attendance for Valpo games...

[valpotx]

Athletics are a big marketing tool for universities all over the nation.  simple as that.

On the other hand I think we can all agree that Valpo, specifically, doesn't use athletics as much as other universities as a big marketing tool. Think back to the last marketing tool you saw on Valpo (video, brouchure, TV commercial, etc.). Do you remember much about the athletic dept being mentioned?

Since Valpo wants to separate itself from other universities that use athletics as a "big marketing tool" there is a feeling among the administration group that they can't over emphasize athletics. Athletics is just one part of the dynamic that is Valpo. When prospective students find that athletics is overly important to them in a college choice those are not the prospective students that the Valpo administrative group is targeting especially hard.

I see Brandon Wood taking a FT about 100 times during Valpo games, and same with a softball player taking a swing 

[letsgovu]

Your story is what it is, and I don't take issue with it.  That said, Butler is an example of an academic institution very similar to Valpo (size, cost, enrollment, private) that has parlayed its success on the basketball court into increased enrollment, and correspondingly more revenue.  The following article from the Indianapolis Business Journal offers some supporting evidence:

http://www.ibj.com/hoops-success-helps-butler-avoid-enrollment-decline/PARAMS/article/36111

I guess the solution is that we should just win it all this year and get some incoming students who are big fans of this team. 

[historyman]

Athletics are a big marketing tool for universities all over the nation. simple as that.

On the other hand I think we can all agree that Valpo, specifically, doesn't use athletics as much as other universities as a big marketing tool. Think back to the last marketing tool you saw on Valpo (video, brouchure, TV commercial, etc.). Do you remember much about the athletic dept being mentioned? Since Valpo wants to separate itself from other universities that use athletics as a "big marketing tool" there is a feeling among the administration group that they can't over emphasize athletics. Athletics is just one part of the dynamic that is Valpo. When prospective students find that athletics is overly important to them in a college choice those are not the prospective students that the Valpo administrative group is targeting especially hard.

Thats called Diii

Maybe the Valpo administrators are using DIII thinking for Div.I athletics. Haven't we heard that complaint before?

[mvandersee]

Honestly when I was looking at colleges (Sophomore at VU now, so within the last 3-4 years) the DIII schools actually did promote their athletics more than Valpo in the stuff that they mailed out.  Granted at this time Valpo hadn't yet won a HL title in any sport so there was a little less to advertise than there is currently.  But DI athletics for free definitely influenced my decision to come to VU, which is probably not the norm on campus as of now.

[milanmiracle]

Maybe Valpo is recruiting the wrong type of kids who go to the university?

I don't think kids come to Valpo for the basketball team.  If kids primary goal in college was to go to sporting events they would most likely choose a less expensive school in the big ten or similar.  Speaking as a parent of two current Valpo students, I can tell you that they could have both gone to big name big team schools for much less.  I don't think my oldest child there had any idea of what the sports situation was at Valpo when making the choice.  I can assume this is similar experience for many kids at Valpo.  The joy we have found in following this team has been purely a bonus.

As someone who went to Valpo shortly after "the shot," the basketball team was most certainly a factor in my decision. 

I was looking at other smaller schools with meteorology programs and none of them could offer me the chance to attend D1 basketball games.

I'll say this...look at the increase in applications to ANY university after an NCAA tournament run. They increase, and by a big number. Why? The basketball program. People want to be a part of a winning team, even if they're not directly involved.

[truth219]

One would think Tuesday nights game should be a sell out? Thoughts

[talksalot]

Just checked for 2 of the "best available tickets"... Section BB, Row CC, 8&9... LOTS of seats available!!

[truth219]

This valpo team doesn't get love from the community

[LaPorteAveApostle]

This valpo team doesn't get love from the Community

[truth219]

Yes the people on this board and fans that come to the games are fans, but I figured the espn coverage this weekend would have spiked ticket sales

[LaPorteAveApostle]

[agibson]

Apart from preorders, which weren't all that well publicized, tickets have been on sale for less than 24 hours. 

What talksalot saw looks probably to have been a fluke.  CC is 60+% sold.  BB and DD are each about half sold.  AA and EE are both for sale, and selling a few.  Downstairs is sold out to pairs.

[vuweathernerd]

200 free student tickets made available were gone in under 24 hours. hopefully we'll have a raucous crowd.

[agibson]

Relying on the ticketing web site for mezzanine availability, the mezzanine is a little more than 1/2 sold.  Relying on some assumptions for the rest of the house, overall, about 80% of the tickets are sold.

[a3uge]

Relying on the ticketing web site for mezzanine availability, the mezzanine is a little more than 1/2 sold.  Relying on some assumptions for the rest of the house, overall, about 80% of the tickets are sold.

Entire lower section is sold, except for a single seat in E.

Upper section

AA 25%... 102 of capacity 408
BB 75%.... 342 of capacity 456
CC 79%.... 341 of capacity 432
DD 58%.... 250 of capacity 432
EE 17%.... 65 of capacity 384
-----
All 52% 1100 of capacity 2112

http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1705724&cobrand=valpo

Click on the section.

[agibson]

Well, I wasn't going to go into the details

But, my numbers were 1097 sold in the mezzanine (estimated), of 2136 total (calculated, from the ticketing site you mention).  DD looks to me like a mirror image of BB, with 456 seats.

I'm not sure about a few other factors.  Blocks of tickets reserved for WSU, blocks reserved for students, etc.  And I'm not actually sure what capacity is for the tournament configuration.  So my "80% sold overall" number is definitely an estimate.

[a3uge]

Well, I wasn't going to go into the details

But, my numbers were 1097 sold in the mezzanine (estimated), of 2136 total (calculated, from the ticketing site you mention).  DD looks to me like a mirror image of BB, with 456 seats.

I'm not sure about a few other factors.  Blocks of tickets reserved for WSU, blocks reserved for students, etc.  And I'm not actually sure what capacity is for the tournament configuration.  So my "80% sold overall" number is definitely an estimate.

I estimated the tickets sold as well.. we're pretty close in that number.

I actually counted the number of seats in each row per section

AA 17*24
BB 19*24
CC 18*24
DD 18*24
EE 16*24

[agibson]

Sounds like we had about the same methodology.  But, DD, like BB, is 19 seats across, right? Seats 2 to 20?

[a3uge]

Sounds like we had about the same methodology.  But, DD, like BB, is 19 seats across, right? Seats 2 to 20?

In my defense, it's much harder to count on Mondays.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

it's conversations like this that make me sure that you two and I would have a good time at pas(s)( )times.

unless you're not hall of froth members yet.

[agibson]

One of my weaknesses, perhaps.

(I trust you heard that Pastimes is no more?
http://www.yelp.com/biz/stacks-bar-and-grill-valparaiso
I'm told they have something similar to the old hall of froth.  A library card or similar.  I've not been in yet.)

[LaPorteAveApostle]

[valporun]

I heard from alums, on Facebook, who were Hall of Froth members that Pass Times is now called "Stacks", with more of a library theme, so I'm guessing really quiet, people studying/reading, with legal pads or laptops all over getting work done with their "library cards" of beer drinking being tagged?

[LaPorteAveApostle]

dumb...then just call it "the library", as in, "sorry, mom and dad, call you later, gotta go back to The Library"

[Kyle321n]

I heard from alums, on Facebook, who were Hall of Froth members that Pass Times is now called "Stacks", with more of a library theme, so I'm guessing really quiet, people studying/reading, with legal pads or laptops all over getting work done with their "library cards" of beer drinking being tagged?

I've been there a few times and really like it.  It's kind of quiet but there's not people reading or studying.  The walls are covered in books and there's those little library ladders.  The "Library Card" is a list of 50 beers that you can drink to join the Hall of Froth.  I think it's still called the hall of froth and they have the Passtimes list up, but I haven't checked since I wasn't a Hall member.

dumb...then just call it "the library", as in, "sorry, mom and dad, call you later, gotta go back to The Library"

I think it's a clever name.