Go NITS! Baa-baa-baa

[ham55]

Football fans like to party. Period. I don't know where you're going with this, deliverance. Does LSU sell out all of their basketball games every year? Did Florida this year? What about Alabama, USC? Those are all huge football schools. Let's face it. Football is played outside so the fans go prepared to sit outside, and party outside. Would you wanna sit outside and "pregame" in January? Get real bud.

[deliverance]

ham, I am being real. I am saying that most of the PSU fans only want to cheer for a winner. PSU has a nice football program, so people love to go get hammered and watch them play. They have a mediocre basketball team and there's no partying involved so the majority of people could care less about them. You can't tell me that it's not the truth.

[The Ancient Enemy]

It would be a different story if the basketball team had history and right now was going through a tough spell. That's not the case though. I'm not even sure they'd be the last team mentioned if you made a list of 10 up and coming programs.

[abpk2903]

So because we don't party in the parking lot of the BJC we aren't going to have a successful basketball program?

[deliverance]

That's not what I am saying. I am saying there's not a successful program because of the lack of fans. What recruit wants to come to a school that draws 3,000 fans? You can't blame that on a coach. You can only blame that on yourself if you are a PSU fan. There's no problem making a football game on a Saturday for $50, but making a $10 basketball game any day of the week is very difficult. It's funny how that works.

[ham55]

First off, I'd like to know where you think the average fan can go to a PSU game for 50 bucks. Secondly, using your logic, should we also travel to every baseball game, wrestling match, volleyball game because we follow the football team the way we do? Pitt sells out every basketball game. They can barely get 30,000 fans to a home football game. Do we see a similarity here? There are basketball school and there are football schools. Sure, you have some that are successful in both, but they're the exception, not the rule.

Besides, basketball is something to do in the off time between football seasons.

[deliverance]

ham, you bring up some solid points. I am not saying that you have to attend every game or anything even close to that. I am only saying that it's sad that thousands of students will attend the football games even if it's just to tailgate, but they do not attend the basketball games. The other sports you mentioned don't bring in near the revenue that football and basketball do for a school. I just know if PSU does get it turned around then there will be at least 10,000 fans in the seats every night. It's funny how that works.

[ham55]

It's not funny how it works. People love winners and will jump on that team hard. There are Steeler fans out there right now who are wearing the Super Bowl Champions shirts around, that as soon as the season takes a turn for the worst in the future, will be the same people that will seemingly cut all ties from them. It happens everywhere. In every city. In every sport.

[deliverance]

They are always the easiest people to pick out, though. I always ask people to name me five players on the team that doesn't include Ben Roethilsberger and Hines Ward. Once they can't do that, then you know they don't really follow the team.

[abpk2903]

I have attended probably 20 games over the last few seasons. Since going to college I dont think I've missed more than about 5 Big Ten home games. The excitement is there now. It wasn't even a year ago. Its not just the last few games down the stretch this year that built enthusiasm. Anybody that went to Michigan State last year or Northwestern, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Purdue, or Minnesota this year was entertained and will probably go back. That is what is needed for fan support. People do not wanna go if most of the time the team loses by 10+ points. However, even if the team decent enough to give an entertaining game nearly every night the support will come. Last season that was not there but now I will say it is getting there. Another season like this one and all the sudden getting tickets may become challenging.

I agree with your last post completely Deliverence. Most everyone on this website are for better or for worse fans.