Dear Penn State Fans,
by Telling it how it is on Jan 11, 2009 12:54 PM EST
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I am writing to let you know you also have a basketball program in Happy Valley. I felt embarrassed as a fan of the Big Ten this week, watching them play against the 14th ranked Boilermakers, whom they beat 67-64, playing in the beautiful Bryce Jordan Center, which holds something like 15,000 people, and I am pretty sure there were about 13,000 open seats. Maybe you are not aware that the Nittany Lions are 13-3, 3rd in the Big Ten, and have scored the most points so far in the conference. They also have three players ranked in the top ten in scoring, including the leading scorer, sophomore sensation Taylor Battle at 18.9 points a game. I’m not sure why this game was so poorly attended. Maybe the students were not back from Christmas break, or maybe a snow storm hit; I don’t know, but if not let’s get over the Rose Bowl and move forward.
They are not at home today but do again face a tough test on the road against top 25 ranked Minnesota. They will be back home Wednesday the 14th against Michigan State, another tough opponent; a perfect opportunity to fill those empty seats and show some love for the basketball team.
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lol
It was still break AND there was a storm. nice rant, though.
by pennlion on Jan 11, 2009 12:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I am glad to hear that. I just couldn’t believe the attendance against a ranked team like Purdue.
Telling it how it is
by Telling it how it is on Jan 11, 2009 1:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Well . . .
If you’re a Penn State basketball fan, you should lower your expectations or resolve to be perpetually outraged.
Unless this team becomes a seasonal top-25 program, I don’t see them ever drawing 10K +.
Pennsylvanians in general are just not big basketball fans. Football is king in PA.
by CDRS on Jan 11, 2009 2:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I love PSU basketball
But there’s no way on God’s green earth that I’m going to be able to drive to State College from Philly (three hours) and back (another three hours) to catch a mid-week game.
I try to get to a couple of the weekend games every year, but that’s is. Maybe my schedule works out that I can attend 2 games a year.
People who actually live in State College (students & townies) need to be the ones attending these games. Not alums in Pittsburgh, Philly, etc.
by Tailgate Shogun on Jan 11, 2009 2:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Bingo.
And there has to be more townies around than that during the break! It’s a shame the program isn’t yet at a point where it can overcome a snowstorm to get people to attend a winnable game against a quality opponent. If they can finish this season strong, maybe next year….
by jimbo2psu on Jan 13, 2009 8:58 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Follow Penn State basketball for more than 3 weeks...
and then you can issue a rant about the program’s follwership.
Penn State has been disappointing fans since the spring of 2001.
Ed DeChellis has been a complete failure to this point, and there are no signs of his replacement. He is extremely close to athletic director Tim Curley, and the whole situation should leave a bad taste in any fans mouth.
Their 13-3 record has built upon a cupcake schedule. Of their 3 losses, the only respectable one is a 4 pointer at Wisconsin. Rhode Island and Temple are teams the “3rd place team in the Big Ten” should beat.
They don’t have a single quality win, and I’m not going to count Purdue without its two best players as a quality win.
The BJC will wake up in late February if the team is still in contention. And given the history, the program deserves nothing better from its fans.
by NittanyBadger on Jan 11, 2009 2:24 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I have followed the Big Ten for many years. I get that Penn State is a football school and their basketball program has not been anything to talk about in the past. And saying their 3 losses would not be losses if they were a top team, Temple is just over 500 but has also beat the likes of Tennessee. As for Rhode Island with an 11-5 record, losing at Cameron Indoor by only 3 to the number 2 team in the country, I wouldn’t hate on that either. I will agree with you…if they do not finish in the top three in the Big Ten I will say I was wrong.
Telling it how it is
by Telling it how it is on Jan 11, 2009 2:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The _program_ isn't the issue here though.
It’s the current team that deserves better. It’s the guys that have been busting their asses trying to get better their entire career at Penn State, trying to build the tradition that has eluded their sport through no fault of their own while other sports at Penn State have had great success…it’s those guys that deserve better. Penn State is a major college basketball team. This shouldn’t have to be the “show me in February and then maybe I’ll come to a game because you’ve sucked in the past and I don’t want to waste $5” attitude. It should be support for your school in the hope to be there when that true turnaround moment happens. A win over a quality opponent is an opportunity for that kind of moment, and if you don’t show up until after that happens, then you aren’t really a fan.
by jimbo2psu on Jan 13, 2009 9:04 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That's just it, though
There aren’t a lot of basketball fans at Penn State. Those 2000 people that someone estimated at the game…those are the fans. The rest of the seats go to the “show me” people. It’s like that with any team, in any sport, no one is immunde. Like for the past decade+ the Yankees routinely sell out their home games, but I remember plenty of times in the 80s and early 90s when I’d go to the stadium and there’d be a LOT of empty seats. I kinda think it is ironic (and yes, I’m probably butchering the use of this word…I can never figure it out…damn you Alanis!!!!), but I’ve probably gone to LESS games since the Yankees have become more successful, but that’s mostly due to moving to PA, and then being away at college and grad school for the past decade…god…I’ve really been at university for over 10 years now. Time to wrap things up, ya?
by The JuggerNitt on Jan 13, 2009 11:09 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
SIKE!!!!
I’m never gonna finish, so why not waste some more time on here.
Anyway, the point I was gonna make is that it takes years of continued success to be able to build up a fan base to the point where they’ll even stick around during the dark years (like Penn State Football). As much as I love our fanbase, though, I bet if we had a full decade of mediocrity in football (like basketball since the Crispin brothers left…and even before them we never really had a good basketball team), then we probably wouldn’t be filling all those seats at Beaver Stadium. Let’s just pray that never happens.
by The JuggerNitt on Jan 13, 2009 11:12 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Fair enough
I guess you’re right. It just seemed to me like there should be more interest overall but if there isn’t, there isn’t. No arguing with that.
by jimbo2psu on Jan 14, 2009 8:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah dude
I like PSU bball and I try to make it to 8-10 games a year but, it’s not logistically possible during break. If we beat Minny and our attendance sucks for the MSU game then maybe you have a beef but until then; deep breaths and pray that ED can pull off some big upsets.
by psuphiman80 on Jan 11, 2009 2:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
We get it
Our attendance is poor. There isn’t a lot of excitement around the basketball team. You’re not telling us anything we don’t already know. The team is going to have to win on a consistent basis to turn that around. They’re taking small steps, but it’s tough in a league like the Big Ten.
But in our defense, as was already mentioned, for the Purdue game classes were out of session, there was an ice storm, and it was a week night.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on Jan 11, 2009 3:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
yeah no shit
i myself will take several seasons where they finish above .500 ( i dont care if it’s by two games) for me to follow them again, i followed them when the crispins, pete lisicki (spelling is wrong i know), and Cline-Heard was there, but since they’ve left the team hasn’t been able to accomplish more than those teams, with arguably more talent available (not to discredit what claxton, and battle have done for us).
For the glory
by lionalum05 on Jan 11, 2009 4:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I love PSU but......
basketball just sucks. For me it ranks up there with watching golf or sex in the city (not going to happen).
by markpsu on Jan 11, 2009 3:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Telling it how it is...
Penn State lost by 20 to Minnesota.
Iowa lost to them by 3, at home, in front of whopping 9,000 fans.
Go back to your own board and tell them to show up before you repremand Penn State for not showing up to support an NIT qualifer.
by NittanyBadger on Jan 11, 2009 6:29 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I am not sure if you watched the game today ? Yes they did get beat pretty bad. But lets put into mind Minnisota shot 62% from the field and 100% from 3pt and they were at home.As for the over 9000 fans on a Thursday night game with students still off on Break I guess it is about 7000 more then the Penn State game.And why do i care? Cause it is the Big Ten and I like to see support for the confrence.
Telling it how it is
by Telling it how it is on Jan 11, 2009 6:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Attendance with classes out
Pop. Iowa City- 147,038
Pop. State College- 38,420
Or maybe Iowa is the basketball capital of the world?
by The IC Lion on Jan 12, 2009 9:23 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I don't get it, why does he even care?
by letsgopsu on Jan 11, 2009 6:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Why does he care? Why do you care about football? Why do any of us care about any of this?
by jimbo2psu on Jan 13, 2009 9:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I care because I love
With my heart.
pax et amor
by jtothep on Jan 13, 2009 9:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I don't get it either
Should we start comparing how many people at each Big10 school go to a wrestling meet or a women’s volleyball game? And then criticize the schools with low attendance in those sports? Sure, it would be great if more people attended men’s bball games at PSU – but until the product is a little better, what you see is what you get.
by NJ lion on Jan 11, 2009 7:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Actually
I bet the women’s volleyball team draws more than the mens basketball team. Ive seen some matches with a packed rec hall which is 3-4,000..
by MrBrianPSU on Jan 12, 2009 10:02 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Same thing with wrestling and gymnsatics meets
Maybe we should start checking attendance at Iowa’s women’s volleyball games and begging more of their students/fans to start showing up. I’m still quite confused why he cares about attendance at PSU hoops!?!
by NJ lion on Jan 12, 2009 12:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Because more people care about men's hoops.
Is that even a serious question? If this fanpost was about football attendance would you still be comparing it to Iowa women’s volleyball? If you don’t care about men’s basketball then fine, but don’t ignore the many people that openly wonder why Penn State can’t field a respectable team when they seemingly have one this year and are playing ranked teams in front of empty houses at home.
This guy obviously cares about men’s basketball and wonders why attendance has been poor despite the team’s success. It’s a fair question to ask on a Penn State blog and shouldn’t be brushed aside with a simple “who cares” even though for the particular game he referenced there were ample reasons for the poor attendance.
by jimbo2psu on Jan 13, 2009 9:16 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Well first
put success in quotation marks. This team has feasted on the worst teams in the sport to run up a seemingly impressive record, but one that anybody who so much as keeps an eye on the program knows is only a facade.
Second, the guy clearly does not understand a lot of the problems with the way the fans are treated at the BJC and by the university. The fact that the team has been awful wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t treat fans like they were awesome. I’m a Pirates ticket holder, so I know from shitty, but at least the Buccos treat me like I’m important. $20 gets you a seat in the front row, and 12 game ticket plan gets you personal phone calls from the organization making sure you are coming back next year.
It’s not the shitty team that’s the biggest problem for most fans, its the indignity of buying a ticket and get shuffled off to the worst seats in that building (and there are some bad seats in that building) and having to stare at a bunch of empty seats right down by the floor.
The students five dollar tickets are in the best part of the building. $5 tickets for regular folks are in the upper deck (which is a mile away) and have no trade up factor at all because they run that place like a friggin’ gulag.
"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008
by jesse. on Jan 13, 2009 9:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
There should be a rule at any sporting facility
That after the end of the first quarter/period or 3rd inning, or whatever other early break point, then people should be allowed to move up to closer seats. There could be some system that when you first arrive at your seats you could have some sort of marker or switch to put on your seat (in case you had to go to the bathroom or whatever), so then people will know what seats are claimed, and whenever you leave for good (or if you’ve moved up to a closer seat) you just take the marker with you (or flip the switch back). There could also be some sort of default timer that if you are gone from your seat for more than 30 minutes, then the switch flips back to open (this of course would only work if the switches were built into the seats themselves) for when people leave games early. Since most places use barcode scanners on their tickets now, there’d be a log of when a person arrived at the stadium, too, so it isn’t like someone could arrive really late, go to their seat, and claim they were there from the beginning when they find someone else has already occupied it. They’d just have to then go and find some other available seat.
This will never happen, but it would be great, since it would eliminate one of the biggest problems with a lot of sporting venues where the best seats are bought by corporations and/or people with a lot of money, but not necessarily by people who care about the team, or who are able to go all the time (though for certain venues, stubhub has helped alleviate this problem a bit), and all the people who actually care, but don’t have a ton of $ are stuck in the very back, behind rows and rows of empty seats.
Instead, as it is now, you usually get punished by the ushers if you dare move up into an empty section that you didn’t buy a ticket for. I suppose then places like the BJC wouldn’t be able to charge more for seats than what they’re worth, since then people would jsut buy the cheapest seats, knowing no one will be at the game anyway, and move up when the opportunity arrives. They would then (OMG) have to charge what the seats are actually worth!
by The JuggerNitt on Jan 13, 2009 11:28 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
If you buy a certain seat
Shouldn’t you expect to sit there?
If you arrive a little late to the game, you shouldn’t have to assume the role of usher and have to give the bums rush to people who didn’t pay for the seat they’re sitting in.
It’s a PITA to deal with.
If you want the good seats, pay for them.
by CDRS on Jan 13, 2009 9:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Your missing the point
Which is [a] the team is generally awful, and that [b] even if you did show an interest and try to go to a game, the only seats you can buy suck. Bad seats for a bad basketball team is bad enough, but when your forced to stare at 4,000 empty seats right by the court, it’s downright insulting. You can’t blame people for saying the whole experience sucks and just bagging it.
The only reason we are talking about this is because it’s Penn State. Frankly, I don’t care for the universities attitude that I should support something for no other reason than it’s Penn State.
Back to the Pirates analogy for a second, I go to about 20 games a year, last season I sat about 25 feet from Alex Rodriguez, second row right by third base. It was a $1,500 seat at Yankee stadium, I paid $22 as part of my ticket plan. That was the Pirates way of saying thank you for buying 19 other games that season, they could have easily charged $500 for the ticket and put me in the upper deck, but then I would never have come back to the park.
As bad as the Penn State basketball team is, for $22 I should be sitting next to Tom Izzo if I have season tickets, not banished to the cheap seats because some donor ponied up a ton of cash for the club boxes at Beaver Stadium. And if at the end of the day that’s how you want to hand out the seats at the BJC, that’s fine, but don’t piss and whine that nobody is there.
"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008
by jesse. on Jan 14, 2009 8:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
As a fellow Bucco fan...
I have to concede your point. It’s a good one. You have to kind of respect how the Pirates work around their annual shittiness and don’t just dare fans to show up anyway like Penn State basketball.
by jimbo2psu on Jan 14, 2009 8:45 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not talking about "a little late"
I’m talking about being late to the point that you’re missing a significant portion of the game. Heck, if that’s the case, then allow for some system where you can call ahead to “reserve” your seats. It should be like an airline, where if you are late, your seat is given up to someone on standby, but you can always check in online from home (or on a phone, or whatever).
The probelm isn’t that there are a lot of people arriving a little late, it is that there are a lot of people who have seats but make no attempt to fill them. I’d be willing to say it is people who donate to the NLC for football seats, and they get the basketball tix as well. They should donate their tickets to students or local high school kids or something, just to get butts in those seats, and not make the arena look even more empty than it is. It is bad enough when attendance is only like 20% capacity, but when half of the people that DO show up are seated so high that they aren’t even seen on TV it makes it look like the kids are playing in front of a crowd of 1000 people.
by The JuggerNitt on Jan 14, 2009 5:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think it's NLC members...
…who have those seats. There are no levels of contribution that come with free basketball tickets.
I actualy think its worse, I think that seats were given to corporate donors that funded inital construction of the building and/or the Beaver Stadium expansions, and there may be no ligitmate way to correct the problem
"I honestly think the "Spread HD" is going to work pretty well, and we’ll be just fine this year". - 8-27-2008
by jesse. on Jan 14, 2009 5:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
there's ALWAYS a way
“renovate” the seating area, forcing some “restructuring” of the seating plans. “oh, I’m sorry, we no longer have that tier level we offered before, but if you would like, we would be happy to offer you new seats” and just have one section/corner blocked off for these “donors” and not the whole lower level
by The JuggerNitt on Jan 14, 2009 5:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Tickets
My old insurance agent back in PA told me his dad had season tickets. He went to two or three games a year and gave the rest away to clients and friends. It sounded like more of a business thing to me.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on Jan 15, 2009 11:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
People adapt
If everyone knew you had to check in at the gate at least ten minutes before tipoff or lose your seat you can bet people would make a point to be on time.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on Jan 15, 2009 11:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
worst teams in the sport to run up a seemingly impressive record
They beat Georgia Tech at Georgia Tech. Give credit.
by g1184 on Jan 14, 2009 2:37 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Still don’t understand why he as an Iowa fan has a concern about Penn State bball attendance. I don’t care how many empty seats are at an Indiana football game! But I (as a PSU alum) wish more people would support the bball team.
Not to pat myself on the back, but when I was a student, I tried to attend every M&W bball, M&W volleyball, and wrestling meet I could. One year my roommate and I tried to attend an event for every PSU sports team – lacrosse, water polo, baseball, etc. I knew that my time in State College would be short and I had to go to the games while I still had the chance. I would definitely recommend it to those still near State College. All of these athletes work hard and deserve support.
It makes me sad that more students/townies don’t show their support, but I certainly don’t care about other Big10 teams’ fan support. I guess I just don’t care enough about the Big10 – only Penn State.
by NJ lion on Jan 13, 2009 11:55 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
LOL
Good showing today at Minny is sure to get fans to flock to the BJC to see MSU beat the shit out of us by 25…….
JoePa in '09
by JGuiher on Jan 11, 2009 10:29 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
My other complaint
The food at the BJC is terrible. I went to a game a few years ago and ordered a cheeseburger and it was awful. The bun was soggy from sitting in the steam to keep it warm. The cheese wasn’t even melted, and the burger tasted like something they probably feed the inmates in the state pen. And my pepsi was warm, flat, and diluted with water to the point it didn’t even taste like pepsi. The last game we went to on a Saturday afternoon we went early so we could eat lunch downtown before the game. Not surprisingly the Deli was packed with people who were eating lunch before heading up to the game.
When I lived it Reading I used to go see the Reading Phillies play all the time. It’s not that I was a huge supporter of the team. I just enjoyed the atmosphere of sitting in the fresh air on a warm summer evening eating a good hot dog, some nachos and drinking a cold beer. And I had good seats and the entertainment between innings, though sometimes corny, was entertaining to watch. I really didn’t care who won or lost. I went for the experience. The Penn State basketball “experience” is terrible from the seats, to the food, to the constanly blaring hip hop music, to the halftime entertainment. If they spiced up the food and involved the fans in more of the media timeout entertainment instead of parading out the stupid dance team I think they would go a long way toward improving the experience. A lot of people would come out just to eat a good hot dog.
Mike
Black Shoe Diaries
by BSD on Jan 14, 2009 10:14 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Agree with the Minor league baseball atmosphere
Almost anywhere you go around the country, you know you can have a good time at a minor league game. Guido should tap into a little of that vibe somehow to get people to Penn State hoops.
I still miss the old days at Rec Hall. Especially no “assigned” seats – you want good seats, get there early.
by NJ lion on Jan 14, 2009 3:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
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