How GCU Turned it's Student Section into the Best in CBB

2,998 Views | 17 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by polander ag81
BaytownAg13
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AG
https://theathletic.com/1397407/2019/11/21/grand-canyon-u-basketball-student-section-party/

I know this article is behind a paywall, but it should be required reading for every AD in the country. I was a student during the Turgeon era where we trotted out a team each week that we felt were capable of beating anyone on a given night. I camped out for multiple games as a freshman because seats were so scarce and I witnessed some amazing sports moments with thousands of other Aggies.
Now as a season ticket holder I can't wait until our students start showing up en masse again to support this team. I realize it might not be this year, but I sincerely hope that Buzz and our AD can figure out ways to get students in their seats. A raucous basketball atmosphere is something we need to experience again in Aggieland. I feel like this snippet from Andy Staples fits our situation exactly:

"Basketball games are awesome at Duke and Kansas and Kentucky and Indiana, where fandom has been baked in for decades and tradition guides the experience. But at many Power 5 schools where they have the budget and the staff to make games more fun for the students and for the people to whom they'd like to sell more tickets the games can be dull as dirt. And then the AD and the coach wonder why they can't sell out the arena."
TopoTacos
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AG
As someone who lived near to Blacksburg when Buzz was coaching there, they had even less of a basketball supporting fanbase than we do when he took over, and last season they were constantly packing the arena. If you win and play hard, fans will take notice.
aggiejohn
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AG
Grand Canyon University - the transfer destination of former student Dan Alexander, a Turgeon signee.

https://news.gcu.edu/2013/12/high-flyer-dan-alexander-remains-grounded-in-matters-that-matter/
Isaih Smollett
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lightning dan
Adam87inSA
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AG
e.busche said:

As someone who lived near to Blacksburg when Buzz was coaching there, they had even less of a basketball supporting fanbase than we do when he took over, and last season they were constantly packing the arena. If you win and play hard, fans will take notice.
The play hard is there. And the Ags tend to play together very competently on the defensive end. The offensive end is going to be an hideous to watch ugly struggle all season if Gordon's injury is as bad as Buzz made it sound and if TJ Starks is done. That's a shame because Nebo is legit.

Winning basketball is going to be a 2020-2021 thing. This season against power 5 opponents is gonna be an ass whipping, with the occasional relatively rare eke out of an ugly win. I'm in for the long haul tho. Buzz knows what he's doing.

(Read the OP article. Great ideas. I would be shocked if the TMF would do lower bowl baseline to baseline prime seating students on one side. No way in hell do they part with that money. Our powers that be are just fine with the snoozer experience we have today. )
alamoaggie64
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AG
The first good student crowd will be when students return from Christmas break. Happens every year. Early days of semester, not much pressure on them.
94chem
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machine20 said:

lightning dan


I believe you meant thunder.
bobinator
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AG
We had a group kinda like what they're talking about in that article from 2005 to at least 2008 where the Rowdies officers, yell leaders, band, etc would all meet and discuss ideas.

I do like the 45 minute idea, that long wait for games after the race for seats always sucked.
Isaih Smollett
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alexander, not majerle
DukeMu
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Our tickets should be $5 for the rest of the year.

New theme/gimmick for every home game.
greg.w.h
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DukeMu said:

Our tickets should be $5 for the rest of the year.

New theme/gimmick for every home game.
Just curious: if we set it to zero do you believe we would fill Reed every game?? Because we won't. It's a demand problem and price elasticity isn't the issue.
LawHall88
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AG
DukeMu said:

Our tickets should be $5 for the rest of the year.

New theme/gimmick for every home game.
Buzz spoke to this by saying he isn't interested in begging people to come watch the games. Either they care about the basketball or they don 't. Gimmicks only go so far.
bobinator
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If you can build a tradition then it isn't a gimmick. A 'gimmick' is like a one-off. Examples of 'gimmicks' we've tried are like greek night and the aggie ring giveaways.

But experimenting and building up some things that students like that become every game things is completely different.

To me the easiest example of the disconnect between what something could be and what it is is the hullabaloo band. They should be blasting out like classic sing along songs that, even if super corny, at least get people involved.

This year their big new song is that 'hand clap' song, which at least heading the right direction, but they need more of those. They've been playing 'All the small things' at random media timeouts for like nine years now and still aren't getting crowd participation.

But you gotta try some stuff out and see what works. And you have to try it multiple times to see if it catches on. You can't just try it once because it takes a couple of times for people to catch on to things.
greg.w.h
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AG
Innovate and take risks and see what works. Scripting clearly gets advertising done, but isn't engaging. And the marketing isn't effective by any eye-sight test.

I don't expect everyday "fans" to get that excited this year until we make some more progress.
BaytownAg13
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I will give them some credit when it comes to innovation this year: The light up wristbands for the student section were a cool idea during the Gonzaga game. They pulsed to the music of the player introduction/hype video. Something like that just tends to fall flat unless the section is full or close to it. I've been to a Coldplay concert where they gave these to the entire arena and the result was amazing.
I hope they try that again when conference play starts and maybe even give them to everyone.
greg.w.h
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BaytownAg13 said:

I will give them some credit when it comes to innovation this year: The light up wristbands for the student section were a cool idea during the Gonzaga game. They pulsed to the music of the player introduction/hype video. Something like that just tends to fall flat unless the section is full or close to it. I've been to a Coldplay concert where they gave these to the entire arena and the result was amazing.
I hope they try that again when conference play starts and maybe even give them to everyone.
I'm not in town and rarely make games. Reed itself feels cold partly due to the lighting.

As I said earlier in the year at that time we were working with a minor league baseball team to create a ballpark-not gameday-experience that would create positive impressions of the grounds WITHOUT using MiLB-controlled team logos. They were willing to let us try promotions if we could articulate how they benefitted short or long term.

I LOVE the idea of an early promotion providing seasonal gear that stands out. I LOVE the idea that every time you come takes you on a journey to a more interesting end-of-season thank you present from very small reminders of what happened to add ons to season ticket packages like VIP treatment for one game. And random winners of meet the coach for a burger at the featured restaurant where they serve up to 100 fans once a month or something.

The key is getting locals and students talking. They're the potential butts in seats. And if they're at the game they can talk about the game, too.

I am sympathetic to Buzz's position that his job isn't cheerleading the program but putting the product on the floor. But being affable and present can make him more likable, and that generates loyalty and support, too.

The rest is imagination. And we likely will put get more out of his tenure if the marketing and game-day experience gets them there. The play will eventually keep them there. But need the turnstiles turning now.
DukeMu
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LawHall88 said:

DukeMu said:

Our tickets should be $5 for the rest of the year.

New theme/gimmick for every home game.
Buzz spoke to this by saying he isn't interested in begging people to come watch the games. Either they care about the basketball or they don 't. Gimmicks only go so far.


When prices were jacked up under Turgeon fewer people came to games. About 1000-1500 less. When the 2008-2009 great recession hit and prices were high everywhere, fewer people went to NCAA games on average.

When the product is low and prices are higher than reasonable at A&M, people don't go to the game.

A couple of years ago with RWIII, despite uneven play, they had a multi-game SEc package deal. Folks took advantage of the price discount.

If you want to change the culture, you have to use price points and promotions to get the ball rolling. Gary Blair has been effective at the strategy while providing a consistently good product on the court.

It's not a gimmick. It's the effing free market.



LawHall88
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AG
Well, you literally said "gimmick for every home game."

But, it's all about wins and losses.

This season may not be great for attendance.
polander ag81
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Can hardly wait for the "Can we expand Reed" threads that were the thing during the
Gillispie and Turgeon years. Meaning, can't wait to start winning and packing the house again.
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