The fans aren't going to the games?

[djsalway 4,161]

I personally would rather watch the games on TV. Especially being a student where you have to stand the whole time in order to see. I can't wait to get season tickets in a non-student section, then I will go.

[RoadToZion 373]

I personally would rather watch the games on TV. Especially being a student where you have to stand the whole time in order to see. I can't wait to get season tickets in a non-student section, then I will go.

You're part of the problem then. You can't stand up for a couple hours to watch a game? Bum. Pregame and go nuts at games it's not that hard. I only missed a few my entire 4 years. And you said earlier you sold your tickets after winter break? Why? To try to make an extra few bucks? Also very lame. Sack up and go to the games.

[TheStillman 991]

I think the idea of students from the east coast being a major cause of this is way overblown. For the 2014-15 year IU has 46,414 students, of which 26,789 are from Indiana, or 57%. Adding together the numbers from every state that could be considered East Coast (Maine to Florida) totals 3301 students, or 7% of all students. If people want to blame out of state kids for the problem then they should at least use the term out of state instead of just "east coast." Trying to pin the problem on one set of students from a specific area (I think most think of NY & NJ when they refer to the east coast kids, or a whopping 2% of all IUB students right now) is unproductive.

Here's where I got my numbers. https://www.iu.edu/~uirr/reports/standard/factbook/2014-15/Bloomington/Student_Data/Enrollment/Student_Origin/By_State

In all likelihood I think it's a combo of things - people who don't like Crean plus the same problems facing college football these days - other areas for people to spend their money, maybe timing/length of games, high def TV, etc.

The idea that IU is being overrun by the NY crowd to the detriment of Indiana residents is way overblown. The reason IU has so many out of state students is not because of the east coast but actually because of its proximity to Chicago. But calling out those from Chicago (or actually the suburbs) goes against the whole Midwesterners hating on east coasters vibe.

[Chips&Dipo 1,464]

You're part of the problem then. You can't stand up for a couple hours to watch a game? Bum. Pregame and go nuts at games it's not that hard. I only missed a few my entire 4 years. And you said earlier you sold your tickets after winter break? Why? To try to make an extra few bucks? Also very lame. Sack up and go to the games.

Agree. I remember a guy yelled at me to sit down in the student section. He was wearing a Blake Griffin jersey. I told him I wasn't going to so he threw a bottle at me. He left at half time.

[djsalway 4,161]

You're part of the problem then. You can't stand up for a couple hours to watch a game? Bum. Pregame and go nuts at games it's not that hard. I only missed a few my entire 4 years. And you said earlier you sold your tickets after winter break? Why? To try to make an extra few bucks? Also very lame. Sack up and go to the games.

 

Nope. Not to make an extra few bucks. Because I don't want to go. I don't care if I'm part of the problem. People are buying my tickets and most likely using them. I don't want to stand up for a couple hours when I can sit on my couch, not have to pay $4 for a drink, and don't have to worry about parking/walking to the game. As far as "pregaming" goes, no thank you. Not every college student is just like you buddy.

[TheStillman 991]

Anecdotally I had season tickets for all four years of undergrad.  For the past three years I sat with the same group of 7 that were from the following states:

 

2 from MI

3 from PA

1 from NJ 

1 from IN

 

This group did not miss a game during the extreme lean years 2008-11.

 

The one from IN joined our seating group because she had seats with a whole group from Ft Wayne her freshman year (when we had Eric Gordon) and none of that group went to any of the games.  

 

It has nothing to do with where you are from whether you go to a basketball game.

[Chips&Dipo 1,464]

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB122057234017401625

 

this article is relevant I think

[Magnanimous 4,463]

Towards Dakich's comments. He was talking about the influx of east coast kids that have been on the rise in the past few years. I know IU is has a nationwide renown reputation, but the amount of students from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut is higher than you would expect. I have friends from that area because of my time at IU, but he has a point. A lot of people from that area don't know about any of the tradition around Bloomington and would only go to the games when I was in school just because IU had good teams then. That could be said about people in general, but my time in Bloomington revealed that it is particularly true about the east coast crowd. 

 

Additionally, I am not saying that east coast people are fair weather fans generally. What I am saying is that a person has only "liked" a team since they got an acceptance letter, and that team isn't in the top 25 (though a pretty good team nonetheless) they may not be as inclined to go to a game. Also not saying that you should go to a school solely because of a basketball team. There are a million reasons why I love IU and basketball is just one of them.

 

I get what you're trying to say, but as a former east-coast student who had east-coast roomates, I can tell you that it doesn't matter where you're from. If you like basketball you're going to go to the games. I was at IU from 07-11. My college tenure began with Sampson getting fired followed by the three worst years in IU history. We went to 95% of the games and none of us grew up with Indiana basketball. During that same time, a number of the Indy kids I knew at IU became Butler fans and were more concerned with that team than the Hoosiers.

 

The east-coast argument is convenient because there's more of a cultural clash there than with other states, but the Chicago kids were just as much, if not more fair-weather. A good chunk of them didn't grow up with IU, but since they're from the mid-west they get a pass.

 

In-staters should get off the out-of-staters' backs. For state flagship schools, IU has one of the highest out-of-state student percentages in the country at 34%, and that extra tuition and housing money has helped transform the campus, downtown Bloomington, and expanded IU's alumni network. We're all Hoosiers.

[RoadToZion 373]

Nope. Not to make an extra few bucks. Because I don't want to go. I don't care if I'm part of the problem. People are buying my tickets and most likely using them. I don't want to stand up for a couple hours when I can sit on my couch, not have to pay $4 for a drink, and don't have to worry about parking/walking to the game. As far as "pregaming" goes, no thank you. Not every college student is just like you buddy.

Then you are lazy as hell.

[djsalway 4,161]

Then you are lazy as hell.

 

Yep, you nailed it bucko.

[Chips&Dipo 1,464]

I get what you're trying to say, but as a former east-coast student who had east-coast roomates, I can tell you that it doesn't matter where you're from. If you like basketball you're going to go to the games. I was at IU from 07-11. My college tenure began with Sampson getting fired followed by the three worst years in IU history. We went to 95% of the games and none of us grew up with Indiana basketball. During that same time, a number of the Indy kids I knew at IU became Butler fans and were more concerned with that team than the Hoosiers.

 

The east-coast argument is convenient because there's more of a cultural clash there than with other states, but the Chicago kids were just as much, if not more fair-weather. A good chunk of them didn't grow up with IU, but since they're from the mid-west they get a pass.

 

In-staters should get off the out-of-staters' backs. For state flagship schools, IU has one of the highest out-of-state student percentages in the country at 34%, and that extra tuition and housing money has helped transform the campus, downtown Bloomington, and expanded IU's alumni network. We're all Hoosiers.

I didn't mean to insinuate that if you were from the east-coast you weren't Hoosiers. Sorry if it came across that way. Just trying to make some sense of it. Chicago has the same environment as the NY NJ crowd too. Chicago is a pro sport town.

[southernindianahoosier 422]

From an outside perspective looking in... One would say WTF is wrong with Indiana? The fans aren't going to the games.. The program is a mess again.

In reality it's not as bad as it the media will portray it. But still does not look good on a wide-scale.

[hper50 1,186]

The oncampus transportation on gamedays is also terrible, which makes it convenient for students living off-campus or south east to go to a bar or stay home and watch on a big screen. When I was living downtown on College Ave, our choices to get to the games were walk to the game in 10 degree weather, park at a friend's place that was closer and walk to the stadium in 10 degree weather, or drive to the stadium and pay for parking either away from the stadium or in half-empty overpriced permit lots with terrible traffic. Considering there are multiple streets running north from the heart of campus, I don't know why IU doesn't have a better shuttle system in place on game-days.

 

I really agree with this.  I live on the northwest side of campus and it's still sort of a trek to AH in the bitter cold.  I can't imagine living on the southside.  I'm always there, but almost understand the logic of choosing to stay home if living far away.  I think if IU provided a shuttle system, attendance would skyrocket.  "Walk 30 to 35 minutes to watch IU play Rutgers or stay in, watch it on a big screen, and drink beer?"

[southernindianahoosier 422]

We need more fans on the same page about the state of the program, and we need confidence. If we get that back, the attendance issues should disappear.

Crean doesn't needs to turn his haters into believers. He just needs to gain the respect of the haters. Some will dislike him, but if they respect him, they will show up to the games.

[yogisballin 2,295]

It's competitive because it's mediocore from #2 on down. Two years ago the 5th place Big10 team made the NC. Let's see if this year's 5th place Big10 team can get out of the first round.

College bball as a whole is way down

[Alford Bailey 12,350]

The idea that IU is being overrun by the NY crowd to the detriment of Indiana residents is way overblown. The reason IU has so many out of state students is not because of the east coast but actually because of its proximity to Chicago. But calling out those from Chicago (or actually the suburbs) goes against the whole Midwesterners hating on east coasters vibe.

Actually I put lump Chicago in with New York and L.A.

[hper50 1,186]

Actually I put lump Chicago in with New York and L.A.

 

Oh, without a doubt

[biteoftheapple 4,115]

College bball as a whole is way down

Of course, when you allow the league to sign almost all of the emerging talent. Most of the big 5 conference teams are in a constant rebuild process.

[KelleyHoosh 2,263]

I don't think this can really be pinned to one particular thing. 

 

I think the preseason has a lot to do with it. The news really riled up the fan base and got negative vibes going. It took a way a lot of preseason excitement or hype. Then, the team didn't really pull a big NAME win to make the fans say "oh wow, we have a really good team this year." Yeah the record is good, but casual fans aren't going to pay attention unless theres a big news win. 

 

And other fans are probably just not so inclined to go. Taking the bus to games is a NIGHTMARE. A lot of the time because of heavy traffic the bus just makes you get off at Briscoe. I know thats not too far of a walk (and thats why I do it, when I am able to go to the games) but it is an inconvenience and not so fun in the cold when the alternative is sit in your room with friends comfortably.

 

Then of course there are kids who's parents buy them the tickets but aren't really basketball fans, so there are other things to do on game day. IU as a university doesn't want to be defined by its basketball program and rightfully so. The fact of the matter is there is so much to do on campus, sometimes kids don't make time to go to the games.

[colonel06 1,913]

Towards Dakich's comments. He was talking about the influx of east coast kids that have been on the rise in the past few years. I know IU is has a nationwide renown reputation, but the amount of students from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut is higher than you would expect. I have friends from that area because of my time at IU, but he has a point. A lot of people from that area don't know about any of the tradition around Bloomington and would only go to the games when I was in school just because IU had good teams then. That could be said about people in general, but my time in Bloomington revealed that it is particularly true about the east coast crowd. 

 

Additionally, I am not saying that east coast people are fair weather fans generally. What I am saying is that a person has only "liked" a team since they got an acceptance letter, and that team isn't in the top 25 (though a pretty good team nonetheless) they may not be as inclined to go to a game. Also not saying that you should go to a school solely because of a basketball team. There are a million reasons why I love IU and basketball is just one of them.

He's really fired up today on a letter sent by an east coast alum right now!