I wasn't the one who searched for it) yesterday, then switched over to the end of the men's game when wbb was done. I don't post here as much as I used to either, mostly because of the lack of traffic (and I don't have a laptop, nor do I use my smartphone for such things). Even our ever-reliable information hound, mred, isn't here as much as he used to be.
The rise of ISU wbb occurred during a time when men's basketball was slumping hard. Wbb success had a two year jump on making a name for itself before the men's team made their Elite 8 run. Since literally every accomplishment was unprecedented and there was no other local competition for winter sports viewing, Cyclone fans started descending upon Hilton for the women's team. A lot of people still don't believe me that they outdrew the men in average attendance over the 99-00 season.
Today, it just feels like there are more distractions to keep people from going consistently (or at all). That's not necessarily bad, but how do you get the attention of a Cyclone fan who is already being pulled in eight different directions? Like kcdc4isu, we have been ticket holders for twenty years as well. I have missed two home games in that time (one because I went to the CMA Awards in Nashville, the other because I went to watch the volleyball team in the Sweet 16 in Berkeley). But we plan our entire winter schedules around when wbb plays at home. If you weren't at the games during the Angie Welle/Stacy Frese years, it's hard to wrap your head around what a big deal those teams were. People were invested, those girls were rock stars here in Ames (Fennelly's own words), those teams consistently won in Hilton and they did well, both in Kansas City and the NCAAs (where they hosted 1st and 2nd round games for five consecutive years based on merit, not pre-determined sites).
It takes a couple years of sustained success to gain the attention of the average fan. I am concerned that with Bridget, Mere, Alexa, and Inez gone next year, we will have a drop-off in wins, points, etc., and the momentum that this year seems to be bringing will all but stop. I think we will still be decent, but it's going to be hard to replace all that effort from our seniors. But 'decent' won't bring the fans back. This team deserves more than what they're getting in attendance, I just don't know that anything can be done short of hitting people over the head and dragging them into Hilton.
By the way, another great win yesterday in Manhattan! I was a little surprised that K-State didn't have more fight in them. But I'll take the win, no matter how we get it. I noticed on the schedule that we currently play more Big 12 games against sub-100 RPI teams (4) than we did in non-conference games (3). THAT is something you don't see here every day! ISU's SOS is still 2. Realtime's projections still have us losing to Baylor, at Texas, and at TCU and winning against everyone else, for a 5-3 record to wrap up the season. I think we can do better than that, honestly, and make a run to the championship game in OKC. Damn, I wish the Big 12 tournament was in Kansas City THIS year! Go Clones!
The rise of ISU wbb occurred during a time when men's basketball was slumping hard. Wbb success had a two year jump on making a name for itself before the men's team made their Elite 8 run. Since literally every accomplishment was unprecedented and there was no other local competition for winter sports viewing, Cyclone fans started descending upon Hilton for the women's team. A lot of people still don't believe me that they outdrew the men in average attendance over the 99-00 season.
Today, it just feels like there are more distractions to keep people from going consistently (or at all). That's not necessarily bad, but how do you get the attention of a Cyclone fan who is already being pulled in eight different directions? Like kcdc4isu, we have been ticket holders for twenty years as well. I have missed two home games in that time (one because I went to the CMA Awards in Nashville, the other because I went to watch the volleyball team in the Sweet 16 in Berkeley). But we plan our entire winter schedules around when wbb plays at home. If you weren't at the games during the Angie Welle/Stacy Frese years, it's hard to wrap your head around what a big deal those teams were. People were invested, those girls were rock stars here in Ames (Fennelly's own words), those teams consistently won in Hilton and they did well, both in Kansas City and the NCAAs (where they hosted 1st and 2nd round games for five consecutive years based on merit, not pre-determined sites).
It takes a couple years of sustained success to gain the attention of the average fan. I am concerned that with Bridget, Mere, Alexa, and Inez gone next year, we will have a drop-off in wins, points, etc., and the momentum that this year seems to be bringing will all but stop. I think we will still be decent, but it's going to be hard to replace all that effort from our seniors. But 'decent' won't bring the fans back. This team deserves more than what they're getting in attendance, I just don't know that anything can be done short of hitting people over the head and dragging them into Hilton.
By the way, another great win yesterday in Manhattan! I was a little surprised that K-State didn't have more fight in them. But I'll take the win, no matter how we get it. I noticed on the schedule that we currently play more Big 12 games against sub-100 RPI teams (4) than we did in non-conference games (3). THAT is something you don't see here every day! ISU's SOS is still 2. Realtime's projections still have us losing to Baylor, at Texas, and at TCU and winning against everyone else, for a 5-3 record to wrap up the season. I think we can do better than that, honestly, and make a run to the championship game in OKC. Damn, I wish the Big 12 tournament was in Kansas City THIS year! Go Clones!
Drop off maybe but I don't think it will be huge especially if the league stays weak like it is this year. We will have some good freshman and two redshirt "freshman and a halves". Geewagos' favorite Prospects Nation had both Fredericks and Kane as 4-star Top 150's. Scott, Joens and Wise will be a solid starting core. We will lack senior leadership of course since that class is not a factor. Might be something just one grad transfer could help with. Would love to have Morgan Kane step up to where Scott could maybe play as a Hallie Christofferson some. We only saw around 20 minutes of Kane in exhibition but I thought she looked surprisingly good. People kept raving about Ines but I really liked Kane.
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Just some observations, that others make not agree with:
1) I have season tickets and have gone to all the games for many years
2) this is the most talented team we have had in many years. Very good and fun to watch.
3) in any sport, it is 80% about talent acquisition. We have better players than we have had in a long time.
4) attendance is way down from years ago
5) attendance figures are significantly overstated from how many really show up.
6) IMO - many factors contribute to the decline in attendance
- several years of not very good teams
- success of football and MBB as mentioned
- students never did show up
- aging fan base, many old people (like me) , many looking for a cheap ticket
- crowd used to be old people and people with little kids. Seems like less families now , not sure why
- failure to attract new fans
- some disallusion with Bills coaching style
- the rise of Baylor (not their fault), but no hope of winning the league. Most optimistic scenario - finish 2-3
- league less interesting, nobody can beat Baylor. Hurt losing Nebraska, A&M, mizzou.
- the game has changed, much more athletic players. We have had to expand our traditional recruiting base, took a while to adjust
- has TV hurt? I do not know. Nothing used to be televised. You had to go if you wanted to see.
Love this team. The only way I see to pick up interest is to continue to recruit better players and win. If we host NCAA, we will have a big turnout. Our fans are better than almost anyone else in the league. But, I remember playing iowa in Hilton and sitting high in the upper deck, with everything filled below me. The staff is trying tons of ways to increase and retain interest. I think Gimmicks only go so far.
This year's team is a blast to watch and to listen to. Hopefully more fans will come back or start. The students -- cyclone alley -- showed up during the polar vortex game vs Tech, and that was a lot of fun. Maybe they'll start coming in bigger numbers. Maybe not relative to the early days but relative to other wbb attendance these days, ISU draws a strong, enthusiastic and knowledgeable crowd. It's not always apparent on tv but in Hilton, it's a fun game environment.
Also both local papers including the DSM Register have done better covering the wbb teams, and doing stories on the players which can help fan interest.
I'd say big factors affecting attendance are national downturn and tv or online options to watch as well as less success in recent years.
As for this forum, I think other forms of social media have taken up our available time and interest in information. It's less from the community but things like Twitter fill some needs and weren't there 5-10 years ago.
Also both local papers including the DSM Register have done better covering the wbb teams, and doing stories on the players which can help fan interest.
I'd say big factors affecting attendance are national downturn and tv or online options to watch as well as less success in recent years.
As for this forum, I think other forms of social media have taken up our available time and interest in information. It's less from the community but things like Twitter fill some needs and weren't there 5-10 years ago.
The future of the team is also really exciting. Yes impact players will graduate. But they are helping rebuild a certain mentality that should carry forward. The talent is there and if there's the will for player development like Scott has shown, look out! Wise and Joens could be Carlton-like. And the redshirts could have played this year. They should hit the ground running. Johnson has impressed too and is learning from Middleton. Enjoy the ride now and hopefully down the road too.
I think we will have a drop a bit next year but Wise has the talent to be a Bridget and I would love to see her attack the rim. Johnson is doing a credible PG job and I am not worried there, and Scott just is not intimidated and that is showing the last few games. Jones is a freshmen and has great shooter's touch - but can she attack the rim like Bridget?
Would not put too much into freshman performance, I remember Welle as a freshman and at times it was a little dicey. Few freshman make immediate impact. Taylor did but she had great supporting cast, Bridget did cuz she is truly fearless.
Would not put too much into freshman performance, I remember Welle as a freshman and at times it was a little dicey. Few freshman make immediate impact. Taylor did but she had great supporting cast, Bridget did cuz she is truly fearless.
The recruits coming in are outstanding...maybe an overall drop off next year, but I still see the team in the 3-4 range.
Maybe to help attendance...schedule some teams pre-conference with a little more pedigree?
No one likes the 50 point blowouts...
Maybe to help attendance...schedule some teams pre-conference with a little more pedigree?
No one likes the 50 point blowouts...
Auburn, Miami, Arkansas and Drake at Hilton this year is the best we have had in like forever. Probably going to be Iowa and schools you have to Google again next year.
I do think it helped the team this year though. The road loses at South Dakota and Iowa were better learning/building experience than beating some creampuff by 35 or 40 at Hilton. Maybe a combo of the very good NC schedule and a much weaker than normal conference but we were ready for Big 12 play from the first game this season and many years we simply don't look to be. Not a believer in the traditional Cyclone Way of a 100% creampuff NC except what we might draw in some tournament plus Iowa. It's a reason to like the SEC/Big 12 thing, gives us at least another P5 in NC. Not looking to overreach like Sherri Cole did last year (or year before?) and just got murdered in a way too tough NC, just have some challenges.
I think only games we will have trouble with is @texas and home vs Baylor. Every other game should be a W. Totally agree that I wish women's tourney was in KC this year.
Double headers with the men and let em in for 3 bucks like they did a couple of weekends ago. If people will take the time to see this yrs team they will like them. 1st time in a while we've been competitive and fun.
This one of the most excellent posts I have ever read on here. You hit the nail with your head. I gave you a "winner".
I have to admit work has swallowed me up this year. I’m missing some great basketball and it’s killing me. Retirement can’t come soon enough.
