[GillsHill2013]

Hockey may have more fans attending games by the end of the basketball season.

[ProudLUAlum]

If things dont improve soon......the attendance at the games is going to look like the list of black NHL Hall of Famers.

[prototype]

Hockey may have more fans attending games by the end of the basketball season.

And they are 8-10... Why do students like going? Because it's fun being a in a loud arena with lots of other girls (I mean fans). Hockey built that momentum by having big crowds and it was the thing to do. Let's make basketball nights the thing to do - the cool place to be and not use the crutch - "the team stinks". It's not just a team - it's your team. Your friends. Your University. Your Coach. You reputation.

[prototype]

If things dont improve soon......the attendance at the games is going to look like the list of black NHL Hall of Famers.

As a punishment to the current players? Or because you think the players don't care to win? want to win? want to put on a good show? We just got some "fair weather" fans at Liberty and that stinks. 15,000 students and we can't convince them that a basketball game is more exciting than a $1 movie, sitting playing xbox in their dorms or watching people prank people while their asleep all day on TV.

[GillsHill2013]

the sad reality is all those things may be more enjoyable than watching this team.

[BJWilliams]

Hockey has the total package: a successful team, exciting product (you should hear the place erupt on a big hit) and good marketing

12 -10 actually proto but i guess you don't count the four at the beginning of the year (although the ACHA does)

[lynchburgwildcats]

Hockey may have more fans attending games by the end of the basketball season.

And they are 8-10... Why do students like going? Because it's fun being a in a loud arena with lots of other girls (I mean fans). Hockey built that momentum by having big crowds and it was the thing to do. Let's make basketball nights the thing to do - the cool place to be and not use the crutch - "the team stinks". It's not just a team - it's your team. Your friends. Your University. Your Coach. You reputation.

Just because it's "your team" doesn't make it any more enjoyable to watch. People generally don't want to go watch teams that lose left and right like it's their job.

[Steffattack]

But you can't put this all on Layer either. What does he have to sell? Since he has been here, attendance has been what 1,000 people a game? How can he bring someone talented in here and show the vision? Layer works hard - he's just coaching a D2 school with a D1 schedule... Would you want to play here? Now if a recruit came and saw 7,000 fans not sitting on their hands when we are playing a bad 4-6 team - he knows he might be able to create even more excitement and bring LU to that next level.

This is laughable to me honestly. Layer had everything to sell coming in. He has continually dropped the quality of the product. He has money, facilities (have you seen the other facilities in the big south??), backing from the AD, whatever he wants or needs. The problem with the team is not a lack of fan support but a lack of ability to coach and recruit.

Attendance has not been 1,000 per game. There have been three home games so far. Going in order, the attendance has been 3,049; 2,233; 1,717.

Do you notice a trend there? You should. Its what happens to attendance when your team keeps losing (badly at that!) and getting worse.

It was only two years ago that students even rushed the court after a UNCA win. 4,500 were there for that game (mostly students by the way).

How can you bring talent in? Learn to coach. The coach shouldnt need to lean on an "atmosphere" alone to recruit. If a player comes in knowing that the coach will make him a much better player and beyond... the atmosphere doesnt even matter because it will come. It is a typical law of sports... win and you will have energy and crowds... lose and you wont. There are nearly no teams in any sport that can continually pack out a stadium through bad years. Everyone trying to show how Duke and UNC and Syracuse doesnt have attendance problems... well of course they dont... they have built up tradition for years and continually win. If any of those teams started out 0-8 against awful competition they would be scrambling to find people to come to games too.

Sure Layer works hard, but that should never give you a job or keep your job. And that D-2 team he is working with? His recruits.

Funny thing is, it wasnt long ago that we had really good crowds - last year wasnt even that bad (I havent crunched the numbers but would guess 4,000 was the average attendance).

[GillsHill2013]

2011 avg attendance 2819
2010 avg attendace 2600
2012 avg attendance 1515
According to NCAA.org

[Wilberforce91]

Do you notice a trend there? You should. Its what happens to attendance when your team keeps losing (badly at that!) and getting worse.

Just for grins and giggles, let's look at the season so far:

Richmond 84-42 (42 pt. margin)
W&M 71-59 (12 pt. margin)
Georgetown 68-59 (9 pt. margin)
UC Irvine 64-46 (18 pt. margin)
Sam Houston 64-50 (14 pt. margin)
Southern Miss 74-56 (18 pt. margin)
Morgan State 67-62 (5 pt. margin)
Georgia State 67-66 (1 pt. margin)

I don't think the team is getting worse. I think they are improving, albeit more slowly than many of us would like, but they are improving. If you take the trip to Texas out, the margin of improvement grows even more. A lot of these guys have never played together as a TEAM and as with any team, there is an adjustment period. If we string together a few conference wins come January, attendance should improve. As TallyW said in one of these various basketball threads, let's take a breather, reserve some judgement for conference play, maybe say a prayer for the guys and Coach Layer, and in the meantime encourage folks on campus and in Lynchburg to come out to the games. I don't care if they do homework, socialize, or take a nap - more people in the seats will help the atmosphere. I know for me, I'll be in the Vines tonight as soon as class lets out. I hope some of y'all will join me. Go Flames!

[ballah09]

you realize Morgan State and Georgia State are bottom feeders of their conference this year? GSU was picked 8th. Morgan State 3rd. William and Mary 7th. Sam Houston State 6th?. Sorry but that's pathetic

if they beat SVU and then Howard (who's probably worse than Liberty), that's not improvement. They should win those games.

[4everfsu]

OK - so we have a lot of problems with our basketball team right now and it doesn't look like it will change anytime soon. I don't see any white horses heading our way with a 6'10" 4 star prospect riding in.

Layer's not the issue!! JB is not the issue!! Our team being ridiculously white isn't the issue!! THE MAIN ISSUE OF WHY OUR PROGRAM IS SUCKING RIGHT NOW - -

The Student Body!

If we can get the students to show up for games - it will make the atmosphere better for the paying fans, make the atmosphere better for our players and POTENTIAL recruits. How can Layer attract the best talent and convince them to come play at Liberty, when they come to visit and we have 1,000 people there? Our students need to be a lot more loyal to their school and support Basketball, much like they support Football. Things have changed since I graduated, but back in the days - everyone went to the games and we only had like 2,000 students. Think how crazy the atmosphere would be if 50% of our students showed up now?

If the culture would change - we would have a completely different program!! How do we get them there? Need to have Jerry Jr. publicly layout the challenge and the vision for how they can help. Need to spend $2,000 per game and give away stuff every game (ipods, ipads, xbox, book coupons, etc...). Maybe a full year attendance goal for the students for a big prize? If we average 5,000 students - a day off, 7,500 students - 2 days off... Free concert by a big time group? I'm sure Toby Mac would be willing to jump on board of presented the idea.

Why a different thread? Because all the others are about what admin is doing wrong and it's time we look ourselves in the mirror and see what the true reason is - The support for our team SUCKS!!! We are a bunch of bandwagon fans - me included!!

Bring your ideas on how we get the flame back to Furnace!!!

This is retarded. Seriously, the student body is the problem? I'm so sick of hearing people talk about how the students should do more, almost as if it's an obligation for students to attend games. You are lucky if one student shows up to a game, if they stay for the whole thing, you should be overwhelmingly grateful. Also, this isn't even close to the problem. VMI, Charleston Southern, High Point and most of the Big South probably won't even come close to our numbers yet they'll beat us consistently. Athletics does a fantastic job of getting students to games and our students do a fantastic job of showing up. However, if you honestly think these students have any obligation outside of God, family and school while they're here, you've gone too far.

+1

[prototype]

+1

4ever? I thought you had my back? We are both Floridians and you sold me out? Come on, where's the love? You know you went to every game when you were here - good or bad. Am I wrong?

[Purple Haize]

Hockey also has a smaller venue and it can be much louder with fewer people thus creating better atmosphere. Also, kids spend time at the Vines during the week attending Convo and may not feel as excited going back. Also, according to reports if we have too many students there the Baptists can't see.

[Bigsouthking]

2011 avg attendance 2819
2010 avg attendace 2600
2012 avg attendance 1515
According to NCAA.org

Are these attendance records for home games only? Or does it include away game averages?

[jbock13]

Remember last year we had a ton of home games over thanksgiving and christmas break. So the statistics will fool you.

[GillsHill2013]

2011 avg attendance 2819
2010 avg attendace 2600
2012 avg attendance 1515
According to NCAA.org

Are these attendance records for home games only? Or does it include away game averages?

home

[flamesfan30]

prediction: our girls program will have higher attendance then the guys by the end of the season.

[prototype]

prediction: our girls program will have higher attendance then the guys by the end of the season.

I'll take that bet... That's not happening.

[Chippy]

I'll take some of that action. Oh, I forgot, I don't bet

[flameshaw]

Back in the mid-80's (Think Aluma, Nuwoso, etc) I would drive from Raleigh to weeknight games all the time and the Vines was almost full for nearly every game.
The only thing that has changed is the product on the floor and better facilities. Winning cures everything. When does baseball start?

[Purple Haize]

Who was the coach back then? Sorry couldn't resist

[Cider Jim]

Back in the mid-80's (Think Aluma, Nuwoso, etc) I would drive from Raleigh to weeknight games all the time and the Vines was almost full for nearly every game.
The only thing that has changed is the product on the floor and better facilities.

With all due respect, much has changed since the mid-1980s at LU: in those days, students weren't allowed go to movies, there was no Movies 10 (even if you wanted to break the rules), no TVs in the dorms, no hockey games, no Internet, no computer games, and no cell phones.

So basically, watching a basketball game was the only show in town unless you preferred studying in the library.
vs.

[g-webb1994]

FWIW, I've said this before, back in my days as a student at G-W, I went to every home game, mainly (1) due to my love of the game and (2) having players in classes or on the same floor of the dorm I was in. Supporting your friends and your school. Part of the collegiate experience.

[LUalumfromnc]

Liberty finally won a game!!!!

[youtube]

[/youtube]

They sing very well, but they are still not even close to how amazing the sounds of Liberty are!!!!