Disappointed in Fan Support

[Sir ScarletKnight]

I just wanted to say, I'm disappointed in some of the longtime fans that sit on the lower level of the RAC. Against Wake Forest, we finally got the student section rumbling, lack of students though there were. The side behind the bench did at least respond to the R-U chant.

The side across from the bench? Crickets. Barely any emotion.
Come on folks!

 

[bac2therac]

the fanbase is old and worn down from 25 years of losing and watching the same movie every year

 

[BKIn118]

Even more reason why the crowd should have had more juice being in the game against an ACC opponent.

Our fans really make me scratch my head...the team actually gives you a chance to cheer, and the opportunity is roundly ignored.

I get the 25 year blah blah blah...but damn, if you want things to change, help the kids out!

 

[Rutgers36]

Completely agree 118. Why buy the tickets go to the trouble of driving to the game to just sit there like you are in a coma. It looks like a scene from "The Walking Dead." It isn't church, you are allowed to put your hands together or open your mouth occasionally. Maybe like the old days it helps us to steal a key game or two. Additonally, with us down 1 with under a minute left I saw people leave for the exit. WHY DID YOU COME?

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Did he say "the student section rumbling"? Looked like more band members than "other" students in the entire student section. Maybe, what, 150 total?

 

[gflip01]

Student section was bare bones. I am really hoping for a much better turn out on the students part for the Seton Hall game. Someone needs to be there to chant "Safety School" like back in the old days. You are going to have a thousand students running the Big Chill earlier that morning, if only we could get a few hundred of them to go to the game.....

 

[Sir ScarletKnight]

Did he say "the student section rumbling"? Looked like more band members than "other" students in the entire student section. Maybe, what, 150 total?

Read my post. I said, "Lack of students though there were". I can't force my fellow students to come to the game. But I spent the whole game trying to get people up, I can almost guarantee you saw me there doing so, if you were there. And we DID get the people there to stand, cheer, and yell, especially by the end. More than the sections I'm talking about. A full section of silent people make less noise than an almost empty section of noisy people.

Student section was bare bones. I am really hoping for a much better turn out on the students part for the Seton Hall game. Someone needs to be there to chant "Safety School" like back in the old days. You are going to have a thousand students running the Big Chill earlier that morning, if only we could get a few hundred of them to go to the game.....

Riot Squad is advertising it as we can. I'll see what I can do about getting "Safety School" chanted. Any other chants you know of that we used to do vs. Seton Hall? I think we'll be doing the "Who's he?" Chant in honor of the throwback game.

Also, Big Chill might hurt more than help. Weekend buses are not good.

 

[RutgersJoe]

Additonally, with us down 1 with under a minute left I saw people leave for the exit. WHY DID YOU COME?

lol I always think the same thing. No matter how close or down to the wire a game is, can always count on a few trickling out. And it's not like there's traffic to beat at a half-filled RAC.

 

[shields]

I yell and I get frustrated because people sit there like lumps

 

[RUJMM78]

The fan base has slowly disappeared and won't come back until the team wins on a consistent basis.As a long time season ticket holder I'm the only one still in my row .I remain a season ticket holder because I like college basketball an enjoy watching top tier teams and players perform at the RAC.
The mens basketball program has been ignored for decades and the only thing that has changed is the names of the coaches and players.The dwindling fan base is a obvious problem but the 3000 that show up should be applauded not criticized.They have been watching a losing product for far too many seasons .Its hard to get excited when there are long scoring droughts and players can't make foul shots.

 

[shields]

Good for you RUjmm78 for your support.

 

[wheezer]

Even more reason why the crowd should have had more juice being in the game against an ACC opponent.

Our fans really make me scratch my head...the team actually gives you a chance to cheer, and the opportunity is roundly ignored.

I get the 25 year blah blah blah...but damn, if you want things to change, help the kids out!

----
If the team started 5-0, even playing all cupcakes, you would have more fans there for that sixth game against Wake..... IMHO it takes very little for fan support to wane now..... Fans are used to losing and are not going out of their way to make games...

It also would help if we had a few more recruits that excite the fans.... But it is mostly the early season losses
That keep crowd size, and thus crowd noise, to a minimum.

 

[shields]

Sanders is fun to watch though and like Laurent.

 

[FrankZ]

I tip my cap to folks who still have season tix to watch this perennial drear. At least I got an easy out with that decision with the MN thing.

 

[wheezer]

Sanders is fun to watch though and like Laurent.

------
I like them both also...... The team needs to win to get decent support..... In olden times we might have had the Rac fairly filled for an early big time game, the fans hopeful for that old Magic the RAC was known for

Now a days it is more likely they assume more of the same as we have had...... Ten wins or so overall and last place finishes

Fans no longer turn out out of curiosity about a new player or two.

 

[Sir ScarletKnight]

The fan base has slowly disappeared and won't come back until the team wins on a consistent basis.As a long time season ticket holder I'm the only one still in my row .I remain a season ticket holder because I like college basketball an enjoy watching top tier teams and players perform at the RAC.
The mens basketball program has been ignored for decades and the only thing that has changed is the names of the coaches and players.The dwindling fan base is a obvious problem but the 3000 that show up should be applauded not criticized.They have been watching a losing product for far too many seasons .Its hard to get excited when there are long scoring droughts and players can't make foul shots.

----
If the team started 5-0, even playing all cupcakes, you would have more fans there for that sixth game against Wake..... IMHO it takes very little for fan support to wane now..... Fans are used to losing and are not going out of their way to make games...

It also would help if we had a few more recruits that excite the fans.... But it is mostly the early season losses
That keep crowd size, and thus crowd noise, to a minimum.

------
I like them both also...... The team needs to win to get decent support..... In olden times we might have had the Rac fairly filled for an early big time game, the fans hopeful for that old Magic the RAC was known for

Now a days it is more likely they assume more of the same as we have had...... Ten wins or so overall and last place finishes

Fans no longer turn out out of curiosity about a new player or two.

But I'm not talking about crowd size. I'm talking noise and excitement. There were plenty of people in the RAC to get some noise going. And those people barely yawned.

 

[bac2therac]

usually the students at least show up for one game in the early season to give them a chance...they see them lose and then bail until after winter break in late January. This year that never happened, student attendance at an all time low and those horror shows against the likes of Newark and Central Arky wont get them out.

I don't expect a big crowd for SHU seeing the game is at noon and the exam period is nearing. In fact SHU and Monmouth fans figure to take over the building the next 2 weeks

it is what it is and you cant blame them.

 

[ruman]

Seriously?? No winning seasons in 10 years. How about we win some more games, then you'd have a case.

 

[78CollegeAve]

Just wondering, but has Eddie and the staff done anything to engage the students on campus? Dorms? Frats? Seems that it's been a while since a coach tried to rev up the students. I guess it's just not Eddie's style.

 

[ruman]

Just wondering, but has Eddie and the staff done anything to engage the students on campus? Dorms? Frats? Seems that it's been a while since a coach tried to rev up the students. I guess it's just not Eddie's style.

You can't rev up much when you don't win. Kids aren't stupid

 

[RocktheRac]

There are what 15 guys on the basketball team? If each kid had only 10 friends that show up that's 150 right there. But I guess they have no friends.

 

[Sir ScarletKnight]

usually the students at least show up for one game in the early season to give them a chance...they see them lose and then bail until after winter break in late January. This year that never happened, student attendance at an all time low and those horror shows against the likes of Newark and Central Arky wont get them out.

I don't expect a big crowd for SHU seeing the game is at noon and the exam period is nearing. In fact SHU and Monmouth fans figure to take over the building the next 2 weeks

it is what it is and you cant blame them.

There are what 15 guys on the basketball team? If each kid had only 10 friends that show up that's 150 right there. But I guess they have no friends.

I'm not talking about the student section. Attendance sucks, I get it. But between sections 101-106, the majority of those people may as well not even be there. There are people in attendance. They are sitting right there. They pay for tickets. But they make. No. Noise. Barely any stomping on the seats. They sit quietly when the R-U chant starts. They make the most noise when the cheerleaders are throwing them T-Shirts. Attendance means nothing if people don't make noise. 8000 people watching silently is worse than 100 people yelling.

I get it, long suffering. But if you're long suffering, and your team is playing a pretty good game against an ACC opponent, why don't you make some noise?

 

[Sir ScarletKnight]

usually the students at least show up for one game in the early season to give them a chance...they see them lose and then bail until after winter break in late January. This year that never happened, student attendance at an all time low and those horror shows against the likes of Newark and Central Arky wont get them out.

I don't expect a big crowd for SHU seeing the game is at noon and the exam period is nearing. In fact SHU and Monmouth fans figure to take over the building the next 2 weeks

it is what it is and you cant blame them.

It's also not easy to get to the RAC on a weekend. There are no basketball shuttles for weekend, games, just highly inconvenient weekend buses. If you want to get to the RAC for a 12 noon game, depending on the campus you may have to plan over an hour in advance. For students that have been out all night either partying or studying, they just won't do that.

 

[ruman]

Completely agree 118. Why buy the tickets go to the trouble of driving

I'm not talking about the student section. Attendance sucks, I get it. But between sections 101-106, the majority of those people may as well not even be there. There are people in attendance. They are sitting right there. They pay for tickets. But they make. No. Noise. Barely any stomping on the seats. They sit quietly when the R-U chant starts. They make the most noise when the cheerleaders are throwing them T-Shirts. Attendance means nothing if people don't make noise. 8000 people watching silently is worse than 100 people yelling.

I get it, long suffering. But if you're long suffering, and your team is playing a pretty good game against an ACC opponent, why don't you make some noise?

because they know what's coming

 

[RU-ROCS]

I hope Hobbs runs some promos to get students to the game. The RAC does not have any juice without a packed student section. This team is far more entertaining than the last couple of years. If you can get the students to come once or twice maybe they'll come back. I don't care what it takes – a drawing for $5K, free giveaways, etc. Just do it.

 

[T2Kplus10]

the fanbase is old and worn down from 25 years of losing and watching the same movie every year

+1
What else do you need to say? 25 years of sucking is pretty demoralizing.

 

[LotusAggressor]

People have seen too much lousy basketball over the last 3 decades. They're lucky anyone shows up at all, let alone displays enthusiasm. You want loud, sellout crowds? Play better basketball.

 

[wheezer]

the bottom line is the team has to be good first.... it is way beyond the point of anybody excited at the beginning of the season.....and the team seems to go out each year
and not do anything to get a crowd going.

 

[Sir ScarletKnight]

People have seen too much lousy basketball over the last 3 decades. They're lucky anyone shows up at all, let alone displays enthusiasm. You want loud, sellout crowds? Play better basketball.

I'm not asking for sellout crowds. I'm asking for people to make some noise. Any noise.

 

[wheezer]

I'm not asking for sellout crowds. I'm asking for people to make some noise. Any noise.

---
what is happening each year now is that we only get noise late in the game, if our team is in it.... no matter what you want, that is the way it will probably stay....except
possibly for a seton hall game, where old bad blood might still stir up some.... but even there, not like years ago.

in olden times, the crowd would get loud early in hopes of carrying the team..... now, we must be in the game late, the crowd tries to get loud only then.

it is not the crowds fault, it is the result of years of losing....I am at these games and I don't feel like getting all cranked up early in the game....the juice is just not there.

 

[Sir ScarletKnight]

---
what is happening each year now is that we only get noise late in the game, if our team is in it.... no matter what you want, that is the way it will probably stay....except
possibly for a seton hall game, where old bad blood might still stir up some.... but even there, not like years ago.

in olden times, the crowd would get loud early in hopes of carrying the team..... now, we must be in the game late, the crowd tries to get loud only then.

it is not the crowds fault, it is the result of years of losing....I am at these games and I don't feel like getting all cranked up early in the game....the juice is just not there.

But my point is that the crowd didn't seem to be in it at all. In those sections, 101-106, there was a serious lack of noise/movement, in a close game near the end of regulation.

 

[wheezer]

But my point is that the crowd didn't seem to be in it at all. In those sections, 101-106, there was a serious lack of noise/movement, in a close game near the end of regulation.

---
fair enough.... I sit in 214 and it did seem like it got loud overall late in the game, but where the crowd noise came from I could not tell you

In the past, when RU would lose a tough game like this, I think some think that if the crowd was only louder it would have made a difference..... I hope you are not going to count
on that helping the team much this year, because it won't get nearly as loud as it should, and won't be a game changer

as far as those in 101--106, any season ticket holders there are mostly the elderly long timers....I think students have complained about them not making enough
noise even when RU was good....

 

[Caliknight]

The fact there are even any fans left at all is somewhat surprising.

 

[RUtrumpet92]

It's been an issue for longer than that. The fans in those seats were often the same way even in the successful early Wenzel years. I remember we were amazed by it in the pep band in the '91 and '92 seasons. It would get rocking for high profile games, but if it was a middle of the road or lower opponent, not so much. Maybe those seats have a curse on them that drains the enthusiasm out of whoever sits there too long.

 

[bac2therac]

the grey haireds in the lower sections on that side were church mouses along time ago ...now add 20 years to their age and its not going to get any better

 

[wheezer]

the grey haireds in the lower sections on that side were church mouses along time ago ...now add 20 years to their age and its not going to get any better

----
And there are less of them now as time goes on

Is it true we only have about 1,000 season ticket holders?

 

[RUJMM78]

It's been an issue for longer than that. The fans in those seats were often the same way even in the successful early Wenzel years. I remember we were amazed by it in the pep band in the '91 and '92 seasons. It would get rocking for high profile games, but if it was a middle of the road or lower opponent, not so much. Maybe those seats have a curse on them that drains the enthusiasm out of whoever sits there too long.

I am happy that some fans show up.How they react during the game will differ based on many factors.The bottom line is that the RAC is no longer a arena feared by opponents because the basketball program remains mediocre and fan expectations are very low.The only thing that matters in sports is winning. At Rutgers too much time is spent on side issues like how much noise is heard from fans and complaining about ripping off stubs from parking tickets.

 

[wheezer]

I have witnessed it all at the RAC.... in olden times the crowd was excited for a big game and vocal early, 100 sec a bit also, and the entire place rocking.... it would take our team getting off to a good start season wise, 5-0 eg, for the non season holders to notice, show up, make noise.... otherwise right now all we have is just some late game noise in close games.

it is not going to change

 

[PiscatawayMike]

I certainly do my part on the cheering end, but I'm a diehard.

Simply, it's hard for casual fans to get jazzed when more often than not they know what the result is going to be.

 

[LotusAggressor]

Even more reason why the crowd should have had more juice being in the game against an ACC opponent.

Our fans really make me scratch my head...the team actually gives you a chance to cheer, and the opportunity is roundly ignored.

I get the 25 year blah blah blah...but damn, if you want things to change, help the kids out!

Are there any fans that are coaches who can teach them how to pass, shoot, rebound, and defend? That's the help they need and have almost never gotten. This is why the RAC is a morgue.