NCAA Announces WBB Attendance Breaks Record

[Charliebball]

Per Raul...........NCAA press release regarding the state of women's basketball attendance

Women's Basketball sets attendance record across all three divisions

 

[Rocket009]

"Division I attendance in 2015-16 came in at 8,286,356, the highest total in the 35 years of NCAA women’s basketball, eclipsing the previous best of 8,177,111 set in 2012."

That would be actual data that contradicted the "UCONN dominance is bad for Women's basketball" theory.

 

[Magy Cannon]

So, so glad to read attendance is up.

 

[HuskiesU]

Adding on fans. I love it

 

[lne001]

2015/16 attendance showed an increase over the previous high of 2012, a jump of 1.3%. This is in contrast to the increase in the number of Division I teams over that same period of 15, or 4.4%. Clouds the significance of the increase somewhat.

 

[triaddukefan]

So, so glad to read attendance is up.

Adding on fans. I love it

At some schools.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Overall DI attendance was up by 27 fans per game. Not exactly setting serious records. The good news though is that UConn has climbed another rung on the attendance ladder moving from 6th in 2015 to 5th place, passing Notre Dame in home attendance. It appears that they have reversed the attendance slide of the last 10 years.

 

[DaddyChoc]

and I didnt make it a single game this past season

 

[MilfordHusky]

and I didnt make it a single game this past season

Shame, shame, shame!

I missed you.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Shame, shame, shame!

I missed you.

working nights is tough... and when I can make it to a game its a "cupcake" that Id just watch on the tube and save me some hassle

 

[mainejeff]

Great to see UMaine break the 2K average and come in at #2 in New England behind UConn.

 

[CL82]

Overall DI attendance was up by 27 fans per game. Not exactly setting serious records. The good news though is that UConn has climbed another rung on the attendance ladder moving from 6th in 2015 to 5th place, passing Notre Dame in home attendance. It appears that they have reversed the attendance slide of the last 10 years.

#2 overall (home and away) behind South Carolina.

Staley done impressive work at SC. I wonder if she can sustain it?

 

[Carnac]

I'm going to save this article for the next hater that comes here and says that "nobody watches, or cares about WCBB". I'm going to respond to his (it's usually a very uninformed and cynical man that makes this type of indictment) comment with this article from NCAA.COM. This article will serve as written documented proof (by a neutral 3rd party) that his accusations are groundless and incorrect, and that in fact, the exact opposite is true. We're gaining new fans every day. Those type of statements are usually made by those that do not like or watch WCBB, and have not done any research to support their position. I probably won't have to wait very long either.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

To me the most impressive numbers belong to Iowa State. They usually field teams
ranging from decent to good, but over the last 20 years they have advanced as far as
the elite eight only twice and the sweet sixteen on three other occasions. Yet they
continue to be among the attendance leaders year after year.

This year they finished 13-17 overall and 5-13 in conference and still finished third
in the nation in average attendance. Hats off to the Cyclone fans!

Least impressive: Cal St. Fullerton averaging 185 fans per game.

 

[Nuyoika]

I'm going to save this article for the next hater that comes here and says that "nobody watches, or cares about WCBB". I'm going to respond to his (it's usually a very uninformed and cynical man that makes this type of indictment) comment with this article from NCAA.COM. This article will serve as written documented proof (by a neutral 3rd party) that his accusations are groundless and incorrect, and that in fact, the exact opposite is true. We're gaining new fans every day. Those type of statements are usually made by those that do not like or watch WCBB, and have not done any research to support their position. I probably won't have to wait very long either.

If you're interested and have not done so yet I would suggest trudging through this thread... as it pertains to the "Nobody wants to watch UConn destroy other teams argument." RebKell's Junkie Boards :: View topic - 2015-2016 TV Ratings Thread

 

[BigBird]

To me the most impressive numbers belong to Iowa State. They usually field teams
ranging from decent to good, but over the last 20 years they have advanced as far as
the elite eight only twice and the sweet sixteen on three other occasions. Yet they
continue to be among the attendance leaders year after year.

This year they finished 13-17 overall and 5-13 in conference and still finished third
in the nation in average attendance. Hats off to the Cyclone fans!

Least impressive: Cal St. Fullerton averaging 185 fans per game.

Other than hoops, Iowa State is often pretty dreadful in everything except wrestling. Students really thirst for a winner, and have come out in big numbers. They have supported basketball (both M and W), consistently for several years.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

#2 overall (home and away) behind South Carolina.

Staley done impressive work at SC. I wonder if she can sustain it?

As long as she wins ad interacts a lot with fans, the high attendance figures will be there; most of our teams are top 20 in attendance with a number in the top ten. Without her fan interaction we'd be top 5 in attendance, but maybe not number one.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

To me the most impressive numbers belong to Iowa State. They usually field teams
ranging from decent to good, but over the last 20 years they have advanced as far as
the elite eight only twice and the sweet sixteen on three other occasions. Yet they
continue to be among the attendance leaders year after year.

This year they finished 13-17 overall and 5-13 in conference and still finished third
in the nation in average attendance. Hats off to the Cyclone fans!

Least impressive: Cal St. Fullerton averaging 185 fans per game.

CSF is mostly a commuter school so it doesn't really surprise me. Most of their students are likely Southern Cal or UCLA fans.

 

[Sonny44]

Per Raul......NCAA press release regarding the state of women's basketball attendance

Women's Basketball sets attendance record across all three divisions

Really? Even though our gals are bad for the sport?

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

To me the most impressive numbers belong to Iowa State. They usually field teams
ranging from decent to good, but over the last 20 years they have advanced as far as
the elite eight only twice and the sweet sixteen on three other occasions. Yet they
continue to be among the attendance leaders year after year.

This year they finished 13-17 overall and 5-13 in conference and still finished third
in the nation in average attendance. Hats off to the Cyclone fans!

Least impressive: Cal St. Fullerton averaging 185 fans per game.

Perhaps you have never been to Ames, IA?

Just kidding, kind of. It is not a "happening place", but when we were there (almost 20 years ago) for Rutgers first NCAA tournament under CVS, the folks were very nice. Over the years, the Big 12 has worked on attendance and I believe they led per-school attendance at some times in the past. Don't think #2 conference is bad.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Fun with numbers.

As the NCAA crows about attendance growth consider this -

From 2011 to 2016 attendance grew by 1.95%. Not exactly investment growth but an increase none the less. Over the same period the number of games played increased by 5.1% and the number of D1 teams grew by 3.3%. Actual fanny in the seat totals grew by just 0.44%. I'm not a math guy but it seems that the touted growth came more from the added teams and additional games played than by any burgeoning growth in fans.

Looking at the 9 year period mentioned, attendance growth averaged 0.25% a year and per game attendance shrunk by 8.6%. It appears that a sure fire way for the NCAA to boost attendance is to add more bottom feeders to D1 further diluting an already shallow talent pool. Just what WCBB needs more Alcorn States and NJ Tech, to name just a couple of the hundred or more D1 teams that don't belong there.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Fun with numbers.

As the NCAA crows about attendance growth consider this -

From 2011 to 2016 attendance grew by 1.95%. Not exactly investment growth but an increase none the less. Over the same period the number of games played increased by 5.1% and the number of D1 teams grew by 3.3%. Actual fanny in the seat totals grew by just 0.44%. I'm not a math guy but it seems that the touted growth came more from the added teams and additional games played than by any burgeoning growth in fans.

Looking at the 9 year period mentioned, attendance growth averaged 0.25% a year and per game attendance shrunk by 8.6%. It appears that a sure fire way for the NCAA to boost attendance is to add more bottom feeders to D1 further diluting an already shallow talent pool. Just what WCBB needs more Alcorn States and NJ Tech, to name just a couple of the hundred or more D1 teams that don't belong there.

I don't exactly think that's the scenario. I agree with all your points, except I think the NJIT's (and Grand Canyon Universities) etc. that have moved to DI do it for their own reasons. Reasons that I can't fathom, but that isn't here or there.

Alcorn State, on the other hand, is one of the HBCU's, and has been in the SWAC since 1962.

If anything, I would say that the concept of the FBS and FCS schools could be applied across to other sports (although, to be fair, there are obscure schools with individually very talented teams, of course they are often only DI in selected sports).