The move to D1 will hurt our women's bb program

[Guest]

I think the move to Division 1 will hurt our women's basketball program a lot. Unfortunately, crowds won't turn out just to see the women play the way they do for double headers. Fans won't pay high prices for tickets to individual women't games like they will for the men. Outside of the very elite (Tenessee and UConn) women's attendance is generally poor. Here is an excerpt from the Fargo Forum today (NDSU will be playing Maryland next year)...

The Bison and Terps will play at the 18,000-seat Comcast Center. It could be an empty arena; Maryland (6-2) is averaging only 907 fans through six games this year.

Marshall (5-1) is slightly better with an average of 1,407. All six of its games have been at home.

Does anyone share these concerns?

[SDSUFAN]

Re: The move to D1 will hurt our women's bb progra

I dont think it will hurt that much. We have a D1 program right now playing D2 basketball. We are in the wrong classification, plain and simple. BTW, gojacks why dont you sign up as a member to message board? Or are u some kind of a Coyote lurking over here for dead rabbits.

[89rabbit]

Re: The move to D1 will hurt our women's bb progra

Let me start by saying welcome gojacks.  We are always interested in having new posters join us and present their point of view.  I do encourage you to take a few moments and register (become one of the family).  We have had a lot of, what SDSUFAN calls, "drive by posters".  Folks who claim to be SDSU fans, who post something (usually negative) and are never heard from again.  By registering it will give your opinion more weight.

That being said lets go to the point of your question.  You subject line states that you think the move to D-I will hurt our womens program.  Do you mean their ability to compete or just draw fans?

Either way I say no.  We are already playing at a D-I level (looking at our games with Iowa and Colorado) as evidence.  I would also hold up an example a Mid-Major school from the area in which I currently live.  SMS (Southwest Missouri State of the Missouri Valley Conf.) they played in the NCAA Final 4 back in 2001.  I think our Women's program will do just fine in D-I (perhaps better then our Men's program)

http://www.sports.smsu.edu/wbasketball/

If you are talking about attendence the cold hard facts are that Women's Basketball does not draw as well as Men's at any level (be it High School, College, or Pro) with few exceptions.  I think it is safe to say that SDSU will out draw Maryland (if they are only avg. 907 fans) our first year.  We again are ready to compete with the big schools today (Last nights game the women's attendence was listed as 1,263 the men's attendence was listed at 2,402).  So I guess I would have to disagree with your premise.

Go State, D-I all the way!

[jackmd]

Re: The move to D1 will hurt our women's bb progra

Initially, attendance will not be as good as it is now, but you must also remember that as recent as 3-5 years ago attendance at the women's games was much less than it is now. Success is the key and I must agree with those who realize that we are a D-I quality team at this time. I am confident that the women's team will be able to stand on its own and it is likey that the first national tournament appearance and final four appearance will come via the woman' team not the men!!

[Texas_Jacks_Fan]

Re: The move to D1 will hurt our women's bb progra

I have no concerns about our womens team's move to D1. I think it was after the Colorado game their coach complimented the Jacks saying we were already a top 64 D1 (Big Dance qualifier) program as is. as far as attendence goes even though they wont have the mens team to increase numbers. I think they will do fine. While I wont travel back to Brookings specifically for the womens team, like I do the mens team. I will go to games whenever I can in Brookings and I would go 2-3 hours for a road game to watch our lady Jacks. I think our womens team can expect crowds in the 1500-2500 range, maybe more when quality opponets visit. I think that attendence will put us in the top 20% D1 in the nation

[CatchEmAll_Guy]

Re: The move to D1 will hurt our women's bb progra

You can almost expect ticket prices for single women's games to go down with the move to D-I. I think we all agree that people won't be willing to pay the same price for single women's games as they do for double-headers now (even though ticket prices are the same now for singles and doubleheaders).

Attendance will be shaky at first, but if the program continues to bring in quality players and continues to play near the level they are at now, people will come out. Plus, good competition will bring out the fans. Just think of how many people would have come to Frost if our women had played Colorado or Iowa at home this year.

It will take time, but the women's team will do alright if the attitudes and philosopy stay the same for bringing in players.

[ColoradoJack]

Re: The move to D1 will hurt our women's bb progra

very interesting to read these now in early 2007. I think the program is coming along nicely if not ahead of schedule.

[NightHawk78]

Re: The move to D1 will hurt our women's bb progra

Fascinating, indeed.......Terry mentioned this in his blog today:

For the first time ever, the SDSU women finished the season with a higher home attendance average than the men at 2,271 to 1,850.

Here's an attendance average for our women over the past four seasons:

2003-04: 2484 (helped by doubleheaders as fans would come early to get good seating for the men's game)
2004-05: 1473
2005-06: 1905
2006-07: 2271
2007-08: ??? 2500 is possible since we'll be in the Mid-Con and we may be having some doubleheaders again.

BTW- SDSU charges the same admission price for both men's and women's basketball. Overall, I'm not sure how many D-I schools have that practice. In a quick search, I found the following:

Same: NJIT, Southern Utah, Tennesse*
Less for WBB: IPFW, MN, Oral Roberts, Northern Iowa, LSU

*Tennesse charges less for most OOC MBB games ($8) while the WBB have General Admission for $10 (vs. $15 for Reserved)

[jackmd]

Re: The move to D1 will hurt our women's bb progra

Initially, attendance will not be as good as it is now, but you must also remember that as recent as 3-5 years ago attendance at the women's games was much less than it is now.  Success is the key and I must agree with those who realize that we are a D-I quality team at this time.  I am confident that the women's team will be able to stand on its own and it is likey that the first national tournament appearance and final four appearance will come via the woman' team not the men!!  

Well, I was wrong about attendance but not too far off with the rest. Now they just need that WNIT invite and a run to the final four.

[RaiderInTheZone]

Re: The move to D1 will hurt our women's bb progra

I think the move to Division 1 will hurt our women's basketball program a lot.  Unfortunately, crowds won't turn out just to see the women play the way they do for double headers.  Fans won't pay high prices for tickets to individual women't games like they will for the men.  Outside of the very elite (Tenessee and UConn) women's attendance is generally poor.  Here is an excerpt from the Fargo Forum today (NDSU will be playing Maryland next year)...

The Bison and Terps will play at the 18,000-seat Comcast Center. It could be an empty arena; Maryland (6-2) is averaging only 907 fans through six games this year.

Marshall (5-1) is slightly better with an average of 1,407. All six of its games have been at home.

Does anyone share these concerns?

Where are you getting this 907 people in attendance number for Maryland even over 6 games? I can't imagine Maryland not drawing over a few thousand per game. That number cannot be attendance for their basketball teams--either guys or girls.

Middle Tennessee still has some doubleheaders from time to time, but it's not very popular in Division 1. If your school is committed to the highest level of competition than they'll make it work. Our guys averaged over 4,000 fans per game despite the miserable year they had while our ladies averaged nearly 5,000 fans per game--good enough for 26th in the nation in attendance average that included a home opener with a record-breaking crowd of 10,010 against defending national champ, Maryland.

Women's attendance isn't as good as the guys, but it can be very good if you field a very good team. I know a bunch of people out there that would love to have the nearly 5,000 in attendance average that we have per game.

I don't see how South Dakota State cannot be successful in selling tickets. You have a very good women's basketball team. With no competition with major professional sports teams or other major Division 1 schools, you practically have the only game in town for several hundred miles.

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: The move to D1 will hurt our women's bb progra

[quote author=gojacks link=1071866461/0#0 date=1071859260]I think the move to Division 1 will hurt our women's basketball program a lot.  Unfortunately, crowds won't turn out just to see the women play the way they do for double headers.  Fans won't pay high prices for tickets to individual women't games like they will for the men.  Outside of the very elite (Tenessee and UConn) women's attendance is generally poor.  Here is an excerpt from the Fargo Forum today (NDSU will be playing Maryland next year)...

The Bison and Terps will play at the 18,000-seat Comcast Center. It could be an empty arena; Maryland (6-2) is averaging only 907 fans through six games this year.

Marshall (5-1) is slightly better with an average of 1,407. All six of its games have been at home.

Does anyone share these concerns?

Where are you getting this 907 people in attendance number for Maryland even over 6 games?  I can't imagine Maryland not drawing over a few thousand per game.  That number cannot be attendance for their basketball teams--either guys or girls.

Middle Tennessee still has some doubleheaders from time to time, but it's not very popular in Division 1.  If your school is committed to the highest level of competition than they'll make it work.  Our guys averaged over 4,000 fans per game despite the miserable year they had while our ladies averaged nearly 5,000 fans per game--good enough for 26th in the nation in attendance average that included a home opener with a record-breaking crowd of 10,010 against defending national champ, Maryland.

Women's attendance isn't as good as the guys, but it can be very good if you field a very good team.  I know a bunch of people out there that would love to have the nearly 5,000 in attendance average that we have per game.

I don't see how South Dakota State cannot be successful in selling tickets.  You have a very good women's basketball team.  With no competition with major professional sports teams or other major Division 1 schools, you practically have the only game in town for several hundred miles.[/quote]

DID YOU NOTICE THAT THE POST THAT YOU ARE REFERENCING IS MORE THAN 3 YEARS OLD?

SUPERBUNNY

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: The move to D1 will hurt our women's bb progra

[quote author=gojacks link=1071866461/0#0 date=1071859260]I think the move to Division 1 will hurt our women's basketball program a lot.  Unfortunately, crowds won't turn out just to see the women play the way they do for double headers.  Fans won't pay high prices for tickets to individual women't games like they will for the men.  Outside of the very elite (Tenessee and UConn) women's attendance is generally poor.  Here is an excerpt from the Fargo Forum today (NDSU will be playing Maryland next year)...

The Bison and Terps will play at the 18,000-seat Comcast Center. It could be an empty arena; Maryland (6-2) is averaging only 907 fans through six games this year.

Marshall (5-1) is slightly better with an average of 1,407. All six of its games have been at home.

Does anyone share these concerns?

Where are you getting this 907 people in attendance number for Maryland even over 6 games?  I can't imagine Maryland not drawing over a few thousand per game.  That number cannot be attendance for their basketball teams--either guys or girls.

Middle Tennessee still has some doubleheaders from time to time, but it's not very popular in Division 1.  If your school is committed to the highest level of competition than they'll make it work.  Our guys averaged over 4,000 fans per game despite the miserable year they had while our ladies averaged nearly 5,000 fans per game--good enough for 26th in the nation in attendance average that included a home opener with a record-breaking crowd of 10,010 against defending national champ, Maryland.

Women's attendance isn't as good as the guys, but it can be very good if you field a very good team.  I know a bunch of people out there that would love to have the nearly 5,000 in attendance average that we have per game.

I don't see how South Dakota State cannot be successful in selling tickets.  You have a very good women's basketball team.  With no competition with major professional sports teams or other major Division 1 schools, you practically have the only game in town for several hundred miles.[/quote]


The above posts are from a thread that was started over three years ago.  It was revived to show the success that our women's program has had and how some thought it was an area we would never reach.

Edit: Superbunny beat me by a hair.

[RaiderInTheZone]

Re: The move to D1 will hurt our women's bb progra

Didn't notice that the post was 3 years old. I don't usually look at dates on posts especially when you assume that the post is recent since it is around other recent posts.