NCAA Basketball Attendance 2014-2015

[NowherePoke]

The NCAA released their report today on the 2014-2015 attendance:

NCAA report: http://i.turner.ncaa.com/sites/default/files/images/2015/07/06/mens-attendence.pdf

CST Article: http://trib.com/sports/college/wyom...cle_c205eff7-b12d-5d5d-8fce-5baae56ac4df.html


A couple of thoughts:

1. Nice to see the Pokes finish in the top half (barely) of the MWC. Obviously still seems very low compared to the long term historical average in the AA, but we are still rebuilding the fanbase and it is a different era with TV, streaming, etc. If we could push the average back up to 7500-8000 I think we would have a consistently great atmosphere at the AA.

2. Despite stagnating results on the court, the Cowgirls remain firmly in 2nd in attendance in the MWC and a Top 40 program nationally.

3. Even in an off year, UNM clearly leads the league in both Men's and Women's. Interesting stat from Geoff Grammer (ABQ Journal):

UNM has ranked in the top 25 in men’s basketball average home attendance for for all 49 seasons the Pit has been open.

. Fans of all school wish their teams were more successful and can come up with reasons why they should be, but UNM hoops fans deserve all the success they have had and truthfully more. This doesn't even include the fact that they dominate the conference tourney attendance as well. Much respect to the Lobos.


P.S.: LOL @ CSU. Big 12 my ass.

 

[cali2wyo]

Cool report. I think an interesting statistic would be to look at average attendance in terms of how full a teams arena is. On just tickets alone, Duke would be fourth in the mountain west. But I'm guessing every one of their games was a sellout. Sure we averaged more ass cheeks than CSU, but in percentage terms we're both around 2/3 capacity. I'd like to see us around 75% capacity (like Nowhere said) with at least one sellout per year, I think it can be done.

I also wonder how far up we would move in the conference standings if we threw out san Jose state...

 

[Cowboy Junky]

The NCAA released their report today on the 2014-2015 attendance:

NCAA report: http://i.turner.ncaa.com/sites/default/files/images/2015/07/06/mens-attendence.pdf

CST Article: http://trib.com/sports/college/wyom...cle_c205eff7-b12d-5d5d-8fce-5baae56ac4df.html


A couple of thoughts:

1. Nice to see the Pokes finish in the top half (barely) of the MWC. Obviously still seems very low compared to the long term historical average in the AA, but we are still rebuilding the fanbase and it is a different era with TV, streaming, etc. If we could push the average back up to 7500-8000 I think we would have a consistently great atmosphere at the AA.

2. Despite stagnating results on the court, the Cowgirls remain firmly in 2nd in attendance in the MWC and a Top 40 program nationally.

3. Even in an off year, UNM clearly leads the league in both Men's and Women's. Interesting stat from Geoff Grammer (ABQ Journal):

UNM has ranked in the top 25 in men’s basketball average home attendance for for all 49 seasons the Pit has been open.

. Fans of all school wish their teams were more successful and can come up with reasons why they should be, but UNM hoops fans deserve all the success they have had and truthfully more. This doesn't even include the fact that they dominate the conference tourney attendance as well. Much respect to the Lobos.


P.S.: LOL @ CSU. Big 12 my ass.

Good Post.

There's another thing that we can give Shy and staff credit for. They rebuilt the atmosphere in the AA. The student section is starting to shine. The fans got downright hostile for CSU and UNM this year. The Wyoming fan base is on it's way back up. Both of the Larry's, the entire staff, the whole team, and the loyal fans deserved the championship they got this year.

UNM fans deserve the praise they get for always showing up for Lobo basketball. That's not easy. Their fan base has some of the most down to earth people you'll ever meet. They're one of the best basketball groups in America, bar none. I can't wait until both UNM and Wyoming are in the top 3 at the end of the year. That MWC tournament will be epic. Lately, it's either been UNM or Wyoming in full force. Imagine if we both make the title game. All of Las Vegas will sell-out.

Our fans took the AA to the Thomas and Mack for a week this March. They turned the tournament into a home affair for Wyoming. We have the second best traveling basketball fan base behind our brothers from another mother: the Lobos. This year it was a big reason we won the MWC tournament.

I agree that an 8000 average would be great for Wyoming, but I don't see a reason why we can't start selling it out regularly. It will require a couple of years of conference success in a row, but I think the program is at that point. Once these young guys become title contenders, I think the atmosphere in the AA is going to be reminiscent of the good ol' days.

 

[joshvanklomp]

Cool report. I think an interesting statistic would be to look at average attendance in terms of how full a teams arena is. On just tickets alone, Duke would be fourth in the mountain west. But I'm guessing every one of their games was a sellout. Sure we averaged more ass cheeks than CSU, but in percentage terms we're both around 2/3 capacity. I'd like to see us around 75% capacity (like Nowhere said) with at least one sellout per year, I think it can be done.

Based on the 11,612 capacity number I found on GoWyo.com, we were at 54.3% capacity, 6th in MWC and 144th nationally. CSU had a higher percentage despite only drawing 4,854 per game.

 

[cali2wyo]

Cool report. I think an interesting statistic would be to look at average attendance in terms of how full a teams arena is. On just tickets alone, Duke would be fourth in the mountain west. But I'm guessing every one of their games was a sellout. Sure we averaged more ass cheeks than CSU, but in percentage terms we're both around 2/3 capacity. I'd like to see us around 75% capacity (like Nowhere said) with at least one sellout per year, I think it can be done.

Based on the 11,612 capacity number I found on GoWyo.com, we were at 54.3% capacity, 6th in MWC and 144th nationally. CSU had a higher percentage despite only drawing 4,854 per game.

Thanks for doing some extra digging! Do you mind sharing where you found capacity % numbers for all teams?

 

[joshvanklomp]

Thanks for doing some extra digging! Do you mind sharing where you found capacity % numbers for all teams?

http://stats.ncaa.org/rankings/change_sport_year_div" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is the NCAA stats website. You have to work your way through some dropdown menus. When you get to the main stats part, attendance is under Misc Reports and the capacities are listed there. The site had the AA capacity listed at pre-renovation 15,000 so I had to alter the ranking to go off the new capacity.

 

[stymeman]

I'll take 6300 every game if they are loud and into it, hoping for bigger better things

 

[NowherePoke]

Cool report. I think an interesting statistic would be to look at average attendance in terms of how full a teams arena is. On just tickets alone, Duke would be fourth in the mountain west. But I'm guessing every one of their games was a sellout. Sure we averaged more ass cheeks than CSU, but in percentage terms we're both around 2/3 capacity. I'd like to see us around 75% capacity (like Nowhere said) with at least one sellout per year, I think it can be done.

I also wonder how far up we would move in the conference standings if we threw out san Jose state...

In general, I don't think % capacity statistics tell us much. Unless the average is over 80% of capacity and/or there are multiple sellouts, in which case the capacity constraints are limiting the attendance numbers.

Looking at CSU and Wyoming for example. Sure, CSU has a higher % of capacity, but are we supposed to laud them for having a small gym? Now, if they were filling it and selling out it would be a different story, but that's not the case.

There are only two programs in the MWC whose attendance is impacted by capacity. SDSU is the most obvious one and could certainly draw on par or better than UNM if they had the capacity that the Pit and the T&M do. The other is USU, who have been more impacted in the past than they are now.

In terms of where we would fit without SJSU, we would move up one spot to 6th, ahead of the PAC12. Non-SJSU teams drew an average of 7888/gm and the PAC12 averaged 7426. For comparison, if you eliminate the PAC12's lowest team (WSU) their average would be 7728 so the MWC would still be higher. There have been many years in the past where the MWC outdrew the PAC in hoops. Recent changes to the membership have negatively impacted the MWC in that regard (well drawing Utah/CU added to the PAC, losing Utah/BYU from the MWC, adding SJSU).

Still, I think it points to the fact that the MWC really has a high ceiling as a hoops league. Lot of support.

 

[cali2wyo]

Cool report. I think an interesting statistic would be to look at average attendance in terms of how full a teams arena is. On just tickets alone, Duke would be fourth in the mountain west. But I'm guessing every one of their games was a sellout. Sure we averaged more ass cheeks than CSU, but in percentage terms we're both around 2/3 capacity. I'd like to see us around 75% capacity (like Nowhere said) with at least one sellout per year, I think it can be done.

I also wonder how far up we would move in the conference standings if we threw out san Jose state...

In general, I don't think % capacity statistics tell us much.

I don't think that % capacity tells the whole story either, but neither does total attendance numbers. Both together give us a better picture.

The mountain west definitely has more potential as a basketball conference!