[LUconn]

This is what it's come to. After 2 years of decent attendance and a LOT of noise, it's dropped off to where the players are probably happy they don't have fans cheering against them like on the road. This is something that I will NEVER understand as to why it happens. I'll never undstand why our school's student population is the the fairweather type. It's probably not something that can ever change either. Calling them out doesn't seem to help. I think you'd need to sit down 1 on 1, with every student, and show them how the thinking "I'll cheer my team on when they're good, but not when they struggle" is completely backwards. But until that happens, this season there will be NO home court advantage in the vines center and fan support can only be described as PATHETIC.

[TDDance234]

Agreed.

[BJWilliams]

I agree honestly. I mean I had a meeting to go to that ran over so I wasn't able to make it but I have noticed that the numbers from among the students haven't been as good as it was my first couple years at LU. Its quite bothersome honestly. Kinda makes me want to go out and post something on every dorm calling down the student body for being "fairweather fans" I believe the game last night was the first home game I had missed during the regular school calendar in a year or two. I mean everybody has their good stretches. It's when the team does badly where you see who the REAL fans are...shameful...

[jcmanson]

It really makes me mad. I don't understand why the students are the way they are. Last night, there was one individual who was sitting a few rows behind me in the student section who would continually yell brick while our team was shooting free throws, applaud for Asheville, and yell at the coach saying the game was over already give up. He was sitting with a couple other students so I am pretty sure he is an LU student. Just makes no sense to me. While Asheville was making their run in the 2nd half to push the game out to 16 points, Coach Dunton turned around and asked the students if they had given up. They were all just sitting on their hands. I am sorry but I believe that you should be behind your team 100% no matter what their record is. If we were 0-25 I would still be there at the game yelling my lungs out in support of this university. I love Liberty U, and everything about it. I wanted to turn around, and pop that guy in the mouth that was yelling brick during foul shouts and so on. I know that during my first 2+ years here, the student section would be packed. Granted we were winning, but we should still get that many students in here if they are true fans. Fact is that they aren't true fans.

[TDDance234]

Anybody have any ideas how to boost attedance and support (besides, the obvious, win)?

[LUconn]

Nothing that's really cost effective. Like proto says, you can't give away 100 xboxs every game.

[jcmanson]

I don't know if there is anything that the university can do other than what it is already doing. Passion comes from within. If you don't have it, you don't have it. You can't force somebody to become passionate about the sports teams. All you can do is try to draw them in with promotions, but if they don't develop a sincere passion for the team then they will eventually fade away. The true passionate fans will come back no matter what there is that is given away. This is what gets me. How can all these students who live here not be passionate for their sport's teams? I just do not and will not ever understand it.

[LUconn]

The thing that sucks is that these people that don't show up will complain that we're not any good, so why should they go? Aside from the fact that there's no logic to that statement at all, they're actually hurting the future. How often do we have recruits attend games? What are they thinking while looking around at a 9000 seat arena noticing that 8500 of them are empty? The energy that used to be in there would sway CFAWers to attend this school, imagine what it did for kids who were thinking about being a part of the program itself.

[LUconn]

I don't know if there is anything that the university can do other than what it is already doing. Passion comes from within. If you don't have it, you don't have it. You can't force somebody to become passionate about the sports teams. All you can do is try to draw them in with promotions, but if they don't develop a sincere passion for the team then they will eventually fade away. The true passionate fans will come back no matter what there is that is given away. This is what gets me. How can all these students who live here not be passionate for their sport's teams? I just do not and will not ever understand it.

That's very true. Does our school attract a lot of non-sports fans? I don't think that's the case. Intermural sports are huge.
I think it comes down to this:

1. people don't realize that our sports program is probably our biggest representative
2. a lot people at LU just don't have ANY school pride. I've never seen anything like this anywhere else. not even in high school
3. some people just don't know how to cheer. I know it sounds stupid but how many times do you see people sitting in the stands just talking amongst their group of friends. FTN showed some lady reading a book last night! (I guess I should be happy that a townie showed up)

[A.G.]

Winning is the obvious key. Remember, attendance was pretty dismal during the Hankinson era, too.

Outside of that, it does appear like the team is playing "Dunton ball," by flat getting after teams and competing until the end. That bodes well for the future.

[Hold My Own]

Our student body just doesn't understand sports in general...I go to a lot of duke games and those fans are brilliant...if a player hugs his mom before the game (Maryland) then they'll chant mommas boy every time he touches the ball...no to mention the mass email that is sent around letting everyone know the cheers for the upcoming game...I understand the past and tradition but that's not what I'm talking about I'm talking about actually knowing whats going on during the game

[TDDance234]

Obviously Duke's legacy of winning has a lot to do with that. There is no reason we couldn't develop something similiar.

Of course, Duke gets away with a lot more than we can. Someone had a "You Suck" sign and get thrown out of the game last week against VMI. This student body is more than creative, we should be able to come up with something. Mass email isn't a bad idea.

[jcmanson]

The problem does not lie in the type of chants we say. The problem is that students don't come, and the majority of the ones that do have no idea what is going on. When we get students in there that are passionate about the team, and know what is going on, the noise, chants, etc. will come. I was trying to get chants going last night, but it's kinda hard when there is only a dozen students cheering. I would turn around to start chanting defense, and everyone is just staring back at me like I'm crazy.

[SuperJon]

I'm one of the students that hasn't been to a game, but I just transferred here. There's absolutely no buzz around campus about basketball games. I had no clue there was a game last night until I was flipping channels and saw it on tv. I'm a huge sports nut and everyone on here knows that, but I would much rather go somewhere and do something with my friends than watch a boring basketball game. Granted, last night was not boring. I got back to the apartment after eating with some friends and one of my friends who was already over here had the game on tv (it was in OT) and I was glued to it until it ended. I know the games are free for students, but driving back over to campus to sit (well, stand) through a boring game isn't something that I want to do most nights of the week.

With that being said, it's not the fact that the team is losing. Last semester at Coastal, I skipped the last home game of the season because I knew it would be a blowout (in Coastal's favor) and didn't want to sit through it. I came up here and visited friends instead.

I still get all the e-mails from Coastal about what's going on on campus there. They weren't having the greatest season but then they started doing stuff to get the fans out to the game. They decided to have a "white out." It didn't work too great but it got people at the game. They're doings omething at halftime called "CCU Idol." They had tryouts back in December and each halftime they have three people come out and perform and the fans vote on who wins. The winners advance until there's only one person left and that person wins like $500 to use in the bookstore towards books, clothes, whatever. They also had a game this past Saturday against Winthrop where the first 400 people got free teal t-shirts. If Coastal can get away with these giveaways on their budget then I know for a fact that LU can do something creative like this. I haven't met anyone in athletics yet so I don't know, but do we have people in marketing and promotions whose main job is to create interest and promotions like this? At the hockey games they've done the exact same thing every game and it's gotten old. One of my friends is in charge of the promotions at Coastal and she does a really good job being creative and getting ideas from other people and bringing them in. These are the types of things that draw students to the games. One idea could be have a band come in and play after the game, and ONLY people that were at the game get to go to the concert. You wouldn't have to get a huge band, just someone that's up and coming and wouldn't require a ton of money in return. I know a band from PA that is a Christian band that's signed to a national label (Mono vs Stereo) that would play for a couple hundred dollars and a place to sleep probably. Make it a guessing game: "After the game vs Random University on Thursday night, there will be a concert with a nationally signed band. This band is on the same label as bands such as The Evan Anthem, Relient K, and Chasing Victory. Only those in attendance at the game will get to see the concert. Don't miss out." Now, I don't know about you guys, but I hear those bands and I think, "Alright, this'll be good, I'll check it out." The students come to the game for the concert, but at least they're at the game, and the majority of the problem is just getting kids there. Once the kids are there, I'm pretty sure they'll do things to make it a good atmosphere.

[LUconn]

but I would much rather go somewhere and do something with my friends than watch a boring basketball game. Granted, last night was not boring. I got back to the apartment after eating with some friends and one of my friends who was already over here had the game on tv (it was in OT) and I was glued to it until it ended. I know the games are free for students, but driving back over to campus to sit (well, stand) through a boring game isn't something that I want to do most nights of the week.

This is exactly what happens with most students and it's what I don't understand. What makes it boring? Larry Blair being unstoppable? Is it the team losing? I could see it being boring if you just weren't a basketball fan or didn't care about LU, but other than that, I'm at a loss.

[lu06]

I'm an LU student and last night I was telling my wife about this site and she laughed because she thought it was absurd that I am so into LU sports. She then made the comment that most people at LU think its "nerdy" to be really enthusiastic about our teams- and I realized that she is right! Students think that because we are not performing well they shouldn't show interest. How crazy! The students need to realize that it is just the opposite. We need to be as enthusiastic as ever. It's just disappointing to see kids who live a couple hundred feet from the Vines Center not show up to games. D-I basketball steps from their door and they won't go. Sad.

[LUconn]

Brilliant first post! (that's a jab at Mike Patrick by the way) Welcome aboard. I think you'll find that I am the coolest person you'll ever know. Definately not a nerd. I have seen that mentality a lot. Mostly from the females though. I got lucky and married a rabid college basketball fan. Unfortunatly for me her team is UNC. But she was there with me at every single game of our 4 years at Liberty (minus the break games), including 3 games @ Radford and she was the only one who would go with me up to Buffalo for the NCAAs.

[Sly Fox]

Thanks for joining us in posting, LU06. If we are going to build a real fanbase we're going to need folks like the ones on this board getting it started from a grassroots level. Perception is the key to success. That's why hockey is an off the hook success right now. It has the buzz. It'd be great if we could generate the same type buzz for our other sports as well.

[SuperJon]

LUconn, first off, your wife's amazing, just because she's a Carolina fan.

As for the boring comment: of the 9 home games we've had, only four have been within ten points, and two of those were over break. Not many people want to come and see a blowout. I know 10-15 points isn't a blowout but it's not intriguing either.

I honestly don't know why I don't have much interest in these games. I've been to a hockey game every weekend that I've been here and I love those games, I'm a sports nut. I know it's not because I just transferred, but for some reason or another, I just don't have much interest. The thing is, I'm from college basketball Heaven: North Carolina, I love college basketball. If I could figure out why I didnt' wanna go I'd tell you but quite frankly, I have no clue.

[WinthropEagleFan]

LUconn, first off, your wife's amazing, just because she's a Carolina fan.

As for the boring comment: of the 9 home games we've had, only four have been within ten points, and two of those were over break. Not many people want to come and see a blowout. I know 10-15 points isn't a blowout but it's not intriguing either.

I honestly don't know why I don't have much interest in these games. I've been to a hockey game every weekend that I've been here and I love those games, I'm a sports nut. I know it's not because I just transferred, but for some reason or another, I just don't have much interest. The thing is, I'm from college basketball Heaven: North Carolina, I love college basketball. If I could figure out why I didnt' wanna go I'd tell you but quite frankly, I have no clue.

It's funny, I started hearing Winthrop fans saying that early this year after a few 20, 30, and even 40 point games....now they are upset that the games are close...

[SuperJon]

Since I posted the first thing I've really been thinking about why I'm not interested in going. I even took a really nice poop and sat there the entire time trying to figure it out. Most good ideas come while taking a poop so I thought this would work again but it didn't. I honestly have no clue whatsoever.

[ATrain]

We like blowouts when they're in our favor (i.e. 2 years ago against High Point in the Championship).

When its us who are losing, and badly...then its just kinda like "uhhhhh...not fun".

[jcmanson]

I agree that it is not fun to sit through a blowout, but if LU is playing I will be there until the end no matter the score. No game they play could ever be boring to me. It may be very dissapointing (if we are losing by alot) or it may be very satisfying (if we are winning by alot). I almost had a heart attack last night coming down the stretch! We're going to win, we're going to lose, we're going to win, etc. Even when we were down 16 I was still on my feet cheering these guys on. I think I may have been the only student standing during that stretch until we started our comeback.

The excuse of not wanting to go because the games are not close has no merit. You never know what may happen in a given game. If we did then sports would be no fun. If Liberty University is your passion, you will make an effort to be at or at least support the team in every game they play. I schedule my time around the games, I do homework before or after, request off of work for the days that most days are, etc.

Lu06, you are correct in your assessment that people think you are nerdy if you are enthusiastic about the team. In my 4 years here I have always gotten to the game at least 1 hour before the game starts. When I am waiting outside the door for it to open, people pass by me staring like "what is he doing standing out here in the cold?" But I don't care. This team is my passion winning or losing. I graduate in May, and one of the saddest things to me is that I will not be able to go to every home game. I will, Lord-willing, have season tickets for the games starting next year, and come to as many as I can.

SuperJon, your feeling seems to be how the majority of the student body feels. I just don't understand it. Not knowing there is a game is not an excuse, there are schedules online, in the Champion, etc.

It is just so dissapointing to me that the students do not support the teams. That goes for all teams, WBB, MBB, football. Oh well. I will be there, and I will support if I am by myself or with thousands.

[Stevev]

Losing is bad enough but loosing in the Big South. Well!

[A.G.]

Just wondering? What is the perception of the athletes on the marquis teams around campus? Do the footballers and basketballers seem "holier than thou" or privileged? Do they separate themselves from the student population or are they part of the crowd? I don't know, which is why I'm asking. At some colleges the athletes are looked at as thugs or low-lifes and the students don't support them becuase of that.