student section

[Skipper44]

I think student attendance is a valid concern and I'm not sure why people are quick to dismiss it.

I do think the Athletic Department, in general, could do much more to improve the in-game atmosphere to encourage attendance of younger people.  Our in-game presentation is pretty tired and uninspiring.

I would like to see wifi and free shuttle buses from the residence halls/aggievillie, even if it is only for the students.  I sure it won't fill the 1000+ that were empty last night but it would help remove one of the biggest obstacles (paying for parking/walking in the cold) and maybe the wifi makes it more fun for the less hardcore fans (assuming they have the same problems with Verizon that I seem to have).

Parking is free for students

I did not know that,  at paying $5 bucks when I was driving both ways uphill in the snow to the Bram back in the day. 

I still think a bus from residence halls/ville might get a couple of hundred folks that don't have cars/want to get pak before hand and that shouldn't cost too much.

[pissclams]

another idea is to decrease the entire arena by a few thousand seats by expanding the concourses inwards instead of outwards

[DQ12]

it's odd that a lot of you fail to realize the real solution to an empty venue is to not hire a coach that people hate, nor want to see.

I think the general student population likes oscar Weber. That isn't why they aren't coming.

did they like frank more that made their decision to attend easier?

to some degree i think it did.  the OOD brand made going to games exciting.  it was a party.  i also think the novelty of a big time bball program had something to do with it.

[Skipper44]

another idea is to decrease the entire arena by a few thousand seats by expanding the concourses inwards instead of outwards

Actually, a big stadium club with a view of the game like the big suite behind the South(?) basket at the Sprint Center would be pretty cool and get rid of some of the worst seats in the building.

[michigancat]

it's odd that a lot of you fail to realize the real solution to an empty venue is to not hire a coach that people hate, nor want to see.

I think the general student population likes oscar Weber. That isn't why they aren't coming.

did they like frank more that made their decision to attend easier?

to some degree i think it did.  the OOD brand made going to games exciting.  it was a party.  i also think the novelty of a big time bball program had something to do with it.

I think this kind of ties back to hiring a guy like Gottlieb vs. oscar. Branding matters. It may be stupid to people here, but it is what it is.

[EMAWmeister]

Untill these empty student seats actually hurt us financially, they aren't going to give a crap. Right now it's students paying for tickets and not going.

[michigancat]

Also Frank and Huggs would berate everyone for not showing up (Bennettville) but also do things to pump the crowd up during the games. I think Fatty had videos of both of them acting like dorks on the sideline to pump up crowds.

[EMAWmeister]

I think student attendance is a valid concern and I'm not sure why people are quick to dismiss it.

How do you plan to fix it, dlew?

I don't know.  If it were up to me, we'd cut student seating by about 500 or so (for starters) and create a super cheap GA section behind the basket.  I don't know if this is feasible because I'm not a business guy.

But a first place conference team against a personality like Huggins should be an easy sell.

Big Monday, Top 15, 1st place; those are plenty.

To be fair, our general student population probably could care less about Bob Huggins. They were in middle school or early high school when he was at K-State, and many probably don't even know he coached here.

That, and Big XII basketball just isn't that exciting this year. Big Monday is awesome when you are playing #1 Texas. Not so awesome when you're playing NIT-bubble West Virginia.

[420seriouscat69]

We're still the 2nd most attended arena in the big 12. Per seating capita, right?

[kso_FAN]

Again, I think the empties in Section 24/25 are somewhat being addressed by the "Wildcat Victory Plan" promotion, so something is being done for next season.

[EMAWmeister]

Again, I think the empties in Section 24/25 are somewhat being addressed by the "Wildcat Victory Plan" promotion, so something is being done for next season.

What does that involve?

[kso_FAN]

Again, I think the empties in Section 24/25 are somewhat being addressed by the "Wildcat Victory Plan" promotion, so something is being done for next season.

What does that involve?

It wouldn't have mattered last night, but still...

2013-14 WILDCAT VICTORY PLAN

For the 2013-14 season, receive all non-conference and all mid-week conference games (excluding any Big Monday games and KU) in general admission (sections 24-25) for only $129.

But act fast... the price goes up $10 after each victory for the remainder of the regular season, and quantities are limited. Package will include a minimum of 10 games.

[Lucas Scoopsalot]

Here is how I see it. I am a student and was at the game last night. I own an ICat season ticket pass and have been to all of the home games excluding 1 of the Christmas break games. Last night there were classes that have many students enrolled(calculus, chemistry, bio etc) that had tests during the game. The ICat section was completely full for most of the game until students started leaving because it was a very boring game. I know atleast 3 people that had tests last night. I also have realized that most GA ticket pass holders only care about Football. They were not willing to pay an extra 70 dollars to get mid court seats in basketball. They also only care about showing up for the big games like KU. I think the solution is to do something about tickets for GA pass holders so that we can get more people to go to the game. Maybe just allow them to buy football passes then buy tickets for games that they would like to go to in basketball. Then sell the tickets that won't be used to the general public for a very discounted price.

[8manpick]

We're doing a pretty poor job of promoting games, IMO. I am a pretty big K-State fan and didn't realize we were playing a Big Monday game until yesterday morning.

Easiest fix: go back to print your own student tickets, set up a ticket exchange sit. Facebook works, and was good for this before season pass style tickets. That way you can give and get your tickets from anyone without worrying if they are going to return it.

You could try connecting your ability / priority for buying iCAT combo packages (or young alumni for graduating students) for the the next year to the number of games you attended, although that would create more of the scan and leave issue that connecting the KU game priority to games attended.

[puniraptor]

Here is how I see it. I am a student and was at the game last night. I own an ICat season ticket pass and have been to all of the home games excluding 1 of the Christmas break games. Last night there were classes that have many students enrolled(calculus, chemistry, bio etc) that had tests during the game. The ICat section was completely full for most of the game until students started leaving because it was a very boring game. I know atleast 3 people that had tests last night. I also have realized that most GA ticket pass holders only care about Football. They were not willing to pay an extra 70 dollars to get mid court seats in basketball. They also only care about showing up for the big games like KU. I think the solution is to do something about tickets for GA pass holders so that we can get more people to go to the game. Maybe just allow them to buy football passes then buy tickets for games that they would like to go to in basketball. Then sell the tickets that won't be used to the general public for a very discounted price.

well said, lucas

[Skipper44]

We're doing a pretty poor job of promoting games, IMO. I am a pretty big K-State fan and didn't realize we were playing a Big Monday game until yesterday morning.

Easiest fix: go back to print your own student tickets, set up a ticket exchange sit. Facebook works, and was good for this before season pass style tickets. That way you can give and get your tickets from anyone without worrying if they are going to return it.

You could try connecting your ability / priority for buying iCAT combo packages (or young alumni for graduating students) for the the next year to the number of games you attended, although that would create more of the scan and leave issue that connecting the KU game priority to games attended.

The scan on entry and exit suggested earlier in this thread would address that and think any idea that rewards the die hard is a good one.

[Phil Titola]

Anybody that thinks every student has to be at every game is an old tuck. The problem is simply too many student tickets because AD doesn't want to have to sell more seats to non students. That's harder than just making students buy them. Everybody has obligations during some games...the AD needs To quit relying on students to fill up an already fairly small gym.

[Lucas Scoopsalot]

Anybody that thinks every student has to be at every game is an old tuck. The problem is simply too many student tickets because AD doesn't want to have to sell more seats to non students. That's harder than just making students buy them. Everybody has obligations during some games...the AD needs To quit relying on students to fill up an already fairly small gym.

So what you're saying is our AD is a lazy POS

[Rage Against the McKee]

Did the AD sell out of student tickets? Maybe instead of selling 6000 tickets for 4000 seats, they should be selling 8000 tickets for 4000 seats.

[TheHamburglar]

Anybody that thinks every student has to be at every game is an old tuck. The problem is simply too many student tickets because AD doesn't want to have to sell more seats to non students. That's harder than just making students buy them. Everybody has obligations during some games...the AD needs To quit relying on students to fill up an already fairly small gym.

Even the people that sit courtside at center court don't go to most games.  Even they give their tickets aways to random people sometime. 

[MakeItRain]

Less tickets is the obvious answer. That whole tarp / end needs fixed. Even full it looks like crap and the band setup makes it look empty. Pretty strange to look over there tonight and see 2 whole sections empty.

Do you have any idea how many arenas, even new arenas have tarps and what they are used for? It isn't getting "fixed" because it doesn't need to be.

[OregonSmock]

lil bro gon' lil bro

[Rage Against the McKee]

lil bro gon' lil bro

How many students attended KU's last game? I'm not trying to flame or anything, just genuinely curious how many student tickets are sold at Kansas, and what size the student section is.

[Dugout DickStone]

How many students stayed home when they found out we weren't doing a Harlem Shake video?

[kso_FAN]

How many students stayed home when they found out we weren't doing a Harlem Shake video?

Big Gip ?@Big_Gip_Kstate
@nwill11 @will_i_am_55 @mr2012ol @mr_ssouthwell @tootall2knoso1 @djaboveit @nvoxo3 @rs_5 @adiaz2015 Harlem shake tomorrow in locker room

Nino Williams ?@nwill11
@Will_I_AM_55 @big_gip_kstate @mr2012ol @mr_ssouthwell @tootall2knoso1 @djaboveit @nvoxo3 @rs_5 @adiaz2015 let's do it

Will Spradling ?@Will_I_AM_55
“@Big_Gip_Kstate: Harlem shake? @Mr2012ol @Mr_SSouthwell @TooTall2KnoSo1 @DJAboveIt @NVOXO3 @RS_5 @Adiaz2015 @will_i_am_55 @nwill11” haha