[TheGovernor]

I never understood why it is so hard to get the community to come out for basketball. I know there is a lot of anti-LU feelings out there but with TRBC and LCA and the slew of other similar institutions around Lynchburg it is baffling to me why at least 2,000 in-towners aren't at every game. It makes zero sense to me.

Because the community doesnt stand behind this team or its administration. You cant say its because of talent or wins because EVERY TEAM That wins the Big South Tourny has a spike in attendance for at least the first 5 home games of the next season, and that still didnt happen. Don't support the community, they dont support you. Its that simple. These guys arent in the community where there have been previous staffs that have made it a priority because of how important it is. Throwing a tailgate isnt in the community, but that is as close as it gets for this group.

Posts like this are why you are TheGovernor and not just TheMayor! Combine that with BJ's list and is it really that difficult?
But MBB isn't the only team who fails at this.....

Thank you for recognizing my talents

[jcmanson]

Winning, being in the community are all true, but one thing that affects attendance is how the team plays. Is the team exciting? Is it fun to watch? Go watch VCU play. I don't care if they're winning or not, they're fun to watch.

Holding the ball for 30 seconds and then chucking it at the rim is not fun to watch. Throw in 80+ losses in 4 years and no one is going to go to a game.

[ballcoach15]

True, even when we manage to win a game every now and then, we are not fun to watch. actually we are boring to watch.

One good player could change that.

[flameshaw]

Many years ago........................................ when we were winning, and fun to watch, the Vines was full. I used to drive from Raleigh, on a weekday night, to watch the game, drive to Myrtle Beach to watch them play CCU. Went to many BSC tournaments. (actually remember waiting for an hour, with about 1000 others, to get into the Vines for a tournament game)
I haven't been to a MBB game now in probably 8-10 years. When they start putting as much effort into winning as I do to go to the games, I may come back. Until then, I will just save my gas. Not worth the trip.

[VAGolf]

Winning, being in the community are all true, but one thing that affects attendance is how the team plays. Is the team exciting? Is it fun to watch? Go watch VCU play. I don't care if they're winning or not, they're fun to watch.

Holding the ball for 30 seconds and then chucking it at the rim is not fun to watch. Throw in 80+ losses in 4 years and no one is going to go to a game.

This. I don't think people quite understand how beloved VCU is in the Richmond area. There are still some UVA fans here, but for the most part, Richmond is all in on VCU. That team has a way of connecting with fans and the community. Also, Shaka Smart doesn't shy away from local recruits, they have around six players who grew up within a couple of hours of Richmond.

The cheapest ticket left for any VCU game is around $50. Tickets to watch VCU play Richmond are selling for $100.

[lynchburgwildcats]

I'm assuming he wore nondescript pants or shorts that went unmentioned due to their nondescript nature. If so, he is in dress code. What's the problem?

Painted faces are allowed under the dress code but if a dude's hair is too long that's not allowed? OK

Alas, people don't come out to the games because the product on the floor isn't worth watching. No one wants to pay to watch a feces show outside of the uber dedicated and friends/family of team members. Even if someone could get in free, there are so many other viewing options available with cable tv, Netflix, etc. that there is always going to be something better on to watch than the product Liberty is putting out there these days.

[BJWilliams]

I think its safe to say all three of those things are going to have to be in the soup pot for this team if attendance is going to improve

[lynchburgwildcats]

That is something that can be turned around as well...get players involved in the schools, making appearances at local stores, at events like the Get Downtown festival at the beginning of the school year and the Children's Mile on Virginia Ten Miler weekend. Proactively set up interviews with the local radio stations...helping out at the Salvation Army and the Daily Bread, getting involved in CampusServe (or whatever its called now if it has a different name) on weekends, especially in the offseason...these are the sorts of things that help with community involvement, among others. Winning obviously will help as well but the team needs someone like a community liaison to facilitate involvement and connections with the area and with alumni of the basketball program

This. I grew up from day one in Lynchburg and lived there year round for 26 years. The marketing of Liberty sports (not just basketball) is horrific and no connection with the community as others have said.

I didn't really realize how bad it was until I moved out here to Farmville in 2010. Longwood runs circles around Liberty in this regard. When Longwood and Hampden-Sydney had an exhibition basketball game back in early November, it was all over town, people were talking it up all over the place in week leading up to the game. Longwood teams get involved in the community. They at least pretend to act like they care about the community. The coaches get around and schmooze people. That resonates with people and organizations. Longwood basketball has gotten great community support and they have been terrible ever since I've been here.

Get in the elementary schools and read books and junk with the littlest ones. They are too naive to to be able to understand the difference between Liberty basketball and NBA teams. Liberty teams never did this when I was a little tyke. They need to show that they care, even if it's just superficially. At least give off the appearance that they care even if they don't. A lot of people don't want to come out and support a team if they don't think that team cares about them.

I don't know what Liberty does during timeouts and halftime to make the game fun, but Longwood has something interesting, funny, entertaining etc. at every timeout and at halftime. Hampden-Sydney was getting curb stomped in that previously mentioned exhibition but Longwood kept it entertaining with all that stuff despite some of it being kinda lame.

Losing a lot of games is always going to drive off fans, but there are still many things that can be done to offset that.

[LibertyRadioPxP]

The guys name is JJ McCraken, if I remember correctly. He's a student at LU and even traveled by himself to support us at UNCA last week. He's an aviation major. I met him last week at UNCA.

Go Flames!

[PAmedic]

we shall now refer to him as Jonny Cessna

[prototype]

Love this guy - we need 2,000 more like him and we would be a much better team...

Our team being bad is partially caused by lack of student support. It affects play, recruiting, administrative support, etc...

Love the kids enthusiasm.......but it gets annoying. If 1000 kids did it? Awesome. 1? Check his meds.
Attendance has about .0000001% to do with why this team is bad

I'm not saying that this team is bad, because of the current crowds - I'm saying the team we have now is a byproduct of our support. Without good crowds, visits stink and no one wants to attend a school that isn't a basketball school. There are way to many choices out there - and I'm going to one that has excitement or can feel it coming...

We are big enough to at least get 20% of our on-campus students there!! That's 2,600 students and the public will show up if we can get students there. More entertainment value.

I have told this to administration - Put blue/red lights that shine on the Vines and turn them on for all game nights. What a reminder that would be - Game night!!!! Lights would not shine up, but merely illuminate the vines center unique pattern.

[Purple Haize]

Yeah, no. Our poor product on the floor has very little to do with poor crowds. Unless you are into excuses, then yeah, sure use that one

[Chippy]

Correction on the Duquesne attendance. It was 2300 in a 4000 seat arena which was pretty loud. I was estimating the attendance and clearly I have been around Liberty too long and my ability to estimate crowds has been skewed

I am a walking repository of Duquesne basketball. The arena (gym) is @4500. From 1950's to 1977 (Norm Nixon) they were the team in Pittsburgh. In the 50s they were ranked inside tho top 10 most every year and were No. 1 at one point I think in 1954 when they had two first team All-Americans in their starting 5. In the 70's they routinely filled up the Civic Arena (16,000) and yet the school is a small school but was a powerhouse in the east that. In 70 they were preseason No. 5 and the wheels fell off in the and hadn't had a winning record for 20 some years but have had a couple winning seasons in the last 5-6. There are diehards in Pittsburgh that still follow them, like Pirate fans. Pittsburgh is a close knit community and their allegiance to their sport teams are not predicated on W-L. You see that with the Pirates.

[Kolzilla41]

we shall now refer to him as Jonny Cessna

[Chippy]

LFSN should do a segment on him and probably No. 1 Fan (Gary) and show the segment in convo to get the students more involved at BB games.

[TheGovernor]

LFSN should do a segment on him and probably No. 1 Fan (Gary) and show the segment in convo to get the students more involved at BB games.

Great Idea! The main event elephant died and the main event lion killed someone, so COME ON OUT AND SEE THE BEARDED LADY!

[ballcoach15]

The Vines Center should be packed with student body every game.

[Purple Haize]

LFSN should do a segment on him and probably No. 1 Fan (Gary) and show the segment in convo to get the students more involved at BB games.

This is really a great idea. We should get SCAR on it. Oh....wait......

(Too soon?)

[TIMSCAR20]

LFSN should do a segment on him and probably No. 1 Fan (Gary) and show the segment in convo to get the students more involved at BB games.

This is really a great idea. We should get SCAR on it. Oh....wait......

(Too soon?)

Now that's funny Haize. I may have to change my vote for funniest poster of the year from Medic to you. Yeah I'm still over the decision but am that I landed at American Sports Network.

[PAFlame]

Why Dale Layer can't do something like deliver pizza to students in order to attend games (VCU does this) or for the marketing department have greater deals for home games is beyond me. Liberty does an absolutely awful job in that regard, but then again, having things run by themselves at the school is a terrible idea. I also don't blame the people who refuse to attend the games because of the product on the floor, and a coach who treats this job like a paid vacation.

[JakeP50]

Gillville/12th Man are the most prominent but every other spectator sport has something they use to market themselves to students. Basketball doesn't, they know the students don't care so nobody tries.
Soccer- Osbourne Stadium has one of the best views on campus
Baseball- the stadium and it's similarly great views.
Softball- (see baseball)
D1 Hockey- team is good and fights happen almost every game.
Field Hockey- Something fun to do on a Sunday after church.

[ballcoach15]

I have seen Layer outside Vines Center one time since he's been here. He was at a softball game at old field, hide behind pine tree down right field line. He seemed to be afraid to watch game from bleachers like rest of fans. He should have been in stands interacting with fans.
I saw Coach Gill at a baseball game, he was not hiding.

[ATrain]

I have seen Layer outside Vines Center one time since he's been here. He was at a softball game at old field, hide behind pine tree down right field line. He seemed to be afraid to watch game from bleachers like rest of fans. He should have been in stands interacting with fans.
I saw Coach Gill at a baseball game, he was not hiding.

Reminds of the Crucible. "I saw Goody Good with the devil."

[adam42381]

The Vines Center should be packed with student body every game.

Why? Students don't have an obligation to be at games. Put a consistently good product on display and people will show up. Until then, there should be no expectations for people to attend.

[olldflame]

Well, the dam has burst, hasn't it. Now that we have a consensus that Layer hasn't gotten the job done and needs to go, we have guys saying he is lazy and antisocial.