There are a lot of past and present factors that make attendance in this era challenging. Sure, it’d be great to have 6-7K fans there every game, but all factors considered, SIU is drawing respectably.
Losing a bunch of home games isn’t helping. Drake and Bradley are top of the league, but losing home games to Evansville and Murray hurt, not just in the standings, but from an attendance standpoint. Luke Martin and Co. might need to pause using the phrase “Banterra magic” until they start defending home court again.
@tj-mcflys for the record, my post was not a “pro Mullins” or “anti Mullins” post. It is simply that we sometimes get caught up in thinking the online crowd represents the fanbase as a whole, and that isn’t always true. Most casual fans are silent. And the ones I know aren’t going to games.
I attended games early but my grandchildren have been playing an extraordinary amount of games that conflict and I will always chose them first but always following and keeping up and I am one who was discouraged early but would to be there in person always enjoy the arena
To me, it's actually a bit surprising that attendance hasn't dropped off more because the factors contributing to it have been going on for some time. Too often, going back to the Hinson era, SIU has had an unfortunate habit of laying an egg at home in front of big crowds against the conference's top teams. There have also been too many blown leads at home (especially last season) and the repeated inability to defeat the Bradleys, Drakes, Northern Iowas, etc., home or away and advance deep into the conference tournament. Combine all of that and you really can't blame people for staying away. I thought that yesterday, after two road victories and with the conference's top team visiting, 6,000 or so might turn out, but no dice.
I would not dispute that the Evansville game was the last straw for many fans. It attracted more than 6,000 people hoping for a good show; instead, they got chaos and underachievement.
There's been some reason for optimism recently because SIU did NOT lay an egg and was in it almost all the way yesterday against Drake and also ridded itself of a few demons by routing UNI at home several weeks ago. Both of these games drew in the low 4,000s, but it seems that those are the types of efforts we'll need consistently to start building the crowds back. Four home games remain and they all look winnable, which would be a nice start. Also, we've played three consecutive road games in which the home teams attracted 3,000 or less, so it's not like everyone in the Valley is packing their arenas.
I plead guilty, sad to say. Your comment is spot on.
I had forgotten that this was an early afternoon game (dumb, I know), and I scheduled some car maintenance. When I realized my mistake, I was going to cancel the appointment, but then I remembered the steaming piles that have been laid at home whenever there seemed to be a glimmer of hope. That, on top of some mobility issues that make me nervous in crowds, led me to just keep the automotive appointment instead of going to the game. Mea culpa.
But yes: Lucy pulling that football away EVERY. TIME. in recent memory was definitely a large factor in my decision.
So I guess I'm not a super fan; I'm also not Charlie Brown. 😞😄
(Inflammatory political snark)
