It is surprising & disappointing how few current students show up to the games. I personally think that there should be more student-only seating ringing around the court at Carnesseca (or at least along one sideline - ala Duke). Make it fun for the students to be able to try and rattle opponents by being on top of opponents. Alumni Hall might be more of a destination for students if they were able to sit closer to the court.
How hard can that be to get more students to sit down low? If many of the season ticket holders are already pissed off because of what the AD with the contributions/points fiasco some years' back, we might as go hog-wild and push back more the season ticket holders a few rows for the students. I don't think season ticket holders would be offended by that if they were moved a few rows back to make room for the students. I wouldn't be offended.
If you are a steak away from a heart-attack you shouldn't have all the tickets down low, just because you have more money and make donations to the school - let's make some more room for students down low; it makes it more fun for them and everyone in attendance at the game. I think it is prudent to groom further generations of fans. It kills the atmosphere when older fans - are next to the court, but don't have any enthusiasm or energy to root for the team. Would rich alumni season ticket holders be really that offended if their seats started in row #5 - and not relegate the student body to much further back?
The AD really needs to address this situation. I think it hurts our recruiting when the atmosphere is dead at Carnesseca. How impressive is it to a recruit kid when the atmosphere is dead at Carnesseca? We know we can't compete with some other schools as far as an on campus atmosphere, but perhaps if our little gym had some more energy in it, we wouldn't be handicapped as much.
I don't know other universities' student attendance situations - but we seem to be in a unique situation. Our campus is in the best city in the world with many distractions. But SJU has many, many alumni that live near by. Are there any other universities like us that have had good historical success, still remain in power conference (coupled with a very weak decade or two) - that draw as few students as we do? There can't be too many.
Make it fun for the students - sit more of them near court, that's what I say.
I am not in the seatback chairs, so I am not defending wealthy donors. I will say, though, that SJU does NOT have enough donors period.
I WILL say this, though. This school has NEVER had a ton of students supporting the program. Even in 1985, the Final Four year, most of the fans in attendance were alumni and locals who had adopted the team. After spending years attending every home home and travelling to Syracuse, Villanova, Army, Georgetown, BC - basically anywhere you could drive to, I remember the school finally igniting when we mde the final four. I went down to get tickets, and the lines were enormous, with most students who had never been to games camping out. My friends and I - season ticket holders - got shut out through the normal process. If not through the kindness of Dennis Myron, who thought it was crazy the the most loyal group of followers had been shut out, and who found us nosebleed seats, we'd not have gone to Lexington.
Even during the team's revival season two years ago, students only showed up in force for the heralded games. You are telling me students deserve to be close to the court, simply because they will make noise? You may remember, that SJU DID try this, opening up the entire bleacher section opposite the benches for students about 10 years ago. The result? Students didn't show up, and most of the long term season ticket holders cancelled after being moved upstairs.
CA is a bandbox. With student sections behind the baskets, if other students filled the rafters, the place would rock. The sad fact is, unlike many huge college programs, if you removed alumni and other followers from the SJU attendance equation, our atten dnace would be as anemic as our women's games.
Again, not to support wealthy donors, who are now sitting in seats I held I held for 25 years, but they are a select people in terms of their generosity, whereas most of us (statistically 80% of alumni) never contribute a dime to the school.
