Suggestion Box on how to boost Student Attendance & Enthusiasm at Games

[Valpo2013]

Sweet Sixteen?
Slow down pal
Let's try to get in the top half of the league first

[AranJacobs]

I remember the AD saying somewhere that there will be a home and home with Vandy starting next year at the ARC. So unless the buy it out, if that is an option, then they will be here next year.

[EddieCabot]

Sweet Sixteen?
Slow down pal
Let's try to get in the top half of the league first

https://mvc-sports.com/standings.aspx?path=mbball

[wh]

Like Valpo, other MVC programs are using free food to incentivize students to attend:

ISU's Muller joins in trend to draw students to games

https://www.pantagraph.com/sports/professional/football/kindred-isu-s-muller-joins-in-trend-to-draw-students/article_7744c82f-4537-5551-8102-2d07eeab9324.html

[VU2014]

I need to give a huge shout out to the student section the last handful of games! They have been getting better and better as the semester has went on! Love seeing kind of support!

Need to recognize Danny Dalenberg (on twitter: @dannyd_53 ) who is the President of the PIKE fraternity and he calls the radio broadcasts when Todd is doing TV. He has really been a driving force for the student sections resurgence lately. He has been rallying the students and Greek Life. Maybe a future guest on USH, Paul? He needs to be recognized and commended. I know fans and Alums have been happy.


https://twitter.com/ValpoAdmission/status/1094712962776993792
https://twitter.com/valposwim/status/1094766514669002752
https://twitter.com/ward_mrw/status/1094814304417865728

[M]

Been nice seeing more and more students...next step is to get them on the same page with some cheers and chants. Awesome turnout today by students and community alike. We'll get um next time.

[VU2010]

Last night proved a lot of folks - like me -
wrong. Despite the crappy facilities, people WILL come out in masses to support this team IF you give them a reason to do so and we play against a good rival. Loyola can be THAT rival. Just like Butler. And, I'll give you 5,000 reasons why that's the case. People showed up in masses. A visiting student section. Wow. What a night. And, for the first half - we got a show! We're halfway there. But, alas, the true issues underlying this program popped up in the second half. Yes, ML it was an amazing atmosphere. That is or should be the standard. But, he's gotta coach up to that standard. We got worked by Porter and Co. in the second half. No adjustments on our end. Plain and simple. Stop blaming it on Ryan being hurt and needing another shooter. No duh - every team would want their best shooter on the court! That aside, there's red flags we continue to ignore.

[VU2014]

Interesting take here. Garret does a great job with Danny calling the students broadcasts. I just happen to flat out disagree with him here. There is absolutely nothing wrong with students chanting BS after a horrendous call. Things like that make college basketball really entertaining and chants help build the college atmosphere. Loyola students were doing same thing at their game and I loved it. They're doing their jobs in the student section. As long as it doesn't get vulgar (which I've never heard ever from VU students, I have absolutely for it) and remains light hearted.

Someone needs to teach the students some of the fun old school chants lol.

https://twitter.com/GarrettWillis19/status/1094720415749074945

[vu72]

Last night proved a lot of folks - like me -
wrong. Despite the crappy facilities, people WILL come out in masses to support this team IF you give them a reason to do so and we play against a good rival. Loyola can be THAT rival. Just like Butler. And, I'll give you 5,000 reasons why that's the case. People showed up in masses. A visiting student section. Wow. What a night. And, for the first half - we got a show! We're halfway there. But, alas, the true issues underlying this program popped up in the second half. Yes, ML it was an amazing atmosphere. That is or should be the standard. But, he's gotta coach up to that standard. We got worked by Porter and Co. in the second half. No adjustments on our end. Plain and simple. Stop blaming it on Ryan being hurt and needing another shooter. No duh - every team would want their best shooter on the court! That aside, there's red flags we continue to ignore.

Were you saying Matt blamed it on Ryan not being on the court?  I didn't hear that.  At the same time, it IS a way different team with him on the floor.  For the most part, the zones go away.  And a bigger reason yesterday was not Ryan it was Markus.  When was the last time he went scoreless?  The flu has a way of changing your shot or driving to the basket.  Maybe the thought of crapping your pants or throwing up has a way of slightly altering ones effort.  I know, excuses, excuses.

Still, I wonder if we can't win the whole thing when and if we finally get the entire team (other than Micah  ) on the floor at the same time.

[NativeCheesehead]

Anyone with the ADs ear needs to tell him the speedos were fun. One of my former classmates from the chair backs told me MLB was very upset when they came out.

[VU2014]

Anyone with the ADs ear needs to tell him the speedos were fun. One of my former classmates from the chair backs told me MLB was very upset when they came out.

What lol? It was hilarious. Keep it going!!

I don't want to be critical of MLB because he's done some nice things but I think he needs some help or to get a different perspective on what makes the gameday experience fun for the fans (customers!!!!). I (and I know many other alums) absolutely loved the swim team yesterday and student section. Seriously a rabid student section makes the games WAY more fun to attend and be apart of.

https://twitter.com/kyle321n/status/1094716940097150976

These are another pair of enlightening tweets that I found very important to point out to MLB and Aaron's attention. Please don't just shrug this comment off. In Paul's end of the season Podcast I hope he drives this point home. We need to figure out a way to not kill the vibe and crowd with these ads. If other schools can seamlessly blend them into the arena without killing the crowd energy than so can we!

[M]

I got no issue with a good BS chant....our students gave it a go once, then the next call they did it again with a little less enthusiasm, then the third call in a row there it was again. Only one of those three was at all questionable. Use some discretion.

[VU2014]

I got no issue with a good BS chant....our students gave it a go once, then the next call they did it again with a little less enthusiasm, then the third call in a row there it was again. Only one of those three was at all questionable. Use some discretion.

Haha yeah I sort of think our student section is learning "on the fly". It feels like we're rebuilding the student section culture in real time. It's a process. I'm just grateful things seem to be headed in a positive direction. They have been great the last few games. Need to teach these kids the cheers.

[M]

Might say they are progressing nicely.

[bbtds]

Anyone with the ADs ear needs to tell him the speedos were fun. One of my former classmates from the chair backs told me MLB was very upset when they came out.

The AD does read these posts from time to time and will respond on occassion. I'm glad he doesn't read every post because he has a football coach to hire. As far as the swimmers in the speedos I think it was not too risque but MLB has many people in his ear who might find that offensive with their kids at the game.

[NativeCheesehead]

I was personally offended by the guys in Speedos. Made me feel ridiculously out of shape.

[crusader05]

One thing I noticed the last time and felt was also noticeable this time is they do not take time to get the audience's attedance. They just start the stuff immediately and people are still talking and not paying attention. This is also a problem even when the team is coming in. They basically announce it right as the flag runs in and so by the time you realize what's happening the entrance has occurred. They should allow for some pump up time. I think of the Chicago Bulls pre game music and such as the epitome (since I'm local) and obviously that's excessive but they definitely could do a bit more "get hype" for entrance of our players. I mean even a little "GET ON YOUR FEET AND GET READY" yell.

[valpopal]

Let's remember that you cannot please everyone. Reading here that some might have been offended by the Speedo section and others objected to the BS chant reminds me of the time I convinced a faculty member to attend the game with me. Although at the university for years, she had never been to a VU basketball game. When the opposing team was introduced, she seriously turned to me and said that it was not proper for the students to boo the announcement of the other team's names. Then, when the student section chanted insults at an official after a bad call, she labeled that as disgracefully rude behavior that should never be exhibited by Valpo students. Needless to say, she never attended another game. 

[valpo64]

Why don't we do the spotlight thing for player introductions?  Also , Mr. LaBarbara, we need great improvement in our game atmosphere.  About 35 minutes before the start of the game the One and only all-encompassing concession stand on the "second level" was still NOT OPEN!!   AND, only  one-half of the floor stand was open!  Are you kidding me?  I have never seen such long lines waiting for concessions, both upstairs and downstairs.  Those kind of bad situations almost made me forget the Disaster Sound System we have in the ARC.  Just ask Paul Oren as he was standing downstairs and saw the floor level fiasco. 
We are not in the Summit League anymore...or are we?  Some things we do , or don't do, just invite justly deserved criticism.  Is anyone listening?

At least the great crowd and Student Section made it alot of fun to watch a hard fought game.

[NativeCheesehead]

64, these are all very valid criticisms and the only thing I can tell you is these have been problems for years and if the AD / Admin considered these priorities they would have been fixed long ago.

As for the lighting, new LED lighting (Like Loyola has in their gym), would allow us to resume the lights out intros.

[M]

I think the spotlight thing got removed for tv reasons or the lights not coming back on quick enough...that was much cooler.

[Valpo2013]

Let's remember that you cannot please everyone. Reading here that some might have been offended by the Speedo section and others objected to the BS chant reminds me of the time I convinced a faculty member to attend the game with me. Although at the university for years, she had never been to a VU basketball game. When the opposing team was introduced, she seriously turned to me and said that it was not proper for the students to boo the announcement of the other team's names. Then, when the student section chanted insults at an official after a bad call, she labeled that as disgracefully rude behavior that should never be exhibited by Valpo students. Needless to say, she never attended another game. 

Her and others like the student radio kid
"Lighten up Francis"

[Valpo2013]

Why don't we do the spotlight thing for player introductions?  Also , Mr. LaBarbara, we need great improvement in our game atmosphere.  About 35 minutes before the start of the game the One and only all-encompassing concession stand on the "second level" was still NOT OPEN!!   AND, only  one-half of the floor stand was open!  Are you kidding me?  I have never seen such long lines waiting for concessions, both upstairs and downstairs.  Those kind of bad situations almost made me forget the Disaster Sound System we have in the ARC.  Just ask Paul Oren as he was standing downstairs and saw the floor level fiasco. 
We are not in the Summit League anymore...or are we?  Some things we do , or don't do, just invite justly deserved criticism.  Is anyone listening?

At least the great crowd and Student Section made it alot of fun to watch a hard fought game.

This is a good post
Thank You

[VU2014]

Let's remember that you cannot please everyone. Reading here that some might have been offended by the Speedo section and others objected to the BS chant reminds me of the time I convinced a faculty member to attend the game with me. Although at the university for years, she had never been to a VU basketball game. When the opposing team was introduced, she seriously turned to me and said that it was not proper for the students to boo the announcement of the other team's names. Then, when the student section chanted insults at an official after a bad call, she labeled that as disgracefully rude behavior that should never be exhibited by Valpo students. Needless to say, she never attended another game. 

She doesn't sound like a sports fan. Probably not the target market that would ever be a repeat customer and that's fine.

I loved the student section yesterday and I hope the student sections continues to be rowdy because that makes the atmosphere fun and collegiate.

Why don't we do the spotlight thing for player introductions?  Also , Mr. LaBarbara, we need great improvement in our game atmosphere.  About 35 minutes before the start of the game the One and only all-encompassing concession stand on the "second level" was still NOT OPEN!!   AND, only  one-half of the floor stand was open!  Are you kidding me?  I have never seen such long lines waiting for concessions, both upstairs and downstairs.  Those kind of bad situations almost made me forget the Disaster Sound System we have in the ARC.  Just ask Paul Oren as he was standing downstairs and saw the floor level fiasco. 
We are not in the Summit League anymore...or are we?  Some things we do , or don't do, just invite justly deserved criticism.  Is anyone listening?

At least the great crowd and Student Section made it alot of fun to watch a hard fought game.

64, brings up great points. These are basic things that need to be addressed. Would love to see the spotlights come back for player intros. Made it fun and grabbed everyone's attention.

[humbleopinion]

Would love to see the spotlights come back for player intros. Made it fun and grabbed everyone's attention.

I also miss the drum line.  It added excitement and as far as I know it was something unique to the ARC.  Of course, I've always preferred live performance over recorded.