Crowd

[vee4xu]

I thought the crowd today was as good of a non-UC, or non-ud crowd as we've had in a long time. Great energy even up in the rafters were I sit.

[xfan]

I must agree, our student section is pretty weak. Most schools, the students arrive hours before the game and start getting loud, but our students usually don't fill in until after tip-off. For being #13 in the country I would expect every student would want to be at the games?

[enegster]

Called our friends at the game from Florida; both their voices were gone from cheering on the Muskies. Got to see most of the game on CSTV. Our crowd sure seemed loud and animated on the computer feed!

Go X!!

[vee4xu]

I must agree, our student section is pretty weak. Most schools, the students arrive hours before the game and start getting loud, but our students usually don't fill in until after tip-off. For being #13 in the country I would expect every student would want to be at the games?

Really? To help educate me, do you have a list (long or short) of schools where students arrive "hours before the game?" I am being serious. It would help me better understand your criticism of the students to know of whom you are speaking when you make such a claim. Second, every time I looked down at the student section they are on their feet, moving around and making noise. Maybe I just am hallcinating. I have been known to do so.

I will reiterate, today's crowd was to me an excellent example of working hard to motivate X and rattle SJU. On his post game show, Coach Miller said he thought the crowd was great today. That is what he had hoped for and what the team needs. Forgive me, but I think I'll take his word about how the crowd was today.

[CarlosTheJackal]

I'm watching on TV, but this is my impression: The crowd got up while X was still down. I'm talking about the so-called blue-hair factor. They were cheering for stops when the Muskies were down 7. That, fan-watchers, is a change, for the better.

As for the student factor: If all you watch is ESPN, you would think there are many schools where the students show up early. That incorrect view is skewed by several factors. First, the MTV-Gen factor...I'm going to be on national TV, mom! It doesn't hold up when the game is local or not televised. Also most of these schools have a much larger student population in the first place. Second, a Xavier-specific factor...there is no big tradition of camping out for every game. This is so because there are still relatively few dorm students, and parking for hoppers on game night is still non-existent. If there are 3000 undergrads and 800 student tickets, that's asking for better than 20% of the undergrad population to show up, a very tough sell. Third, I have no figures on the dorm student M/F breakdown, but I believe X is now about 55% F. Less interest in sports day in and day out from that part of the student population, if my parousal of the student section is more than anecdotal.

The Xavier student section is at best third, behind St.Joe and Dayton. Did you see the Hawks at the Palestra last Monday for the Nova game?? Awesome turnout. But that was the equivalent of our game with UC, intense, hated "superior-snobby" opponent.

Like the program itself, the student section is growing itself as it goes.

[XUOHTX]

I have been complaining about the student section for years. Even when I was there, I was at every game screaming but the girls that went with me just sat and talked. I can never understand why people want to go to a basketball game to socialize. Just sit at home and you can have the game on in the background while you gossip about the girl in Husman who you saw at the party last week. We have the Xtreme fans but do they really try and organize anything? I am seriously asking because I don't remember them doing anything when I was there. To be fair, it takes a long time to create teh traditions of say the Cameron Crazies so maybe we will get there sometime. I just get jealous when I watch other schools that have a stellar student section. I want that for X!

[Stl_XUFan]

from USA Today a few months ago:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/ ... 1842_x.htm

Crazy times: Duke revamps ticket system to fill student section
Posted 94d ago | Comment | Recommend E-mail | Save | Print | Subscribe to stories like this
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Duke's "Cameron Crazies" are known as some of the most committed - never mind nuttiest - fans in college basketball.

But while they'll set up a tent village to assure a spot in the stands for some home games, others have been so sparsely attended by undergraduates that the university has set up a new reservation system to encourage them to come.

"The attendance last year was pathetic in terms of fan support, and that's something we're trying to rectify this year," said Roberto Bazzani, a Duke senior who serves as head line monitor.

The new ticketing system allows students to reserve seats online for games at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Student attendance has been slipping over the past five years, and when the men's team finished 22-11 last year, more than half the home games were played before empty seats in the student sections.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: North Carolina | Maryland | Duke | Mike Krzyzewski | Elite Eight | Cameron Indoor Stadium | Krzyzewskiville

"It was minimal at first, and then last year, it was a dramatic decrease," Bazzani said. "Last year, you could walk in 15 minutes after tipoff and still get great seats."

Even men's coach Mike Krzyzewski is worried by the empty seats.

"I get letters from people saying, 'How can I get in?' I said, 'Well, just come,"' Krzyzewski said. "I'm sure there are a lot of undergrads who feel they can't get in. So how do we tackle that?"

The system allows students to go online three days before most games to reserve a spot. Once validated, the student has to be at the stadium at least an hour before the game or the spot goes to someone in a walk-up line.

The tent village, fondly known as Krzyzewskiville, won't disappear. It'll still be in place for this year's big games against North Carolina and Maryland. And students can still camp out to be first in line for other games, because the seats are given on a first-come, first-served basis to those who have reservations.

"We wanted to be able to make the system easier for students," said Mitch Moser, the associate director of athletics who has worked with the students on the process. "They won't have to miss class, won't have to wait in line as long."

The arena seats 9,314 people and 1,200 tickets are reserved for students, who stand in bleachers along the sides of the court. The university has about 6,200 undergraduate students who can attend games for free.

Last year, some Duke games drew as few as 900 students, Bazzani said.

"I'm not going to say our record was miserable it wasn't," Bazzani said. "But Duke fans, we've been spoiled a little bit. We expect an Elite Eight every year, a run at an ACC championship.

"We've been spoiled, and people might take it for granted."

Oh my god, even the almight cameron crazies have trouble gettting some undergrads to go. Oh no the sky is falling. the world is coming to an end. Life can no longer exist. And to think xavier sells on average 750 tickets to students in a school that has 3000 less undergrads.

[somebody]

I can never understand why people want to go to a basketball game to socialize.

Frankly because it takes all kinds! The same thing applies not just to students. I make my observations based on several years of sitting in Premium 1 mid-court until a couple years ago when I moved out of the area. Socializing was a way of life there too and it is all fine at the appropriate time before and after and at halftime. I also was turned off by those who seemed to have to go to the concession stand every 5 minutes even as play was in progress. And of course those few (and many more when it was a blowout) who started leaving at the 8 minute mark. But if people want to come and socialize and sit on their hands and leave early it is their right. But I don't get it either.

[XU Horns]

I went to my first game this year and was shocked when the shot clock was under 10 and the students weren't counting down. What is up with that? We even did that at the Gardens.

[Statman]

A little of the topic, but since we seem to be ripping on the students, I wanted to add my newest complaint.

Why do we need to use a microphone to lead some of the cheers? And it is to help the crowd spell X-A-V-I-E-R while the cheerleaders spelled it out on the floor? Mr. Microphone Cheerleader also helps explain that when the cheerleaders hold up the X sign, you are to yell "X", and when they hold up the U sign, you are to yell "U"!. Really?

And then, to add insult to what seems silly, the cheerleader finishes his higher decibel chant with, "Go Xavier, beat those losers!"