Zach article/Our soft OOC schedule

[beast of the east]

One factor concerning our OOC schedule is that our fanbase is weak.

Assembly hall was packed to the gills, sold out for indiana vs. St John's.    If they played us, we couldnt sell half that many tickets, even at the new UBS arena which seats 17,000 plus. 

If you don't think that's true, just know that sales for #3 Kansas at UBS, a spanking new arena, with easy access to parkways and a lirr stop, have been abysmal.   

If you haven't bought tickets and are a fan of this program, co sider buying today.   The lower bowl has not come close to selling out, and if we are to have any sort of a future playing there, need to do better.

Buy your tickets today.   SJU putting on a massive push just so we won't be embarrassed on TV by a poor showing attendance wise.

No doubt the fanbase is weak. I still go back to my comment in another thread about marketing. Is the plan to just add Kansas to the schedule at UBS arena and hope people show up? To get the casual NYC based basketball fan to be interested, they have to know about the game first. Would love to see the school step up in that regard. Heck, maybe it won't even work.

But just as an example, buying Google Ad Space is a very simple and effective way to getting eyeballs. Everyone uses those. Ever notice how ads pop up based on the type of websites you visit? I don't think I've ever had a St. John's ad pop up for me, and imagine how much time I spend on St. John's and college basketball related sites.

Good points, but I don't know what has been done to market the game.   Tickets are being sold exclusively through Ticketmastr, not through St. John's, but we no longer do marketing in house (it is outsourced). 

I know you were on sabatical, so you missed my post advocating for an upgrade to CA, and continued games at MSG. Other then one or maybe 2 games a year at UBS-combined with another game with local flavor IE Hofstra vs Iona-I don't see UBS ever being a destination for fans who do not live locally and plan on driving. You really think the average college basketball fan in NYC is going to take the LIRR out to long island to catch a game? UBS will draw, more or less, the same fans who attend games at CA. Maybe minimally more. But I don't see UBS coming close to MSG in attendance and for pure marquee value. 

My point is that if we can't draw at UBS at a brand new arena against a top ranked team, even from our most ardent fans on here, what makes you think a new or upgraded CA would do any better?   On that point, if you remove visiting fans from MSG, our attendance at MSG even in the few NCAA years we've had since 2000 is pretty atrocious.   We have an aged fan base, may of whom prefer to stay home and watch on TV. 

 

[IDRAFT]

The game with Kansas is part of a made for television event during a specific week. MSG is not owned by SJU, they rent it when it is available. The idea that this could have just been played at MSG if SJU wanted to do that - does anyone have information that they declined that opportunity?

MSG is expensive to rent and hard to book. People won't go to Barclays. Or now UBS. But they also don't want SJU to schedule any "cupcakes." What big program is looking to play at Carnesecca? 

 

 

[monte]

One factor concerning our OOC schedule is that our fanbase is weak.

Assembly hall was packed to the gills, sold out for indiana vs. St John's.    If they played us, we couldnt sell half that many tickets, even at the new UBS arena which seats 17,000 plus. 

If you don't think that's true, just know that sales for #3 Kansas at UBS, a spanking new arena, with easy access to parkways and a lirr stop, have been abysmal.   

If you haven't bought tickets and are a fan of this program, co sider buying today.   The lower bowl has not come close to selling out, and if we are to have any sort of a future playing there, need to do better.

Buy your tickets today.   SJU putting on a massive push just so we won't be embarrassed on TV by a poor showing attendance wise.

No doubt the fanbase is weak. I still go back to my comment in another thread about marketing. Is the plan to just add Kansas to the schedule at UBS arena and hope people show up? To get the casual NYC based basketball fan to be interested, they have to know about the game first. Would love to see the school step up in that regard. Heck, maybe it won't even work.

But just as an example, buying Google Ad Space is a very simple and effective way to getting eyeballs. Everyone uses those. Ever notice how ads pop up based on the type of websites you visit? I don't think I've ever had a St. John's ad pop up for me, and imagine how much time I spend on St. John's and college basketball related sites.

Good points, but I don't know what has been done to market the game.   Tickets are being sold exclusively through Ticketmastr, not through St. John's, but we no longer do marketing in house (it is outsourced). 

I know you were on sabatical, so you missed my post advocating for an upgrade to CA, and continued games at MSG. Other then one or maybe 2 games a year at UBS-combined with another game with local flavor IE Hofstra vs Iona-I don't see UBS ever being a destination for fans who do not live locally and plan on driving. You really think the average college basketball fan in NYC is going to take the LIRR out to long island to catch a game? UBS will draw, more or less, the same fans who attend games at CA. Maybe minimally more. But I don't see UBS coming close to MSG in attendance and for pure marquee value. 

I personally would have loved to go to the game, but just can't justify the amount of travel it will take. I'd actually love to check out UBS Arena, it looks awesome. But from where I live in Manhattan, google maps is showing an hour and 45 minutes each way. Ironically, as part of the route Google Maps shows, I'd have to get off the F train at the stop I'd get off for St. John's and switch there to get into Long Island.

The commute from the city on a Friday during rush hour is brutal. The idea of taking the train from the UES(where I live)  to Penn station, then the LIRR out to UBS, also doesn't thrill me. Gotta be 2-2 1/2 hours each way by public transportation. Just way too long a trip no matter how you slice it. 

 

[RedStormNC]

I thought some one posted the prices for Kansas


I took a quick check and it looks like it's $64 each plus whatever fees & taxes.  Not sure what that is, but very few will pay that kind of cash for 2 or 4 tickets plus another $45 for parking and $8 bottles of water. .

Doesn't matter if Kansas is #3... this program is not ranked and we'd need to be ranked, at MSG on a mid day to draw a huge crowd

Fri night @ 7 is a rough night for many too when you factor in travel.
 

 

[beast of the east]

The population of Queens is 2.4 million (UBS straddles the Queens border)
The population of Nassau County is 1.36 million
The population of Suffolk county, most of it in western suffolk, is 1.48 million
The population of Brooklyn is 2.74 million.

That is approximately 8 million people who live within 35-45 minutes of UBS, with many SJU Alums still residing in these areas.

If we want a top BE program, our fans must respond to games like this, or we can just lament when prized recruits go elsewhere, and we can sit around here discussing the glory days.

Granted winning cures all, but our fans have got to do better if we want a more competitive OOC schedule.   I would guarantee you this will be the smallest crowd that Kansas plays in front of all year and that's on our fan base

 

[RedStormNC]

We have close to 200k alums 

But how many "fans" do we really have?  Those that follow team (maybe not to extent to redmen.com) and could name our head coach and best player?

A few thousand perhaps?

Until this team is ranked consistently, wins a BE title and a tourney lock we should not expect big crowds unless school goes on a full blitz marketing push and gives away tons of tickets.  Very few are dropping $350+ for a family for 2 hours of what they might expect to turn into an L or even worse a blowout L.



 

 

[monte]

One factor concerning our OOC schedule is that our fanbase is weak.

Assembly hall was packed to the gills, sold out for indiana vs. St John's.    If they played us, we couldnt sell half that many tickets, even at the new UBS arena which seats 17,000 plus. 

If you don't think that's true, just know that sales for #3 Kansas at UBS, a spanking new arena, with easy access to parkways and a lirr stop, have been abysmal.   

If you haven't bought tickets and are a fan of this program, co sider buying today.   The lower bowl has not come close to selling out, and if we are to have any sort of a future playing there, need to do better.

Buy your tickets today.   SJU putting on a massive push just so we won't be embarrassed on TV by a poor showing attendance wise.

No doubt the fanbase is weak. I still go back to my comment in another thread about marketing. Is the plan to just add Kansas to the schedule at UBS arena and hope people show up? To get the casual NYC based basketball fan to be interested, they have to know about the game first. Would love to see the school step up in that regard. Heck, maybe it won't even work.

But just as an example, buying Google Ad Space is a very simple and effective way to getting eyeballs. Everyone uses those. Ever notice how ads pop up based on the type of websites you visit? I don't think I've ever had a St. John's ad pop up for me, and imagine how much time I spend on St. John's and college basketball related sites.

Good points, but I don't know what has been done to market the game.   Tickets are being sold exclusively through Ticketmastr, not through St. John's, but we no longer do marketing in house (it is outsourced). 

I know you were on sabatical, so you missed my post advocating for an upgrade to CA, and continued games at MSG. Other then one or maybe 2 games a year at UBS-combined with another game with local flavor IE Hofstra vs Iona-I don't see UBS ever being a destination for fans who do not live locally and plan on driving. You really think the average college basketball fan in NYC is going to take the LIRR out to long island to catch a game? UBS will draw, more or less, the same fans who attend games at CA. Maybe minimally more. But I don't see UBS coming close to MSG in attendance and for pure marquee value. 

My point is that if we can't draw at UBS at a brand new arena against a top ranked team, even from our most ardent fans on here, what makes you think a new or upgraded CA would do any better?   On that point, if you remove visiting fans from MSG, our attendance at MSG even in the few NCAA years we've had since 2000 is pretty atrocious.   We have an aged fan base, may of whom prefer to stay home and watch on TV. 

I was suggesting a CA upgrade over scheduling games at UBS, but I agree that a CA upgrade will have little impact on attendance. Putting aside any personal preference that I have, a nationally relevant SJU team will get a big and loud crowd at MSG, with neutral fans jumping on our bandwagon as the hometown team.  A nationally irrelevant team won't draw much at MSG, SJU fans or not.  Right now we are not a nationally relevant team. Hopefully we will be soon. 

 

[mm52]

On the issue of fan bases and attendance, how is Seton Hall able to play all of its games at the Prudential and draw better than we usually do at MSG?  Whatever SH is doing, SJU should be doing better.  SJU is a bigger and more prominent school in the region, with a longer-standing history of success in men's basketball.  I just don't get it....

 

[RedStormNC]

You can get Hall tickets vs. Wagner at Providence for $20...They are playing Texas in early Dec and tickets like $28, 36 up to $50.

Big difference than $65 for Kansas at UBS.

 

[IDRAFT]

A family of four could have went to the FDU game for 24 dollars all in as it’s free to park. That’s what the tickets were going for in the middle bowl that night. The game was on a Saturday at 6:00 so the kids didn’t have to be up late. Less than 4,000 were announced as attending, as someone who was there I assume season tickets no shows were counted.

So SJU “fans” won’t spend serious money to see the team play Kansas. The same “fans” won’t spend 6 dollars to get a look at nine new players on the team they are “fans” of. For 6 bucks they need a big opponent. So I get it now. 

SJU has plenty of “fans” and if they would only play top 20 teams at MSG and makes sure the tickets are real cheap too the place will be filled. 

Poor Mike Cragg.

 

[RedStormNC]

All fair points...its not all about cost

Reality is SJU basketball is not destination, must see experience.

Most dont even know there are games and are not proactively seeking it out.  So, if your a long time fan, happen to be on a mailing list etc. You might go, but after not many are going out of their way to see when we play, who we play or how much it might cost.

We need to win.  Bottom line.

 

[P1NSTR1PEZ]

I thought some one posted the prices for Kansas


I took a quick check and it looks like it's $64 each plus whatever fees & taxes.  Not sure what that is, but very few will pay that kind of cash for 2 or 4 tickets plus another $45 for parking and $8 bottles of water. .

Doesn't matter if Kansas is #3... this program is not ranked and we'd need to be ranked, at MSG on a mid day to draw a huge crowd

Fri night @ 7 is a rough night for many too when you factor in travel.

 

$100 a person to see your team play the #3 team in the country in a brand new arena on a Friday night...that's not bad at all. I think we just keep making excuses. Just show up cheer for this team and lets get some wins!

 

[Double J]

As a student, I have been disappointed on the schools radio silence regarding any tickets/accommodations for the UBS game. I know they are not selling the tickets directly, but if they expect any students to attend they are going to need to put something together. Not many college students will want to pay $80+ for tickets in addition to $20+ in transportation. I will be there but don't expect any causal fans unless the school offers something. 

 

[monte]

The population of Queens is 2.4 million (UBS straddles the Queens border)
The population of Nassau County is 1.36 million
The population of Suffolk county, most of it in western suffolk, is 1.48 million
The population of Brooklyn is 2.74 million.

That is approximately 8 million people who live within 35-45 minutes of UBS, with many SJU Alums still residing in these areas.

If we want a top BE program, our fans must respond to games like this, or we can just lament when prized recruits go elsewhere, and we can sit around here discussing the glory days.

Granted winning cures all, but our fans have got to do better if we want a more competitive OOC schedule.   I would guarantee you this will be the smallest crowd that Kansas plays in front of all year and that's on our fan base

It's a sort of chicken/egg thing Beast. But I will tell you this; if we have a winning/ exciting team, and there is a buzz as there was at times under Lavin and Mullin, the result will be that  fans will come out to see us play. Conversely, if we pack the house with fans, while it may help us somewhat with recruits in attendance, that will not turn us in to winning program. So, the solution is for the school and the staff to figure out how to put a winning product on the court and create a buzz, and attendance will follow suit. 

 

[room112]

The population of Queens is 2.4 million (UBS straddles the Queens border)
The population of Nassau County is 1.36 million
The population of Suffolk county, most of it in western suffolk, is 1.48 million
The population of Brooklyn is 2.74 million.

That is approximately 8 million people who live within 35-45 minutes of UBS, with many SJU Alums still residing in these areas.

If we want a top BE program, our fans must respond to games like this, or we can just lament when prized recruits go elsewhere, and we can sit around here discussing the glory days.

Granted winning cures all, but our fans have got to do better if we want a more competitive OOC schedule.   I would guarantee you this will be the smallest crowd that Kansas plays in front of all year and that's on our fan base

It's a sort of chicken/egg thing Beast. But I will tell you this; if we have a winning/ exciting team, and there is a buzz as there was at times under Lavin and Mullin, the result will be that  fans will come out to see us play. Conversely, if we pack the house with fans, while it may help us somewhat with recruits in attendance, that will not turn us in to winning program. So, the solution is for the school and the staff to figure out how to put a winning product on the court and create a buzz, and attendance will follow suit. 

If I remember correctly, didn't we have a lot of buzz in Mullin's final season, and draw very good attendance? I believe that team started 12-0

 

[paultzman]

The population of Queens is 2.4 million (UBS straddles the Queens border)
The population of Nassau County is 1.36 million
The population of Suffolk county, most of it in western suffolk, is 1.48 million
The population of Brooklyn is 2.74 million.

That is approximately 8 million people who live within 35-45 minutes of UBS, with many SJU Alums still residing in these areas.

If we want a top BE program, our fans must respond to games like this, or we can just lament when prized recruits go elsewhere, and we can sit around here discussing the glory days.

Granted winning cures all, but our fans have got to do better if we want a more competitive OOC schedule.   I would guarantee you this will be the smallest crowd that Kansas plays in front of all year and that's on our fan base

It's a sort of chicken/egg thing Beast. But I will tell you this; if we have a winning/ exciting team, and there is a buzz as there was at times under Lavin and Mullin, the result will be that  fans will come out to see us play. Conversely, if we pack the house with fans, while it may help us somewhat with recruits in attendance, that will not turn us in to winning program. So, the solution is for the school and the staff to figure out how to put a winning product on the court and create a buzz, and attendance will follow suit. 

 Beating first place Pitt thanks to Hardy drive is emblematic of average fans from the City turning out to see a hot team. Granted it was a Saturday at MSG but I have been to ton of MSG games & that one was right up there re atmosphere. Unfortunately to your point, we have not sustained the winning culture to date to have the buzz to draw large numbers. Sure there have been exceptions, but no consistency. Hopefully this regime can accomplish that. All about winning!

 

[BrookJersey Redmen]

I was at the Hardy Pitt game, brings back great memories.

 

[monte]

The population of Queens is 2.4 million (UBS straddles the Queens border)
The population of Nassau County is 1.36 million
The population of Suffolk county, most of it in western suffolk, is 1.48 million
The population of Brooklyn is 2.74 million.

That is approximately 8 million people who live within 35-45 minutes of UBS, with many SJU Alums still residing in these areas.

If we want a top BE program, our fans must respond to games like this, or we can just lament when prized recruits go elsewhere, and we can sit around here discussing the glory days.

Granted winning cures all, but our fans have got to do better if we want a more competitive OOC schedule.   I would guarantee you this will be the smallest crowd that Kansas plays in front of all year and that's on our fan base

It's a sort of chicken/egg thing Beast. But I will tell you this; if we have a winning/ exciting team, and there is a buzz as there was at times under Lavin and Mullin, the result will be that  fans will come out to see us play. Conversely, if we pack the house with fans, while it may help us somewhat with recruits in attendance, that will not turn us in to winning program. So, the solution is for the school and the staff to figure out how to put a winning product on the court and create a buzz, and attendance will follow suit. 

 Beating first place Pitt thanks to Hardy drive is emblematic of average fans from the City turning out to see a hot team. Granted it was a Saturday at MSG but I have been to ton of MSG games & that one was right up there re atmosphere. Unfortunately to your point, we have not sustained the winning culture to date to have the buzz to draw large numbers. Sure there have been exceptions, but no consistency. Hopefully this regime can accomplish that. All about winning!

I was also at that Pitt game, and had the opportunity to first meet the greats JPM and Otis.  Amazing game and rock in' MSG. As diehards, we will attend games based on high expectations. But to the average fan, they're not attending a game unless the results have been there. "Just win baby!" lol 

 

[Section3]

One factor concerning our OOC schedule is that our fanbase is weak.

Assembly hall was packed to the gills, sold out for indiana vs. St John's.    If they played us, we couldnt sell half that many tickets, even at the new UBS arena which seats 17,000 plus. 

If you don't think that's true, just know that sales for #3 Kansas at UBS, a spanking new arena, with easy access to parkways and a lirr stop, have been abysmal.   

If you haven't bought tickets and are a fan of this program, co sider buying today.   The lower bowl has not come close to selling out, and if we are to have any sort of a future playing there, need to do better.

Buy your tickets today.   SJU putting on a massive push just so we won't be embarrassed on TV by a poor showing attendance wise.

No doubt the fanbase is weak. I still go back to my comment in another thread about marketing. Is the plan to just add Kansas to the schedule at UBS arena and hope people show up? To get the casual NYC based basketball fan to be interested, they have to know about the game first. Would love to see the school step up in that regard. Heck, maybe it won't even work.

But just as an example, buying Google Ad Space is a very simple and effective way to getting eyeballs. Everyone uses those. Ever notice how ads pop up based on the type of websites you visit? I don't think I've ever had a St. John's ad pop up for me, and imagine how much time I spend on St. John's and college basketball related sites.

Good points, but I don't know what has been done to market the game.   Tickets are being sold exclusively through Ticketmastr, not through St. John's, but we no longer do marketing in house (it is outsourced). 

I know you were on sabatical, so you missed my post advocating for an upgrade to CA, and continued games at MSG. Other then one or maybe 2 games a year at UBS-combined with another game with local flavor IE Hofstra vs Iona-I don't see UBS ever being a destination for fans who do not live locally and plan on driving. You really think the average college basketball fan in NYC is going to take the LIRR out to long island to catch a game? UBS will draw, more or less, the same fans who attend games at CA. Maybe minimally more. But I don't see UBS coming close to MSG in attendance and for pure marquee value. 

I personally would have loved to go to the game, but just can't justify the amount of travel it will take. I'd actually love to check out UBS Arena, it looks awesome. But from where I live in Manhattan, google maps is showing an hour and 45 minutes each way. Ironically, as part of the route Google Maps shows, I'd have to get off the F train at the stop I'd get off for St. John's and switch there to get into Long Island.

This isn’t a daily commute, This is a single trek to support the team against a top 5 team. With all due respect, if this representative of the reasons why legit fans aren’t attending, we are in trouble

 

[room112]

One factor concerning our OOC schedule is that our fanbase is weak.

Assembly hall was packed to the gills, sold out for indiana vs. St John's.    If they played us, we couldnt sell half that many tickets, even at the new UBS arena which seats 17,000 plus. 

If you don't think that's true, just know that sales for #3 Kansas at UBS, a spanking new arena, with easy access to parkways and a lirr stop, have been abysmal.   

If you haven't bought tickets and are a fan of this program, co sider buying today.   The lower bowl has not come close to selling out, and if we are to have any sort of a future playing there, need to do better.

Buy your tickets today.   SJU putting on a massive push just so we won't be embarrassed on TV by a poor showing attendance wise.

No doubt the fanbase is weak. I still go back to my comment in another thread about marketing. Is the plan to just add Kansas to the schedule at UBS arena and hope people show up? To get the casual NYC based basketball fan to be interested, they have to know about the game first. Would love to see the school step up in that regard. Heck, maybe it won't even work.

But just as an example, buying Google Ad Space is a very simple and effective way to getting eyeballs. Everyone uses those. Ever notice how ads pop up based on the type of websites you visit? I don't think I've ever had a St. John's ad pop up for me, and imagine how much time I spend on St. John's and college basketball related sites.

Good points, but I don't know what has been done to market the game.   Tickets are being sold exclusively through Ticketmastr, not through St. John's, but we no longer do marketing in house (it is outsourced). 

I know you were on sabatical, so you missed my post advocating for an upgrade to CA, and continued games at MSG. Other then one or maybe 2 games a year at UBS-combined with another game with local flavor IE Hofstra vs Iona-I don't see UBS ever being a destination for fans who do not live locally and plan on driving. You really think the average college basketball fan in NYC is going to take the LIRR out to long island to catch a game? UBS will draw, more or less, the same fans who attend games at CA. Maybe minimally more. But I don't see UBS coming close to MSG in attendance and for pure marquee value. 

I personally would have loved to go to the game, but just can't justify the amount of travel it will take. I'd actually love to check out UBS Arena, it looks awesome. But from where I live in Manhattan, google maps is showing an hour and 45 minutes each way. Ironically, as part of the route Google Maps shows, I'd have to get off the F train at the stop I'd get off for St. John's and switch there to get into Long Island.

This isn’t a daily commute, This is a single trek to support the team against a top 5 team. With all due respect, if this representative of the reasons why legit fans aren’t attending, we are in trouble

Trust me, I get it. I'm a Braves fan who flew to Atlanta for the World Series, so I know about long trips to a game lol. In reality, everyone's situation is different. Some will find it a worthwhile experience to do that type of traveling to enjoy a great game. Me personally, I have a young family, and that type of commitment to get to a game just isn't as much of a priority as when I was younger. When my son is older, I'll definitely be down as long as he is.