I'm not sure if the women’s team still does this, but they used to schedule one or two games during the school day and fill the arena with kids. It was a great way to boost attendance. That’s exactly what the men’s team should do during the December lull, when students are off campus and we’re stuck with the inevitable Hiram/Walsh/University of Phoenix-type matchup. Most regular fans have little interest in those games, so there’s no reason to let average attendance take a hit.
We also need to leverage concessions to help drive attendance. At every level, teams are creating unique food offerings that fans attend specifically to try. These items often go viral and create a sense of FOMO. We should get creative with options like ice cream bowls, loaded fries, or other items served in 3-peat crowns. We also have a great business school, so let’s tap into marketing students’ creativity to help develop and promote these ideas.
Concessions should vary from game-to-game as well. For example, the MAC home opener could become an annual “MAC Night,” featuring mac and cheese flights. This could also serve as a contest for local restaurants to participate and showcase their offerings, and potentially leading to additional NIL.
Whenever games are flexed to Friday night, we can brand it as “Fryday Night” and offer a fun, over-the-top fried menu with items like Oreos, Reese’s, and more. The goal is to make concessions part of the experience, not just an afterthought.