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How to Improve the Student Section


UAZip0510

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We are in a unique situation in which people from the University actually pay attention to this forum, whether or not they'd it admit it or not. I think anyone being honest with the situation will say that the student section isn't working right now. Aside from the Can't State game, attendance is low in the lower sections. One section isn't even used for students anymore and we can't seem to fill it. This team used to have a big home court advantage thanks to the students (who, in turn, energized the rest of the crowd) that really doesn't exist anymore.

This isn't meant to finger-point - just to put together some ideas so we can get higher student turnout starting next year and start to get back that home court advantage.

I'll start off with a few of my own:

Refine "Roowards" - If you haven't seen it, Roowards is a system UA started a year or two ago to reward students, fans, and alumni for interacting with the team via Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, FourSquare) and attending games. It's actually a great idea, but there's two issues. 1) I don't think enough people know about it - it needs more promotion at games. 2) While the items you can win in drawings are great (One current drawing prize is a Keurig), the rewards you can simply redeem your points for are yawn-worthy. Flip-Flops, a pint glass, a tote bag, a blanket, and a sling backpack. That's it. Add some cooler stuff (maybe some of the team-issued Nike gear?) and promote it better and I think you'll see a much bigger impact from it.

Reserve Section A or B (lower chair-backs, opposite visitor bench) for students - I know the arguments against this - the turnout might be low and you're losing money on higher priced seats. I guess it depends on if your goal is making money or getting the students together for a student section that can create an impact. The easy solution is this - move the UA folks from A or B over to section M, most of which is usually reserved for visiting team parents, family, etc. Certainly we can offer visiting family other seats or, heck, give them half of one of the lower ends. You're also giving students much better seats - let's be honest, the lower seats kind of suck to watch a game from unless you're on an extreme end. I hate OU with a passion, but they've got it nailed with the O-Zone:

OZone1-4812-1.jpg

Discounted (or Free) Food/Drinks - Who doesn't like free and/or discounted stuff? Sitting in the student section? Free pizza before the game and everything else at the concession stand is $1. These are college kids we're talking about - free/discounted stuff matters.

Free Student T-Shirts Every Game - Have you seen how ridiculous people get over the t-shirt toss? For whatever reason people (especially college kids) LOVE free t-shirts. Start working on sponsors for next year now - something Akron-related on the front, sponsor logo on the back. You could even mix up different designs. The sponsor also gets advertising during the game and can offer coupons to students sitting in seats. You could also do a special contest built around each sponsor (how many times can we do the layup/free throw/three pointer/half court shot game?).

Eliminate Any Requirements to Participate Aside from Being a Student - No registration, no special shirts needed, no meetings to attend - none of that. Keep it simple - if you're a UA student, you are given a ticket to sit in that section by swiping your Zip Card.

I'll start with those and see what everyone else has. I love this program and this university and want it to succeed in every facet of the game. I want that home court advantage is all games, not just Can't. We know they're looking - lets get the ball rolling on some ideas and hope they roll with some of them.

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I understand the argument of not wanting to move donors/people that pay good money, but you need to take care of your students, the future donors and alums. We have a crappy alumni base when it comes to supporting our teams, something needs done to change it. Plus, a great student section makes it more fun for the rest the fans.

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Eliminate Any Requirements to Participate Aside from Being a Student - No registration, no special shirts needed, no meetings to attend - none of that. Keep it simple - if you're a UA student, you are given a ticket to sit in that section by swiping your Zip Card.

This is already the case. Students just don't want to sit behind the baskets.

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I understand the argument of not wanting to move donors/people that pay good money, but you need to take care of your students, the future donors and alums. We have a crappy alumni base when it comes to supporting our teams, something needs done to change it. Plus, a great student section makes it more fun for the rest the fans.

I agree with what you are saying here about more students making the game a better experience for everyone. But, we already devote both ends to the students, and they can't even fill up one of them. So, obviously making court-level seats available to the students isn't the answer.

Few of them have interest in Akron Basketball. Why? The school can't just give them a $10 t-shirt for showing up every game, as someone suggested. It's not a simple answer.

Personally, it sickens me that we even have to bribe them with any incentives to get them to show up. We never had to do that 30 years ago.

And again, I never want to hear another Akron student say that they'll come to football games when we win. We WIN basketball games, and have won consistently, and they don't show up.

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Only one end is for students. I'm not there anymore, but I'd wager that the end that is students is full of the old rowdies. The student attendance has been good, they're at the games, just scattered about and up top. That's why I say make them all sit together. We'd have a very nice sized student section most games. Pick up your ticket the week of the game, and open a section or two for higher priced GA if it isn't going to fill up with students.

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I agree with what you are saying here about more students making the game a better experience for everyone. But, we already devote both ends to the students, and they can't even fill up one of them. So, obviously making court-level seats available to the students isn't the answer.

Few of them have interest in Akron Basketball. Why? The school can't just give them a $10 t-shirt for showing up every game, as someone suggested. It's not a simple answer.

Personally, it sickens me that we even have to bribe them with any incentives to get them to show up. We never had to do that 30 years ago.

And again, I never want to hear another Akron student say that they'll come to football games when we win. We WIN basketball games, and have won consistently, and they don't show up.

With all due respect, this is a bit of a contradiction to me. Those seats behind the hoops are not good seats. Sure, you're close to the action, but most (if not all) seats in those sections have an obstructed view. For people who want to see the whole court throughout, they aren't appealing which is why most choose to sit GA. I think more students are showing up than we are noticing, but they are scattered throughout GA instead of seated together because nobody really want to sit down low.

Give students section A (or B) - nice seats with the best game-viewing experience - and I think you'll see a good response. As zippy5 mentioned, doing so might entice them to keep seats similar to that (lower reserve) once they become alumni.

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The lower level is completely sold out in season tickets. There is nowhere to put students unless the department literally kicks season ticket holders out. Not happening.

The simple fact is that Akron students are disengaged in general. Various giveaways have been tried throughout the last several years with varying results. How much do you think the University has to spend to bribe students to show up?

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The lower level is completely sold out in season tickets. There is nowhere to put students unless the department literally kicks season ticket holders out. Not happening.

The simple fact is that Akron students are disengaged in general. Various giveaways have been tried throughout the last several years with varying results. How much do you think the University has to spend to bribe students to show up?

Isn't M available if the opposing team's fans were moved elsewhere? If so, simply shift people in A to M.

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The simple fact is that Akron students are disengaged in general. Various giveaways have been tried throughout the last several years with varying results. How much do you think the University has to spend to bribe students to show up?

Exactly. This should be 100% of the discussion. Why aren't they interested? Statistically, about 1% of the students attend a basketball game. That's so far beyond pathetic that the problem has to be far more complex than simply whether a courtside seat is behind the basket or on the side.

Dissecting the problem is the only thing that is going to lead us to the answer.

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Exactly. This should be 100% of the discussion. Why aren't they interested? Statistically, about 1% of the students attend a basketball game. That's so far beyond pathetic that the problem has to be far more complex than simply whether a courtside seat is behind the basket or on the side.

Dissecting the problem is the only thing that is going to lead us to the answer.

I agree it's more than just the seats, although I do think that's part of what's wrong. I'd love to string some good ideas together here that hopefully UA will see and use.

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When the facility is finally renovated, the student section will be made one continuous section from the floor to the ceiling. That will help. There is just no way I see them being moved to the side at this point, given the various circumstances.

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The biggest thing (and the easiest) is to simply enforce student seating. Doesn't matter where you put them, just get them together in one place. Don't let them scatter throughout the GA seats. Don't let them sit with the parents of the kids from the halftime show. Don't let them sit with the people that aren't invested enough in the game to get excited.

It's laziness on the part of the JAR staff that this isn't already in place.

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When the facility is finally renovated, the student section will be made one continuous section from the floor to the ceiling. That will help. There is just no way I see them being moved to the side at this point, given the various circumstances.

This would be nice. Any idea when this may happen?

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Yes, there is.

If you can,t change the layout, then you somehow need to connect the lower section to the upper. The lower section is just to small to create an inviting enviroment. Move the ending I Believe ...... Won chant to the top section. Do chearleaders actually lead any chears. Rotate the CL around to the student area. The team is on one end and the students another.

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Then suggest a way you would do it.

I've done so in other threads. My answer is the same as it always has been.

First, choose where you want the student section to be, then put the student entrance at the closest corner. Then, rope off the walkway so they can't go any further than the end of the student section, and GA can't go sit in it. It's pretty damned simple, but it requires actual work on the part of the athletic department.

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Guys the atmosphere at basketball games needs to improve and I have created a list of simple yet effective ideas to make it better:

  1. Secretly swap the names of all the sections so the seats of the really wealthy/disengaged attendees are actually up top without them knowing
  2. Get rid of the bleachers so everyone is like, on the same level man
  3. The only students allowed on the floor are ones who have a specific design of sleeve tattoo
  4. Have the Ohio State game on the big screen so students have something to watch while they're at the game
  5. Give every student who shows up an actual musical instrument so they can all be in the band and feel more engaged
  6. Then move the whole band up top where they belong
  7. Fire Dambrot, make Tressel the coach
  8. Have each student in attendance be entered into a drawing to coach the team for that day
  9. Force each AK-ROWDIE to sit in every other seat with 80-year olds in between so we can shame the 80 year olds into telling the other team they suck
  10. Allow students to have the opportunity to pay for their tickets because if they want a better product on the court they should do something about it
  11. Have each student in attendance be entered into a drawing to coach the other team for that day
  12. Get rid of the band
  13. Start scheduling "bigger" opponents the so the games are "actually" fun to watch
  14. Have each student in attendance be entered into a drawing to play on the team for that game
  15. Just tear down the JAR and play the games in the open so students don't have to feel like they have to travel to a building to watch the game
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