Fan support (or lack thereof)

[Charleston Pony]

Was driving home last night listening to the Dave Odoms' show (coach of USC Gamecock bball team) and the topic was their (USC's) lack of a homecourt advantage due to poor fan support. Of course, Odom, as a former ACC head coach (at Wake) is accustomed to playing in tremendously hostile environments. He talked about how at USC, while they might have decent attendance numbers wise, their fans haven't been loud enough, rowdy enough, on their feet screaming when necessary, etc... He "went off" on their fans in a post game tirade after USC opened conference play by beating Ole Miss. He said his tirade was prompted by Ole Miss' coach telling him after the game that Carolina Coliseum was the least intimidating place Ole Miss had visited this year.

Couldn't help but think how impressive it is that SMU has done as well as we have at Moody this year, despite our not having any significant home court advantage created by the fans. Hope someday we can create that environment again. I can assure you there was a time in our bball history when that home court advantage definitely existed and our students packed both sides of Moody's courtside seats. It was never Cameron Indoor, but some games were close to it.

I continue to believe this is one of SMU's biggest challenges. We have several "big money" supporters, and they are important to the program, but they also tend to be of the "wine and cheese" variety, who use their tickets sparingly and give a polite society clap when the boys do well. We need more fanatics supporting our programs. Recruiting locally is one way to change that (by developing more local interest), but we sure need to find a way to bring out more students and young alumni to energize Moody (and Ford).

[PonyTales]

Attendance should pick up now that school is back in session.

[The CPC]

If any of you are buying the "Official" attendance numbers from Moody, CPC has a bridge he would like to sell you. Take that number, cut it in half, and you're closer to the ballpark.

[Charleston Pony]

I've assumed for years the numbers we announce are "paid" attendance figures, not actual numbers. That's why you hear me praise "The Fifteen Hundred". As a former classmate (and hard core Mustang fan) and I always observed, there is a core of about 1,500 people who will ALWAYS try to attend our men's bball and football games...but that's the extent of our true hard core faithful.

[OldPony]

I agree with CP. I've always said 2000 but that isn't worth quibbling about. The are about 5500 undergrads at SMU I believe. If we could get 1/2 of them interested in sports it would be amazing. I don't know how many SMU alums are in Dallas but I've heard the figure of 50,000. It amazes me that only 2000 people including stuidents care. When we talk about the future of SMU sports, that is the bioggest problem. Even with national championship type football, we played to very few full crowds and had to give away tickets and we were members of the SWC. Until Dallas supports SMU sports, all efforts to improve will be measured with slow progress IF the school itself remains (?) committed. I have to wonder if the Committment is real though when i see that cutbacks forced Brett out. Someone help me break out of this funk!!

[SMUstang]

All you have to do is win. At least one conference championship in a major sport would certainly help.

[PX]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by SMUstang:
<B>All you have to do is win. At least one conference championship in a major sport would certainly help.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I know everyone likes to believe that, but evidence says otherwise. Take a look at TCU and UNT's attendance stats this year, particulary their last games, when conference championships were on the line for both of them. They've been winning, but that hasnt translated into any serious attendance numbers. Read the TCU board sometime, their fans wont admit it to us over here, but amongst themselves attendance worries them as much is at it does us.
Take a look at our attendance numbers from 82, the year we were undefeated. We were ranked in the top-10 all year, defending SWC champions, and the NFL was on strike, so we were the only game in town. Go back and look at what we were drawing, particularly when the opponent wasnt UT or Arkansas.
More recently, our basketball team had a 20 win season, and was the pre-season favorite to win the WAC the following year. How many people showed up for the first home game that season? Official attendance was 1800, real attendance was less than 1,000.
Winning helps some, but the biggest factor in what we draw has always been the opponent. Big name opponent will draw a big crowd, maybe even a sell out, regardless of wether we're good or bad. Unknown opponent, such as Savannah State or Robert Morris coming to play our basketball team, and we wont draw flies, regardless of how good our own team is.
I know that no one wants to believe that, but its the truth, and the numbers back it up.

[Charleston Pony]

Well said, PX. When I lived in Dallas, I was proud (along with the late "Old Mustang") to be among the 1,500. I'm sure many on this board, like PX, are among today's 1,500. It's frustrating for us...but an absolute fact that SMU hasn't even supported it's winning teams. When Dave Bliss had the SWC Mustangs ranked in the top 10, there were very few games where Moody was packed. And you're right...I remember watching many a game in the 80's in Texas Stadium when our Top 20 football team played in front of about 20-25,000 fans. That's why I love Ford Stadium. It's the perfect size for our program and I'd like to think the day will come when we can get back to at least coming close to packing the place every weekend. As for Moody, I'd love to see it refurbished to add luxury boxes/suites, even if that means reducing seating capacity to about 7,500. That's all we need as we rarely fill that many seats. If we get to the point where we are worthy of hosting "special events", we can always work with Texas Stadium or The AA Center.

For now...Long Live The Fifteen Hundred!

[Pony_Fan]

Yes, even if we were winning the WAC, ranked in the Top 20, and undefeated at this point, we would only get a few more than we do now. It's just a fact we now have to live with. The Tech game last year was a great time...we need to draw those type of opponents to pack Moody. If San Jose State or Boise State comes in town, who is really going to care? There is just too much going on in Dallas sportswise and too much student/alum apathy and I don't think much will change that unfortunately aside from a LeBron James or someone we recruited like that...haa haa.

[This message has been edited by Pony_Fan (edited 01-11-2003).]

[TCU_backer]

I will be the first to admit from the TCU side, our attendance sucks.

That's not to say that were disappointed with 30,000 seats filled at football games, but this is definately something TCU and SMU face.

The question is, how to we win over transplants (grads of other schools) to come and watch our games. The first is better support from the DMN and Star-Telegram.

Time and time again, TCU supporters yell for the sell of beer at ACS, but with the current Texas state laws, that is not going to happen.

If you do read the TCU/CUSA boards, I am a major advocate for adding SMU (all-sports) to CUSA. GO FROGS AND PONIES!

--> My wife is a 1996 graduate of SMU, and I almost chose SMU over TCU. SO I can still cheer for the Ponies.

[No Quarter]

I am curious.

I agree with the main points made about attendance by SMU and TCU fans above, but...

Although I'm glad SMU did not, or has not, what would the hiring of a coach "with history," like Bobby Knight or Nolen Richardson do for BB attendance at Moody?

For sports generally I feel the long term answer for SMU and TCU has to be a conference composed mostly of colleges in Texas and from adjacent states only: Oklahoma, Louisiana, and New Mexico. It is hard for me to see that CUSA is viable although it can be argued that SMU would be better off at present had they been accepted.