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Normally 89Rabbit has links posted on this site, to Solari's articles on State, before the argusleader even puts them up. However, I couldn't help but notice that he didn't post today's article on the Jackrabbits. For those of you who haven't gotten a chance to read the article, I figured I would post it for you. Your welcome. ;D
SDSU attendance down
Schools officials expects numbers to rise next season
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com
published: 02/10/05
A handful of fans watch from behind the basket as the SDSU men’s basketball team takes on Southwest Minnesota at Frost Arena last Monday.
(Stuart Villanueva - Argus Leader)
ATTENDANCE NUMBERS
SDSU men's basketball home attendance, 2000-01 to this year
Games Total Avg. 04-05:
11 17,783 1,617 04-05:
17 57,383 3,375 03-04:
17 59,357 3,492 02-03:
17 75,633 4,449 01-02:
14 52,707 3,765 00-01
SDSU women's basketball home attendance, 2000-01 to this year
Games Total Avg.
7 10,473 1,496 04-05:
14 34,777 2,484 03-04:
19 51,172 2,693 02-03:
15 38,626 2,575 01-02:
13 24,004 1,846 00-01
COMING UP
INDOOR TRACK: Friday-Saturday, Iowa State Classic, Ames, Iowa
WOMEN'S TENNIS: Friday, vs. Augustana, Sioux Falls, Sioux Empire Fitness
WRESTLING: Friday, hosting Northern Iowa, 7 p.m.
MEN'S TENNIS: Saturday, vs. Dordt, Sioux Falls, Sioux Empire Fitness.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Saturday, University of Sioux Falls, 7 p.m., Frost Arena.
BROOKINGS - There's a framed photo of a jam-packed 1997 game at Frost Arena that sits on a table in the venue's press box, a symbol of a glorious, ear-ringing era at South Dakota State.
Glance out into Frost these days, and you'll see a sea of empty seats and hear more echo from the cowbell than roaring crowds.
Men's and women's basketball attendance has dropped off significantly this season, the school's first at Division I, but Athletic Director Fred Oien said it was an anticipated decline because of home games against mostly NAIA teams and the men and women not playing games on the same nights.
At the same time, Oien expects the attendance to increase once Division I opponents start visiting South Dakota next season.
With their home schedule finished, the Jackrabbit men averaged 1,617 fans for their 11 home contests, down more than 50 percent from 3,375 in 17 games a year ago.
The SDSU women are at 1,496 a game after 851 watched the team's victory over Si Tanka-Huron on Wednesday.
SDSU was second nationally in Division II women's attendance for 2003-04. The 2,484 average was just behind North Dakota State for the second straight year.
"We understood that because the way that basketball scheduling was going to work, being a non-counter (for Division I teams in RPI), that we were going to play predominantly a non-conference schedule," Oien said. "(Non-conference) attendance had always been a lot lower than being in a conference."
Last season, the Jackrabbit women drew 1,752 fans for six non-league games, while the men averaged 2,575 in nine contests. Both numbers are higher than this year's average attendance.
This season's high-water marks for fans came against North Dakota State, which is also making its transition to Division I. The women's game between the two schools, with 4,739 fans, setting a single-game women's record at Frost, and actually outdrew the men's game (4,281).
Oien likened the NDSU games to how a theater fills up for a highly regarded film's opening.
"They were both weekend games and, obviously, against a familiar foe," he said. "But at the same time, people's expectations for those games were good, quality competition. Everyone brings perception when they buy a ticket on its value."
Up in Fargo, NDSU is experiencing the same kind of difficulties drawing fans. The Bison men have averaged 1,280 fans in nine home games, while the women have drawn 1,268 to 10 games. Both totals are down by more than 1,000 fans a contest compared to last season.
"There's no question the quality of our home opponents hasn't been as good as it has been in the past," Bison men's basketball coach Tim Miles told the Grand Forks Herald last week. "This year, it's not. But (the home schedule) will be stronger next year and stronger as you go on."
NDSU hosts SDSU for a men's-women's doubleheader on Feb. 26.
SDSU was allowed to schedule whatever opponents it could in its first of a five-year transition to full-fledged Division I status. Next year, Oien said the Jackrabbits must play a minimum of 23 D-I opponents for both men and women, with at least nine of those games being at Frost. They'll also be able to schedule four non-Division I games, all of which will be held in Brookings.
Oien said that though the two SDSU teams won't have the opportunity to piggyback each other's crowds without doubleheader, the opponents' name recognition should help sell tickets.
"A lot of that will hold true when Arkansas State and Butler come here, or when Alabama comes here for the women," Oien said. "All of a sudden, the perception of what's going to happen at the game creates more fan interest."
Reach Chris Solari at 977-3923.
SDSU attendance down
Schools officials expects numbers to rise next season
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com
published: 02/10/05
A handful of fans watch from behind the basket as the SDSU men’s basketball team takes on Southwest Minnesota at Frost Arena last Monday.
(Stuart Villanueva - Argus Leader)
ATTENDANCE NUMBERS
SDSU men's basketball home attendance, 2000-01 to this year
Games Total Avg. 04-05:
11 17,783 1,617 04-05:
17 57,383 3,375 03-04:
17 59,357 3,492 02-03:
17 75,633 4,449 01-02:
14 52,707 3,765 00-01
SDSU women's basketball home attendance, 2000-01 to this year
Games Total Avg.
7 10,473 1,496 04-05:
14 34,777 2,484 03-04:
19 51,172 2,693 02-03:
15 38,626 2,575 01-02:
13 24,004 1,846 00-01
COMING UP
INDOOR TRACK: Friday-Saturday, Iowa State Classic, Ames, Iowa
WOMEN'S TENNIS: Friday, vs. Augustana, Sioux Falls, Sioux Empire Fitness
WRESTLING: Friday, hosting Northern Iowa, 7 p.m.
MEN'S TENNIS: Saturday, vs. Dordt, Sioux Falls, Sioux Empire Fitness.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Saturday, University of Sioux Falls, 7 p.m., Frost Arena.
BROOKINGS - There's a framed photo of a jam-packed 1997 game at Frost Arena that sits on a table in the venue's press box, a symbol of a glorious, ear-ringing era at South Dakota State.
Glance out into Frost these days, and you'll see a sea of empty seats and hear more echo from the cowbell than roaring crowds.
Men's and women's basketball attendance has dropped off significantly this season, the school's first at Division I, but Athletic Director Fred Oien said it was an anticipated decline because of home games against mostly NAIA teams and the men and women not playing games on the same nights.
At the same time, Oien expects the attendance to increase once Division I opponents start visiting South Dakota next season.
With their home schedule finished, the Jackrabbit men averaged 1,617 fans for their 11 home contests, down more than 50 percent from 3,375 in 17 games a year ago.
The SDSU women are at 1,496 a game after 851 watched the team's victory over Si Tanka-Huron on Wednesday.
SDSU was second nationally in Division II women's attendance for 2003-04. The 2,484 average was just behind North Dakota State for the second straight year.
"We understood that because the way that basketball scheduling was going to work, being a non-counter (for Division I teams in RPI), that we were going to play predominantly a non-conference schedule," Oien said. "(Non-conference) attendance had always been a lot lower than being in a conference."
Last season, the Jackrabbit women drew 1,752 fans for six non-league games, while the men averaged 2,575 in nine contests. Both numbers are higher than this year's average attendance.
This season's high-water marks for fans came against North Dakota State, which is also making its transition to Division I. The women's game between the two schools, with 4,739 fans, setting a single-game women's record at Frost, and actually outdrew the men's game (4,281).
Oien likened the NDSU games to how a theater fills up for a highly regarded film's opening.
"They were both weekend games and, obviously, against a familiar foe," he said. "But at the same time, people's expectations for those games were good, quality competition. Everyone brings perception when they buy a ticket on its value."
Up in Fargo, NDSU is experiencing the same kind of difficulties drawing fans. The Bison men have averaged 1,280 fans in nine home games, while the women have drawn 1,268 to 10 games. Both totals are down by more than 1,000 fans a contest compared to last season.
"There's no question the quality of our home opponents hasn't been as good as it has been in the past," Bison men's basketball coach Tim Miles told the Grand Forks Herald last week. "This year, it's not. But (the home schedule) will be stronger next year and stronger as you go on."
NDSU hosts SDSU for a men's-women's doubleheader on Feb. 26.
SDSU was allowed to schedule whatever opponents it could in its first of a five-year transition to full-fledged Division I status. Next year, Oien said the Jackrabbits must play a minimum of 23 D-I opponents for both men and women, with at least nine of those games being at Frost. They'll also be able to schedule four non-Division I games, all of which will be held in Brookings.
Oien said that though the two SDSU teams won't have the opportunity to piggyback each other's crowds without doubleheader, the opponents' name recognition should help sell tickets.
"A lot of that will hold true when Arkansas State and Butler come here, or when Alabama comes here for the women," Oien said. "All of a sudden, the perception of what's going to happen at the game creates more fan interest."
Reach Chris Solari at 977-3923.
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