WNIT

[TheFarmFan]

Well @Basket got me thinking about UCLA attendance and SDSU attendance and I guess as I have been duly impressed by the state of Iowa and the legions of fans who come out in droves for both those programs, I was excited to see the last 5 years of noted attendance:
School 2022 2020 2019 2018 2017
UCLA 1,103 2,940 2,876 3,249 2,263
SDSU 1,919 1,819 2,106 2,026 1,908

And as you can see, I am sorely disappointed. So while UCLA does out draw SDSU, this attendance is pathetic. Really? Couldn't they get some boosters to buy seats and give them to the local Boys and Girls clubs or Youth Sports?

That said, I do want to give props to Cori for playing in this tournament again after many years of consecutive NCAAs and some moderate success in the NCAAT. She too could have claimed a "goal" of NCAAT or bust but she chose for development and playing. Good for her and I hope this springboards next years team along with their top recruits to success.

Speaking as I am, currently from the lounge at LAX, there's a lot more to do in LA than in Brookings (which I'd never even heard of until a week ago). No offense to Cori et al., but even this avid WBB fan wouldn't think of attending a college basketball game as the first, second, or tenth best use of my time in LA. There's a reason most of the well developed college basketball followings are in secondary markets like Storrs/Hartford, South Bend, Columbia, and Tucson - a heck of a lot less competition, and no LeBron or Kawhi stealing away basketball fans.

 

[nwhoopfan]

UCLA's attendance cratered this last season, before that they've been consistently in the upper third of the Pac 12. Although attendance was maybe down throughout the Pac this year.

If you want to see pathetic attendance, you have to look across town at USC.

 

[UcMiami]

In seeing this competition and the quality of the games, I really can't understand why schools and coaches decline invitations. Exceptional circumstances like WVU long time coach retiring, OK, and maybe some small schools can't budget for it, but otherwise isn't this what you are supposed to be supplying your student athletes with?

 

[BruinGold]

UCLA's attendance cratered this last season, before that they've been consistently in the upper third of the Pac 12. Although attendance was maybe down throughout the Pac this year.

If you want to see pathetic attendance, you have to look across town at USC.

I go to all the UCLA games. As far as I could tell this year, there were no real efforts to "enhance" the gate with giveaways, etc. UCLA venues have been very conservative during the pandemic, requiring masks and vax proof. It also didn't help having the kind of season we had. A number of later games were reschedules, at odd times. It may sound cliched as well to say, "Traffic," but it is a very real impediment.

Both L.A. teams really have to be blowing the doors off the competition to get any kind of buzz or attendance.

I think if you check back in two years, things might be a little different. But even though SoCal produces a ton of high school talent, you are unlikely to see Pauley or Galen sold out.

 

[nwhoopfan]

UCLA venues have been very conservative during the pandemic

I thought about this. The 3 continental states touching the Pacific Ocean were among the most aggressive in the nation in their responses to covid. That had to have effected attendance at sporting events, among other things.

 

[UcMiami]

SDSU just hammered Seton Hall in the final - up 18 in the first and never looked back. Park-Lane went 0-12 from the field! Tough end to a great season.

 

[JstVisiting]

Yes, we know the Big Ten is having another pathetic NCAA Tournament. Here’s why.

Maybe, just maybe, the conference isn’t as good as it thinks it is.

chicago.suntimes.com

That opening paragraph is so big ten it hurts. First, most of you aren’t doctors and lawyers, so don’t lead with that. Second, I want Rick Morrisey to explain Ulysses as something other than “smart people book everyone says is great.”