Only 4,002 tonight

[bac2therac]

NEED TO DO MUCH BETTER

listen I aint buying weather as an excuse. I think the OSU game which was like 7400 scared alot of fans away. Student section was questionable...sections were not packed or anywhere close to capacity and that was more like the RU JV student section. They didnt even play all that house music tonight so its rather odd that attendance was spotty there...Attendence was pretty brutal for the general population, I think Hartford and some other cupcakes outdrew this game. Didnt expect over 6K but I expected at least 5K so it was rather odd it was so low. Hopefully better for Nebby next week which is probably the least sexiest Big 10 school to face at home.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

students did OK...that is most important to me

 

[anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy]

It was weather. Bad weather/ice on roads = no fans from north jersey coming

 

[bowlgoal]

We are rebuilding the fan base. It’s a work in progress. The students are coming out and the RAC is loud once again.

 

[ColonelRutgers]

Until we increase the core season ticket base, we're going to have problems drawing for these weeknight 7pm starts. If people are going to pick and choose, they're going to buy weekend games every time. It takes a real commitment and some flexibility work-wise for a lot of people to navigate the brutal traffic. Doesn't mean people don't care but with every game on national tv, I can see a lot of people choosing to watch on BTN instead of trudging out to the RAC. With all that said, the announced attendance is stunningly low even if you want to factor in weather.

 

[bac2therac]

It was weather. Bad weather/ice on roads = no fans from north jersey coming

Stop, it didnt snow that much up there and the fanbase is largely from CJ...it was a poor turnout from the RU community

 

[BigEastPhil]

Weeknight game; cold and icy and unsexy bad opponent....not a good combo....I would have expected 5K .....

 

[RUBigFrank]

Great win - but the stink from the OSU game surely muted the attendance.

 

[shields]

I was sick, is that a good enough excuse?

 

[kcg88]

This year I've been to four games: Florida State, Michigan, Hartford, and Ohio State

Most of the bad OOC games weren't worth the drive/parking cost to me, but I wanted to go to the Seton Hall, Wisconsin, and Iowa games, just had other things come up.

Trust me, I did us a favor not making it 4,003.

 

[hoquat63]

I was sick, is that a good enough excuse?

Doctor’s note please

 

[rufanpops]

I made the drive down from Westwood, in Bergen COunty, like I always do. Roads were just fine in both directions, and it was the least amount of traffic for a weeknight game all season, probably cause a lot of people stayed home from work yesterday. I don't buy the weather as a valid excuse, more likely the combo of weeknight game and the horrible showing against OSU Sunday night. Those of us who made the trip were certainly rewarded though!

 

[RUJMM78]

Rutgers wants to be considered as a destination school for top tier student athletes.At the same time there remains a disconnect with sports fans in NJ.The bottom line is that there are 9 million people in NJ and taking into account every imaginable excuse ,there are more than enough people to fill a 8000 seat arena regardless of the time of the game.

For Rutgers attendance is driven more by the opponent than loyalty to the home team.The number of season ticket holders is far too low which forces a reliance on late deciders who pick and choose which games they want to attend.Consistent winning is the obvious answer to bigger crowds and that hasn't happened for a very long time for mens basketball.

 

[hoquat63]

I noticed for the first time this season that one of the display cases lists the names of all the season ticket holders - between 800 and 900 names. Most, unlike me, probably have multiple seats.

 

[bwrlaw]

I noticed for the first time this season that one of the display cases lists the names of all the season ticket holders - between 800 and 900 names. Most, unlike me, probably have multiple seats.

Where?

 

[rufeelinit]

While there is certainly room for improvement, 4K is not that bad a number given where this program is right now. I am sure all of you season ticketholders recall many more intimate settings. Besides with it being a weeknight, the nature of the OSU loss over the weekend and Williams being out I would say there was likely some trepidation that we were heading for a tailspin. I have to admit I find it increasingly harder to motivate myself to make the effort to attend in person when the games are on TV. I agree these guys deserve our support and I will need to get down there soon! Atleast the 4K went home very happy.

 

[bwrlaw]

I agree that the primary issues are quality of opponents and quality of our team for so long. A once a year upset, does not maintain interest. Simply put, win and they will come.

 

[ruman]

Great win - but the stink from the OSU game surely muted the attendance.

you cant put 7,400 in the place, be behind 48-18 early in the 2nd half, and not expect it to effect the next game.

 

[G- RUnit]

Weather was a very real factor. Lots of worries of stuff freezing over per the forecasters on TV. In fact rush hour was surprisingly light.

Not many Iowa fans? What happen to the hordes that were supposed to exist in the Metropolitan area? Perhaps still frozen from the Pinstripe Bowl?

Love the B1G but 7:00 starts for anybody who has to work is really tough. RU and I suppose Maryland are more affected by rush hour than every other school. Throw in bad weather...

Having said that a 9:00 start for Northwestern on a Tuesday night in early February? Yikes!

 

[RU-ROCS]

Overall attendance was disappointing and the team's awful performance against OSU certainly did not help. But, now that the team is more competitive, it amazes me that a school of over 30,000 students can't get a thousand of them to pack the student section for every conference game. School just started back up this Tues, so it's not like kids had any studying to do last night. RU needs to find a way to have the student section, which is very small by Big 10 standards, packed every night. Obviously, winning will take care of that, but in the meantime, they need more promos to introduce new students to the RAC. Notably, while RU's football team has sucked the last few years, they often get close to 10,000 students to a game. they need to do better in hoops.

 

[G- RUnit]

Just win Baby. If you win they will come. See Seton Hall.

 

[kcg88]

We nearly filled the building on Sunday night with the NFL playoffs going on. Not a typical Sunday of course since many didn't have work/school the next day, but it was still a good sign. Of course, the game being as ugly as it was surely turned some people off but they'll be back if we win games.

 

[RUskoolie]

We have not been above .500 in a decade or been to a tourne in almost 25 years. Why is anyone surprised by low attendance? Continue to trend positively, get into an NIT and then flirt with a NCAA bid and attendance will improve more.

 

[bac2therac]

its just that the attendence numbers were lower for Iowa than some non conference games..thats what is inexcusable

 

[Local Shill]

Could be RU’s smallest crowd for a Big Ten game. Would have to check

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Mike usually has 10+ fans here to see him play. They didn't make the drive to see him cheer lead.

 

[Ruthinking]

Where?

The display case with the season ticket holders is on the right side of the arena, all the way in back. I just noticed this last night as well.

 

[bac2therac]

Could be RU’s smallest crowd for a Big Ten game. Would have to check

I think there was a snowy night vs Maryland in Jordan's first year where the Maryland fans probably outnumbered the RU fans

that anyone is rationalizing that 4K is an okay crowd is mindnumbing, we have lowered the bar really low now

 

[S_Janowski]

We have not been above .500 in a decade or been to a tourne in almost 25 years. Why is anyone surprised by low attendance? Continue to trend positively, get into an NIT and then flirt with a NCAA bid and attendance will improve more.

Amazing how people continue to forget this. Just about 3-4 short years ago we were one of the WORST programs in all of Division 1.

The fan base has done pretty well this year and showed up for big games (FSU, SHU, Ohio State).

It's going to take 1-2 more years to build back up the season ticket base.

If this team makes an NIT run next year or sniffs the NCAAs Rutgers basketball is going to quickly become a hard ticket to get your hands on.

 

[G- RUnit]

I think it was indeed weather related. Yeah the major highways were surprisingly decent but fans would have no idea. I wondered what I was driving into.

 

[Unionst]

It was the best ride ever from North Jersey. No traffic. The student disinterest is troubling. Quietest game this year.

 

[hoquat63]

Where?

North side last case opposite the concession stand

 

[Local Shill]

I think there was a snowy night vs Maryland in Jordan's first year where the Maryland fans probably outnumbered the RU fans

that anyone is rationalizing that 4K is an okay crowd is mindnumbing, we have lowered the bar really low now

Yup.. Mack and Jack’s last game at the RAC.
Somehow RU announced 7K for that game but you’re right it was a sparse crowd.
http://www.umterps.com/pdf9/3240288.pdf

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Who exactly are we blaming or are mad at?

Is it fans who decide to watch on TV rather come to the game?
Is it season ticket holders who stay home?
Is it sports fan in NJ that aren't too interested in RU basketball?
Is it students?
Is it the athletic department?

 

[Local Shill]

RU is now 8-53 in Big Ten games and it’s not that long ago that it snapped a 32-game conference losing streak.

So on one hand the attendance is understandable.

On the other hand, as RUJMM-78 likes to point out, there are almost 9 million people in Jersey and about 35,000 undergrads at RU.

 

[King of S]

Start the week nights games at 7:30 or 8:00PM. Most games are on Big 10 network which services mainly mid-West (central time zone). Who's watching games at 6:00PM in Chicago, Iowa etc.??

 

[RUsojo]

I know attendance isn’t irrelevant but I still find it surprising that some people still have a hard-on for it (shame on me I guess). There is SO much else to talk about. We’ve had our best attendance this season in a while but let’s call it out one weeknight 7PM start after a blowout.

 

[bac2therac]

Who exactly are we blaming or are mad at?

Is it fans who decide to watch on TV rather come to the game?
Is it season ticket holders who stay home?
Is it sports fan in NJ that aren't too interested in RU basketball?
Is it students?
Is it the athletic department?

all of the above

 

[ColonelRutgers]

The problem isn’t really no shows it’s that those tickets aren’t sold in the first place. For the most part those that purchase season tickets are pretty committed to attending the games and especially the conference games. It’s obvious from where people are sitting as they filter in pregame how many seats have actually been distributed. Notwithstanding the actual lack of active participation I thought the student turnout was decent.

 

[ru66]

we should be complaining more about the lack of contributors to the build fund--now that's a BIG problem