Having read thoroughly, each of the proceeding posts, I have to concur with many of your thoughts. At the surface, you all have valid points for reasonings behind the decrease in interest among students on many campuses, if not most campuses across the country. I was struck by Ivan Maisel's candidness in not understanding why a younger generation isn't going to the stadium citing a general 5% decrease in interest across the country. Interesting topic in the off-season.
Like all of you on this board, I love college sports, actually...eat, sleep & live for it and enjoyed playing years ago, but.... let's take a step back and look at the topic - not from the myopic world of ESPN - but from a much more broad view.
When we do, perhaps greater understanding MIGHT explain the forces shaping college campuses. I find Maisel's comments and posture, perhaps fundamentally flawed from the outset- not surprising!!
1) The basic business model of higher education has changed in the last ten years. Faced with rising costs, schools must look to those students that are considered full pay - not receiving academic scholarships and grants. In the last ten years, many schools have seen a dramatic rise in foreign students that can pay the full tuition outright not putting a drain on university coffers. Many schools, if not most, as early as 2008, saw an 8 to 10% increase in foreign students over the last decade. The trend continues. IMO, logically, your base sample of interest has changed....and if your base has changed-you MIGHT experience a paradigm shift in other areas...like student interest in attending an event they have no or little interest.
2) The competitive academic nature of schools and the students has spiked due to the economic costs of attending school. IMO, perhaps greater attention to the rigors given the costs of attending...less efforts made by students to take time in attending a time consuming event that might limit academic achievement. Outstanding schools like UCONN, have a high number of achievement oriented students. you might or MAY find them in attendance in September or October....but interest will wane as the semester enters the beginning of November and beyond.
Reasonably expected. There are many students now attending that have never experienced anything less than a 4.0 .....
3) Without sparking controversy, you might find that in the last 12 years, a change in demographics of students attending schools. Eneough said (too political)....will not go beyond that....
4) As schools have faced increased costs as well as competing for the best students and their wallets, students have travelled greater distances to attend schools. Private (and public) universities will find greater numbers of students outside their immediate geographic footprint. With that in mind, attendees at schools MIGHT have less interest in VIEWING the athletics of a school they are attending.-than a team or school closer to their geographic home that they have followed during their growing years.
The greater question(s) have to be asked:
a) How do you compel a student population that might not have an interest to start...statement not a question.
b)How do you motivate, market and sell to, in UCONN's case, a built in base of alumni within 90 minutes of athletic venues and that can afford the price of low cost entertainment...statement not a question to supplement student inaction.
c) When do you stop looking to your students and start looking to your regional Alumni, family, friends and a new legion of fans....statement not a question.
d) How do you cross market into other areas....statement - not a question.
The greater statement should be made to all universities : IF....IF ...IF there are greater medians to push your product, event and venue, perhaps the delivery of the message is flawed.
Sustained growth is not achieved through limiting tactics (close the gates, stop the bus caravan,) as some have hinted but through elimination of barriers to entry.
At UCONN, we sit on the precipice of something truly great and unique. There is an untapped silent market that is waiting, unlike other schools and universities. In 2 threads, we had close to 15,000 views regarding an assistant coaching hire and an inadvertant statement. That tells me interest among all of you is keen, smart and highly interested. We can accept limiting cerebral (small brain) ESPN viewpoints expressed by Mr. Maisel or find greater solutions to a common good and rise above the perceived malaise.15,000 views tells me otherwise that it is there....191 days to BYU.
