The Bobcat Nation

I took my family to the MSU/ISU game last night. As a wrestler, I don't have much input on the game. So, I'll shed some light on other aspects of the experience. I'll also note that I plan on sending an e-mail to MSU:

1) Ticket gate: When we arrived at 6:30 last night, we walked up to the ticket booth on the South side of the building. There was a line of 15-20 people waiting inside. They had two windows open outside and so we elected to get in line outside. The two windows were busy, one guy was waiting behind them for the first available window and then we were behind him. It was astounding how slow this process went. In particular, the guy in front of us stepped up to get a will call ticket. Five minuetes later he had it. That put us up. We had six people in our group. My wife was fortunate enough to have two free ticket vouchers that MSU had graciously given out to Bozeman school district employees (thanks MSU!!!). So, we showed them, and asked to buy four more in the economy section (one adult and three children). The young man working it took over ten minutes to get this figured out. In the end, we were charged $12 (the cost should have been $28 for the family discount or $30 for individual ticket pricing). In addition to this, he gave us 8 tickets! We were so frustrated with the whole experience that we walked off and just handed two tickets to a family waiting in line inside.
-My observations: It is certainly not helping MSU's chances of filling the arena when walk up ticket buyers wait 25 minutes just to get their tickets when there isn't a line to begin with. I can't imagine trying to get them if a lot of people were trying to at the same time.
-My observations: My mother-in-law commented on the state of guy working the counter. $12 for eight tickets? More then ten minutes to process this? Let's just say there was more then one joke made regarding butane lighters.


2) Game: As mentioned, I don't have any playing experience at any level in basketball. So, I go to them for the energy from the crowd which excites me and I in turn cheer and have a good time. Also, I like watching Coach Huse; he's passionate! I also look for that passion to translate in to energy on the floor from the players; create excitement in the crowd from your play type-of-thing. Was last night the norm? The team had a few moments where it's play got the crowd going. But, for the most part, everyone, including myself, just sat and watched (I felt like I was at a tennis match). I can't imagine being a cheerleader trying to get the crowd excited only to be met by our response most of the night. I did think Coach Huse held to his part of the deal. The crowd got fired up a few times during the game when the Cats played touch D or hit a big shot. Just not nearly enough, imo.



3) Student section: My wife and I were discussing this. We both went to school here during the early '90's and seem to remember having to get to the game early enough just to be able to sit inthe student section as it was always full. We even laughed remembering having to stand sidways in the stands all packed together. So, which is the chicken and which is the egg in this equation? I'm sure the players would play with more fire if a loud and crazy crowd were always there. I'm also sure more students would show up if they felt it was going to be an entertaining time. I know we discuss this on the football forums so this is nothing new. I guess I'm just wishing I knew of a way to change the culture that is currently in play for the students and make it so the sporting events on campus were social musts where people came just to be seen and in turn did some loud cheering while there.


Our kids have a great time meeting friends at the game, so we'll continue to go. I just hope I run in to the same ticket guy again; great value!

Jason,

FYI, last night was a 2 for 1 deal on tickets. Suprised the hell outta me when she said "that'll be $24" for 4 standard tickets, lower level, no less!

But you are right, it takes wayyyyyyyy too long to get tickets. I think they do a better job at the North Entrance (faster).

Yeah-getting tickets can be a pain. They have to print out each ticket indivdually after entering all pertinent info into the computer. It takes too dang long. Not like olden times when you handed over your money and a ticket (already printed) was quickly provided. I suppose the computer helps them keep track of things-but it slows things down considerably.

The atmophere in the arena is what it is. The crowd was a bit smallish last night. At least the students woke up to give ISU coach O'Brien some crap after he got his technical.

good post. and pretty funny. this one pretty much ties into the game atmosphere thread. i think everyone knows my thoughts on this. if the team wins, the fans come. it's just too hard to get excited for a game knowing that you may load up your entire family, drive on snowy/icy roads, deal with freezing temps, only to get inside and watch a team lose. after a while, the casual fans won't go anymore. i try to attend every game, but do to a house of sick kids, wasn't able to make it last night, and probably not tonight either. but i'm sure there are many out there that just don't care enough. look at the griz program. a few years ago when they were having a lot of success, their stadium was packed. their message board was filled with guys talking about hoops. there was a lot of excitement. although now...not so much. although still more than we have here. people unfortunately just don't care about the basketball program. before football games there are countless threads about opponents, strengths, weaknesses, lookalikes, etc. for hoops there is nothing. we are the most die hard of the bobcat faithful, and we had less than 10 posts about last nights game, and nearly zero in game discussion. if those of us on this board don't care enough, why would we think the students and other fans would be any different? sadly, the ONLY way this team will get a following is if they start winning all the time.

as far as the student section goes, i have two thoughts. one...it's not just the student section. it's the entire crowd. no one goes to these games like they used to. and i think that goes back to what i wrote above. no one cares about hoops right now. but for the students in particular, i wonder if this isn't just a sign of the times. i don't want to come off as nerdy, but i can't help but think that our current technology. and lifestyle of instant gratification doesn't carry some of the responsibility. it sounds a little crazy but i really believe that. even as recently as the early nineties there just wasn't the distractions we have now. if you wanted to talk to someone you had to go to call them at home or even just go to their house. if you called them and they were talking, you got the busy signal! if you wanted to reach them by computer you'd dial up AOL! if there were other things going on, you heard from word of mouth, or sheer luck. it's not like that anymore. every single person you know has a cell phome. there is myspace and facebook. if you want to get a hold of someone, anyone, you can in seconds. i just think this is the path that we're on. of course, all of these distractions become moot if the team starts winning, and going to the games is once again the "cool" thing to do. as it is, most would rather play video games against an other guy on the other side of the country via the internet than to go watch average basketball.

barechest - I have only been to one game this season, and my experience was very much like yours. Being from Helena, we just don't get a chance to make it over for too many b-ball games. So when an afternoon game pops up, we always take it in. So this year, we made it over a couple weeks ago when the Cats hosted EWU in a Sunday afternoon matchup.

Now I know, afternoon games usually don't draw well for all the many reasons we have already discussed on this board, but sorry, I still do not get it. The Cats barely drew over 3,000 for this game, and the student section wasn't even close to being half full. Again, just like you mentioned with last night's game, there was very little enthusiasm from the crowd. A couple times there was some excitement, be we also felt like we are at tennis match or a golf tournament rather than a D-1 college basketball game. I know that many people on this board have stated that the team should give the crowd something to be excited about and I agree, but it is also the fans that need to give the team something to be fired up about, and quite frankly, that just doesn't happen in the fieldhouse anymore. I am actually surprised that anyone would want to commit to playing for the Cats in front of such apathetic crowds.

I am not trying to play the part of the grumpy old man, but I too remember when I attended MSU in the late 80's and you had to arrive very early if you wanted a seat in the student section. That section was always packed and always loud. And I really don't want to hear about the effect the team's performance had, because the teams we fielded back then weren't any better than the ones that play today.

Our overall experience was that it just wasn't much fun. No effort from the fans, no effort from the spirirt squad, and combine that with the poor performance the Cats had in the second half to lose to a team that is one of the worst in our conference, and we just can't justify driving over from Helena for too many more ball games.

Great Post. The entire situation in both mens and womens roundball is poor to say the least. Matter of fact, the MSU Athletic Department under the currenty leadership "SUCKS", period

....and we're right behind Weber for the best attendance!

Sometimes I think that the student don't get into it because they don't relate to the players or there is no real "star" to watch. We're very balanced...no real big time draw like Quadre Lollis Danny Sprinkle Tom Domako Ray Willis or Kral ferch.

There is also an usher that works the games that is really getting on my nerves! He is a short stalky blond guy with a beard who takes his job much too seriously. Last night he was working the gate and my wife hadn't finished a hamburger that we got just before the game. she had it in a sack and as we walked through the gate he asked what that was...which is a logical question because of security....but he made her either give it up or go outside to finish it. Now I know that they want to sell their concessions, but it's not like we brought a whole meal in....and the same guy was working as an usher down by the floor at a women's game. Our tickets are in section 106? at the east end of the arena in the blue chairs. Just before the game started we wanted to move into the center section 108 because no one was sitting in the second row. He made us go back to the section 106, and watched us the rest of the 1st half to make sure. One of the ladies that work that section at another game told us to just wait until the game starts and then move because they want people courtside to yell and cheer....and I do! I know it's probably technically his job...but it's not like there are enough people at women's games that some one is getting screwed out of their seat...and also they sometimes even give tickets away! We come from Helena to all of the women's games and this guy is starting to follow me around it seems!

Glad to see I'm not the only one who has seen this.

Now, time for solutions:

1) Students: How about a flyer blast at all of the dorms, Greek houses, Strand Union, new gym, etc. Sell it as the place to be this Friday/Saturday night. Work some kind of drawing (2-3 even) for credit at Strand Union, free ski lift tickets, whatever. Have noise competitions between dorms and/or houses (N vs S Hedges one night. Fraternities vs Sororities another night). If we can find ways to get people to start adding the game to their evening (heck who goes out to the bars before ten?) it will become a fun thing and they will continue to go.

2) General public: How about treating it like the local ski/golf areas do around here? They make it extremely affordable for the kid, get them hooked on a life hobby, and then charge regular rates for when they get older. So, do the same thing: sacrifice a little in money now to make more later. Allow free admission for one student and one parent and do some school vs school noise competitions. How about some kind of old fogeys vs the whippersnappers? Make these game long competitions. Heck you can go get corporate sponsors, or you could make the loser bow to the winner after the game.
Once your culture starts going in the wrong direction, it's going to take some serious effort to bring it back. But, how awesome would it be to have 1-2 sections of crazy painted up students. How about an entire arena full of crazed people on their feet, waving their arms, screaming like mad?

Anybody on here remember that 1996 season when the Bobcats won the conference tournament in Bozeman? That's the most fun at a basketball game I've ever had. I"m wanting that experience much more often!

Another possible reason (just thinking out loud here so-to-speak): With our current nine team league, the schedule is unbalanced. The entire season doesn't seem to have any rhythm. The season kind of lurches along.

If you were at the Weber game you saw passion and a very involved crowd - lots of folks, lots of noise, students standing throughout most of the game...kinda like the old days. Only two things that would have been better is if we had won or if the zebras had done their job.

Old Cat wrote:If you were at the Weber game you saw passion and a very involved crowd - lots of folks, lots of noise, students standing throughout most of the game...kinda like the old days. Only two things that would have been better is if we had won or if the zebras had done their job.

Very glad to hear on the crowd part......not so much the score

We would have love to come again tonight. But, both our boys are wrestling in a youth tournament tomorrow and it was early bed for them.

Again, kudos to a good crowd!