OK, yeah. I remember that promotion now.
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Carver arena
- Thread starter braves16
- Start date
OK, yeah. I remember that promotion now.
This article is from the Cedar Rapids Gazette
IOWA CITY — The tipoff time for Thursday’s Indiana-Iowa men’s basketball game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena is 8:07 p.m., which means this:
There will be empty seats, and probably more than a few.
It doesn’t necessarily mean interest in the Hawkeyes has decreased. It does mean many fans have reasons to be inclined to stay home.
In the 2000-2001 season, each of the then-15,500 seats was sold for every home game. The lowest home season average for men’s games since Carver opened in 1983 — not counting last season’s fan-less COVID-19 season — is the 11,635 of 2010-11. It was 12,869 two seasons ago.
Iowa’s average announced home crowd this season is 10,963. That will rise with nothing but eight conference games left on the slate, but the three remaining 8 p.m. games aren’t likely to help much.
We can list a lot of other reasons why fans might not be coming. Carver isn’t the most fan-friendly arena. The pandemic certainly doesn’t help. The team, 1-3 in the Big Ten, has some winning to do to capture some buzz.
Here’s where your resident know-it-all would propose possible solutions. The thing is, there may not be any of real substance to offer unless you think the school would make major changes to accommodate its students and bring in more of them. Maybe someday.
Quite simply, the dominant factors in crowd size are the starting times. When Iowa hosted Maryland on Jan. 3, the announced crowd was 10,327 and there were considerably fewer people than that in the arena. There was a time when the thought of Carver being half-empty for any Big Ten game was unimaginable.
The reason the crowd was so small was the game being at 8 p.m. on a Monday, on the heels of a holiday week.
This is winter in Iowa, after all, and the games are on television.
The Big Ten has all its conference games on BTN, an ESPN network, FOX, FS1 or CBS. With 14 members, that makes for a lot of games, multiple games almost every day from New Year’s until the end of the regular season. They’ve been scheduled to make the traditional 7 p.m. starting time in the Central time zone obsolete.
Iowa’s biggest announced home crowd this season easily was the 15,056 for its Dec. 29 game against Western Illinois, certainly not a marquee opponent. That the game was played during a holiday week helped greatly, and its 7 p.m. tip made it even more palatable.
The 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. weeknight games the Hawkeyes and other Central time zone league teams typically get are hard on fans. Either it takes too much effort to get to the arena on time for the early games, or the late starts are too taxing for people to get home at a reasonable hour.
“You know, 8 p.m. on a Thursday night is tough for someone who wants to drive over from Des Moines,” Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said this week. “We all recognize that. We wish they could be better, but that's when the games are.
“There are a lot of things you would like to see done differently. Everybody wants Saturday home games. Can't always get them.”
The days of everyone playing every Saturday are long gone. Every game is a television property, and the networks and league don’t want them bumping into each other. Typically, two to four Big Ten games are played on Saturdays.
Iowa’s lone Saturday home game of the season will be next week, against Penn State. Barring inclement weather, fans will show up, happy the television gods gave them a day and time that were merciful to them.
From a business sense, the only reasonable choice is for the conference to take the enormous money the networks give it to air its “inventory.” But at what long-term cost? Won’t the connection and interest the fans feel gradually be reduced as they attend fewer games in person?
On Wednesday afternoon, online ticket broker StubHub had over 100 tickets to the Indiana-Iowa game available from $6 to $10. The cheapest adult tickets at the UI athletics box office are $15.
It’s a buyer’s market. It has been for a while, and that’s the way it likely will stay. Your attendance is desired, but your convenience is of no concern.
IOWA CITY — The tipoff time for Thursday’s Indiana-Iowa men’s basketball game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena is 8:07 p.m., which means this:
There will be empty seats, and probably more than a few.
It doesn’t necessarily mean interest in the Hawkeyes has decreased. It does mean many fans have reasons to be inclined to stay home.
In the 2000-2001 season, each of the then-15,500 seats was sold for every home game. The lowest home season average for men’s games since Carver opened in 1983 — not counting last season’s fan-less COVID-19 season — is the 11,635 of 2010-11. It was 12,869 two seasons ago.
Iowa’s average announced home crowd this season is 10,963. That will rise with nothing but eight conference games left on the slate, but the three remaining 8 p.m. games aren’t likely to help much.
We can list a lot of other reasons why fans might not be coming. Carver isn’t the most fan-friendly arena. The pandemic certainly doesn’t help. The team, 1-3 in the Big Ten, has some winning to do to capture some buzz.
Here’s where your resident know-it-all would propose possible solutions. The thing is, there may not be any of real substance to offer unless you think the school would make major changes to accommodate its students and bring in more of them. Maybe someday.
Quite simply, the dominant factors in crowd size are the starting times. When Iowa hosted Maryland on Jan. 3, the announced crowd was 10,327 and there were considerably fewer people than that in the arena. There was a time when the thought of Carver being half-empty for any Big Ten game was unimaginable.
The reason the crowd was so small was the game being at 8 p.m. on a Monday, on the heels of a holiday week.
This is winter in Iowa, after all, and the games are on television.
The Big Ten has all its conference games on BTN, an ESPN network, FOX, FS1 or CBS. With 14 members, that makes for a lot of games, multiple games almost every day from New Year’s until the end of the regular season. They’ve been scheduled to make the traditional 7 p.m. starting time in the Central time zone obsolete.
Iowa’s biggest announced home crowd this season easily was the 15,056 for its Dec. 29 game against Western Illinois, certainly not a marquee opponent. That the game was played during a holiday week helped greatly, and its 7 p.m. tip made it even more palatable.
The 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. weeknight games the Hawkeyes and other Central time zone league teams typically get are hard on fans. Either it takes too much effort to get to the arena on time for the early games, or the late starts are too taxing for people to get home at a reasonable hour.
“You know, 8 p.m. on a Thursday night is tough for someone who wants to drive over from Des Moines,” Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said this week. “We all recognize that. We wish they could be better, but that's when the games are.
“There are a lot of things you would like to see done differently. Everybody wants Saturday home games. Can't always get them.”
The days of everyone playing every Saturday are long gone. Every game is a television property, and the networks and league don’t want them bumping into each other. Typically, two to four Big Ten games are played on Saturdays.
Iowa’s lone Saturday home game of the season will be next week, against Penn State. Barring inclement weather, fans will show up, happy the television gods gave them a day and time that were merciful to them.
From a business sense, the only reasonable choice is for the conference to take the enormous money the networks give it to air its “inventory.” But at what long-term cost? Won’t the connection and interest the fans feel gradually be reduced as they attend fewer games in person?
On Wednesday afternoon, online ticket broker StubHub had over 100 tickets to the Indiana-Iowa game available from $6 to $10. The cheapest adult tickets at the UI athletics box office are $15.
It’s a buyer’s market. It has been for a while, and that’s the way it likely will stay. Your attendance is desired, but your convenience is of no concern.
MacabreMob
Member
Three points on this topic:
1. Attendance decline is a systemic issue among mid major conferences. It's happening everywhere. And success does not mean greater attendance with these programs. Look at Loyola. Many games, they barely fill half of a 5,000 seat arena.
This is a few years old (2018 ), but a good snapshot of what is going on. The departure of WSU and Creighton has hurt the MVC - both in losing programs that fill their arenas and draw strong crowds at away games. Next year, Belmont will replace Loyola as far as % of seats filled (a wash). Murray will help the MVC, UIC will hurt the conference.
Full article is here: https://athleticdirectoru.com/articl...bb-attendance/
2. Bring back the mobile season ticket option. It provided a lot of flexibility for families who can't make games because of their kids' activities or 8 p.m. starting times (which I know are rare). This was a great offering...please make it happen again for 2022-23. That went away with the pandemic.
3. Bradley does not have a football program, so they should be able to focus their marketing efforts on getting basketball fans to Carver. Do more promotions with companies in and around Peoria (CAT, RLI, OSF, Unitypoint, Pekin Insurance, etc.). Provide discounted tickets to these companies for every home game and give out free red Bradley tshirts for their employees to wear to the game. Partner with the local arts community to do indoor art fairs after weekend afternoon games. Create a package with the Riverfront Museum where you get museum admission and a game ticket all in one (plus free parking if you don't mind walking 3 blocks). Collaborate with the Peoria Home Builders to do a package for the Home Show and going to the Valpo game that Saturday. Have two local high schools play a quick game during halftime (which gets high school kids and their families to attend). Provide family 4-packs with food included for a single game price (not just season tickets). Just some potential ideas.
Bottom line: the marketing for basketball has to improve.
Seems quite clear that the MVC attendance declined since 2010 cause Bradley got rid of Jim Les... and just look at the Big West, they've had the greatest increase. See? Proof right there.
Tommy
Well-known member
Scoretable
Member
Just an opinion! NCAA over management and need for marketing revenue are harmful to the game. Emphasis should be the game and continuous flow. Officials call too many fouls.
Reviews of incidental events occur far too often. Time outs are too long. Basketball is great to watch when left to unfold by player effort. " Let the game begin and let it be played!"
Reviews of incidental events occur far too often. Time outs are too long. Basketball is great to watch when left to unfold by player effort. " Let the game begin and let it be played!"
Tommy
Well-known member
Wow, I couldn't agree more with every statement you made here. The foul calling, in particular has gotten completely out of hand, and it seems like in every game both teams are in double bonus every half. A foul a minute is just too much and sometimes they just need to let them play, especially on the calls off the ball but even on the ball if it isn't egregious.
Anyhow, you really put it perfectly. Let the players be the stars of the game, not the refs!
I have also laid a fair amount of blame on what's going on up there in the Athletic Dept right now, just check my past comments.
Glasser's moves tanked the attendance from almost 10,000 down to 4,000-5,000. Then we had to rebuild for 3 years after she left so even more fans gave up, moved away or died. Then Covid hit and trying to get the fans back was made even harder.
But the way the Athletic Dept personnel treats fans now and potential ticket buyers is abysmal. Nobody answers phone calls or returns email, even when I was trying to buy additional season tickets. Nobody has time to talk to anyone, and they pass the buck like it's contaminated with Covid. there's no fan events, preseason events, post-season banquet, summer events, tailgates, pre-game rallies etc... Heck, there'd be no Itoo had some of us fans not threatened an "insurrection" (sorry, bad word).
I don't blame Wardle or Dr. Reynolds, as they have their jobs to do, but everyone else in that dept doesn't seem to givad*m. Can you even name anyone in the Athletic Dept or identify them even if they bumped right into you? There used to be people like KK, Craig Dahlquist, Dennis Kalina, Fergie, Virnette, Rick Gaa, Jackie, Breanna, and others who mulled around in the lower bowl engaging with fans and helping to solve any issues. Now, even with the rare sighting of someone from the department - they don't make eye contact and never speak. When I have grabbed them to ask a ?, I get "someone from the department will give you a call"- then, as fully expected, nobody ever does. It's almost as if they seriously DO NOT NOTICE that 60% of the long time fans are gone, and it's not long before it's gonna be 61%
and that ridiculous graph that claims the MVC has lost 13% of their attendance since 2010 is total hogwash. It's way over 50%.
Great idea. Put more supply in when you are complaining about demand being bad. That should fix things right up.
That area has actually helped drive new ticket sales and Braves Club membership.
The halftime shows have been little kids basketball games. Thats for that other part you complained about - "no group sales!" Those are specifically that. Your group buys X amount of tickets, you get to see your kids play at Carver Arena at halftime of that game. Pretty simple.
I know several people that had season tickets in the seats that are gone now and they no longer have season tickets because of it.
So you have 10 kids playing and a couple coaches and some parents. 40 people at most? Brilliant!!
Dubl R 1
Well-known member
I don't agree with this. I as well think the braves club in its current location is awful. The seats in that area were pretty well occupied when we decided to eliminate them, and mostly were season ticket holders. I'd like to see the amount of those people who relocated vs didn't renew the tickets because they were frustrated that bradley took their seats away.
Also, the access to the braves club is restrictive, not to mention I'd hate to have the seats right next to the entrance where people are constantly walking in front of them to go in and out of the club.
By midway thru the second half the braves club looks like a daycare for kids.....I have watched kids do backflips, somersaults, play tag, crawl on their hands and knees thru the triangular marketing boxes at the base of the court, play tag that extended to the row BEHIND THE TEAM BENCH AND INTO FANS SEATS, all while bumping into adults trying to enjoy the braves club area. Its absurd, and it happens almost every game.
It looks like amateur hour at best.
Just my opinion.
You both must know all of the same people because there were 35 season tickets sold in that entire area. That is seats, not accounts. The rest were staff/freebies.
Access is restricted because it is a club area with free popcorn and drinks. It is supposed to be that way. Access for Braves Club members only(which includes most season ticket holders automatically besides fresh or special section folks.)
The Braves Club area was also supposed to somewhat right a 'wrong' of a previous administration taking the old Braves Club area away from the membership so that they could convert that into the BSS room. A move that was smart, but also upset a lot of those fans giving $500-5000 a year to the Braves Club.
DM me and I'd be happy to give you more info on getting involved with the Braves Club. There is a lot of good being done for the athletic department and always in need of new ideas and more hands to help.
Access is restricted because it is a club area with free popcorn and drinks. It is supposed to be that way. Access for Braves Club members only(which includes most season ticket holders automatically besides fresh or special section folks.)
The Braves Club area was also supposed to somewhat right a 'wrong' of a previous administration taking the old Braves Club area away from the membership so that they could convert that into the BSS room. A move that was smart, but also upset a lot of those fans giving $500-5000 a year to the Braves Club.
DM me and I'd be happy to give you more info on getting involved with the Braves Club. There is a lot of good being done for the athletic department and always in need of new ideas and more hands to help.
Three points on this topic:
1. Attendance decline is a systemic issue among mid major conferences. It's happening everywhere. And success does not mean greater attendance with these programs. Look at Loyola. Many games, they barely fill half of a 5,000 seat arena.
This is a few years old (2018 ), but a good snapshot of what is going on. The departure of WSU and Creighton has hurt the MVC - both in losing programs that fill their arenas and draw strong crowds at away games. Next year, Belmont will replace Loyola as far as % of seats filled (a wash). Murray will help the MVC, UIC will hurt the conference.
Full article is here: https://athleticdirectoru.com/articl...bb-attendance/
I think part of this reason is now games are streamed, lots of people enjoy watching games from the comfort of their homes. Some people also don't have/want to spend the money to attend games in person.
Also there are just way more entertainment options now. I can steam just about any movie or TV show I want, anytime I want. There are lots of other things to keep people busy besides going to college basketball games.
Add in the fact that the kids sports industry has really exploded in the past 15-20 years. Personally I think it has gone too far but nowadays kids are busy practicing and traveling for tournaments year round. Many of the fans who might come to games are now chasing their kids around with their sports leagues.
Combine all these factors together and that is how we get declining attendance despite a steadily growing US population. Marketing for Bradley games could be better, but we have a lot of factors working against us.
Dubl R 1
Well-known member
It is surprising to hear that of all those seats removed that only 35 of them were season ticket holders? I do know about 15-20 ppl who sat down there that were season ticket holders...Idk where or if those ppl relocated, but again, where does bradley put those freebies and staff now that used to sit there? Just out of curiosity.
Also, by restrictive I meant physical access to the braves club is restrictive. Should be able to access it by more than 1 stairwell, really not worth walking all the way around the arena to have to navigate about 50 steps to get the popcorn and soda. Again, I don't mind, but for many older people I would assume it isn't worth it.
I have Braves Club access, and personally for me could care less about it....I still think it looks awful, cavernous, make shift,...again just my opinion.
Bradley definitely needs to do something to hook people on Bradley Basketball, and by that you need to get them to the game somehow, then make it an experience that makes them want to return.
At this point if we are paying rent to the Civic Center, what would giving away 1000 tickets to the game hurt? They were going to go unsold anyway!
Also, as long as Im ranting, off topic, but why is the Sound so god awful on the bradley Pre game hype video?....I seriously could do better with my iphone and the sound system in my theater room at home...it is embarrasing.
Tommy
Well-known member
Agreed. It's kept me from going there much this year, and I really don't see how filtering everyone into less access points is helpful for any reason whatsoever.
At the beginning of the season, the access was restricted to just the non-bench side entrance, but after about the 4th game the other side was opened back up. The security protocols changed this year so folks aren't allowed to walk behind the benches anymore. The entrance on that side is an entrance off the stairway.
I believe most of those freebie-staff seats were relocated to the corner end zone sections or the section behind the BU bench.
The Carver Arena sound system is atrocious, I will agree.
I believe most of those freebie-staff seats were relocated to the corner end zone sections or the section behind the BU bench.
The Carver Arena sound system is atrocious, I will agree.
Bradley3342
Member
I don’t know where the 35 season ticket holder’s information came from either Dubl R 1 but I had aisle seats in section 18 under the basket before they transformed it into the Braves Club area and I personally knew way more than that just around me. My wife and I are now seated in section 116 behind the Bradley bench and most of the players parents and recruits with their families sit to the left of us. I don’t mind the Braves club personally but I didn’t mind the Lexus room before the games either. As to getting more people to the games why don’t they do the Peoria district 150 school night again or free tickets to military families? Like you said. Those tickets are going unsold anyway. Put the fans in the seats and give them a great experience. All said. If we go on a long winning streak things will definitely improve. Nothing like having a winning program…
It has always been a multiple year contract, usually 5 years, although the current contract, signed in 2020 in the middle of a pandemic year, runs for 4-years from 2020 through 2024.
Actual financial details have never been made public, though obviously some people at Bradley (now and in the past), as well as the Civic Center, know what those details are. I suspect if we had real journalists locally, those details would be obtainable by FOIA requests.
Here is what is known...
In 2014, as an earlier deal was getting close to expiring in 2015, Joanne Glasser moved some games to the Renaissance Coliseum, and she and Geno Ford made public comments about favoring moving all of Bradley's games to the campus arena.
https://www.pjstar.com/story/opinion...l/35803599007/
Bradley had legitimate grievances with the Civic Center. They felt the Civic Center was giving preference of playing dates and times to the Rivermen. Also, the Civic Center was negotiating with the University of Illinois basketball program, about playing in the Civic Center as a temporary home while the campus Assembly Hall was being renovated. Bradley officials felt they were not being given the preferred dates and times.
There were reports that Civic Center people got nervous about the threats by Bradley and from what I have heard, it lead to some concessions by the Civic Center.
Then, suddenly there was a total change in Bradley's administration in early 2015. Glasser and Ford were gone, and new AD Chris Reynolds' promised to keep Bradley downtown.
Eventually, there was agreement on a new 5-year deal in 2015.
Then that deal ended in 2020, and Bradley exercised an option to renew the deal through the 2023-24 season.
It is mentioned on page 2 of these minutes from the December 10, 2020 Civic Center Authority meeting (under the heading General Manager Report)-
https://cdn.saffire.com/files.ashx?t...s_12.10.20.pdf
General Manager Report:
General Manager Rik Edgar stated that Bradley exercised its option to extend the
current contract through the 2023-24 season.
So looks like Bradley is committed to playing at the Civic Center through the 2023-24 season.