I thought the Ladyjacks crowd was pretty great last night. Loud as I've heard WRJ in a while. Matt was right about quality over quantity.

Be the crowd you want SFA to have.

If you yell, others will yell. If you stand and clap after a big play, others will stand and clap. Let's make every single game better. Ivey and Brandi can work on the students. Let's set the example.

Two things from tonight that fit better here more than the in game thread.

First, a gripe. I hate that we're inconveniencing a huge chunk of our fan base to make 250 a night on parking. That's crap.



On the crowd noise side, I thought the cheerleaders did a great job with constant defense chants and it seemed pretty loud. Also, thankful that the pep band has school spirit by the truckload to make up for the lack of students. But there was one difference I noticed between Friday night and tonight.

Friday night I don't remember music being cranked to ten on every single play stoppage. There were multiple times were the fan noise would carry through the stoppage. There were still songs etc on occasion, but not every single time.

Tonight seemed different. It was cranked to 11 and on nearly every stoppage in play, so it seemed like as soon as they'd cut the noise on the inbound or whenever, we'd have to start fresh from complete silencew ith crowd noise. Seems like a small thing, but it felt overdone somewhat to our detriment.

Oh also, I thought nobody could match Grant for noise, but the Wilbourn girls are a two person homecourt advantage team. I wish my voice would carry like that. We're in good hands in CStat on Thursday.

Also in regards to the crowd today, I remember us being just alright in basketball before we got Underwood. Not great. But alright. We'd make a run in the SLC but no hopes of going anywhere beyond that. Somehow those teams drew larger crowds than our team with "sweet 16 or bust" aspirations.

If Axeperience isn't going to push Purple Haze, can the athletic dept over that name & organization?

I'm reticent to suggest that given how thinly spread the Athletic Dept seems to be at the moment, but I feel like they'd do better than Axeperience.

TallTexan said:

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First, a gripe. I hate that we're inconveniencing a huge chunk of our fan base to make 250 a night on parking. That's crap.

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We get a parking benefit because of our level of giving. I don't understand why that's not okay. We used to always park at dorm 20, on College, or even by 16 to avoid traffic getting out of the commuter lot. For years. It's not that far.

SFAJack_76 said:

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TallTexan said:

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First, a gripe. I hate that we're inconveniencing a huge chunk of our fan base to make 250 a night on parking. That's crap.

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We get a parking benefit because of our level of giving. I don't understand why that's not okay. We used to always park at dorm 20, on College, or even by 16 to avoid traffic getting out of the commuter lot. For years. It's not that far.

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There's a 6-passenger cart that runs from the parking lot to the coliseum and carries anyone that needs or requires a lift. Perhaps people need to be made aware of that little benefit, or perhaps a sign or two needs to be posted letting people know about it.

The Axeperience needs to go. They don't know what they are. They say they are not associated with Purple Haze but everything on their website says Purple Haxe.

They are full of excuses why they weren't there from it was a Sunday game to the students needed to rest and catch up on work to it was a non conference game.

SFA_03 said:

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Also in regards to the crowd today, I remember us being just alright in basketball before we got Underwood. Not great. But alright. We'd make a run in the SLC but no hopes of going anywhere beyond that. Somehow those teams drew larger crowds than our team with "sweet 16 or bust" aspirations.

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I know when I was there several of the fraternities would be there in there own little sections. You don't even see that anymore.

I remember they used to do a $100 giveaway for the organization that had the most students there. Maybe we can bring that back. Hell I'll throw in $100 and sponsor it for a game. There are 14 home games left but only 9 when school is in session. Announce the winner at the under 4 minute media timeout. Maybe make the forum the sponsors.

I forgot the Ladyjacks as well. Do it during their games as well.

I'm worried if the school throws a ton of money to try and host a playoff game in a couple of weeks, only for no one to be there because it's literally thanksgiving week.

"I forgot the Ladyjacks as well. Do it during their games as well. "

You and about 1000 other fans.

While we are talking about attendance, what else will it take to get attendance there? They literally crush everyone they play. Friday nights game was the most exciting game I've seen in a long time. I'm convinced that, had fans been allowed at Round 1 back in March, we would've pulled out that Georgia Tech upset. That was a Sweet 16 team.

Yet here we are, still struggling with attendance. HOWEVER, we were loud Friday. I hate that I can't make every game but I'll give it my all on the games I can make.

Pilotgirl said:

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"I forgot the Ladyjacks as well. Do it during their games as well. "

You and about 1000 other fans.

While we are talking about attendance, what else will it take to get attendance there? They literally crush everyone they play. Friday nights game was the most exciting game I've seen in a long time. I'm convinced that, had fans been allowed at Round 1 back in March, we would've pulled out that Georgia Tech upset. That was a Sweet 16 team.

Yet here we are, still struggling with attendance. HOWEVER, we were loud Friday. I hate that I can't make every game but I'll give it my all on the games I can make.

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Sorry I forgot to include them in my original post and had to go back and edit it. My bad.

SFA_03 said:

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I'm worried if the school throws a ton of money to try and host a playoff game in a couple of weeks, only for no one to be there because it's literally thanksgiving week.

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Ya I was just looking at the calendar and we're booked solid that day.

Now if they have it on actual Thanksgiving, I'm completely open.

SFAJack_76 said:

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TallTexan said:

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First, a gripe. I hate that we're inconveniencing a huge chunk of our fan base to make 250 a night on parking. That's crap.

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We get a parking benefit because of our level of giving. I don't understand why that's not okay. We used to always park at dorm 20, on College, or even by 16 to avoid traffic getting out of the commuter lot. For years. It's not that far.

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I do too, granted I forgot it in the other car last night so had to walk.

But we're all complaining about attendance and sticking 2/3rds of our fanbase in the very back of the parking lot.

If they want to do that 2nd level tag or paid parking, they should use the barriers to cut the middle section in half.

But we're inconveniencing our own fans and making them walk past a huge stretch of empty parking, it's a bad look.

IMO, there's no quicker way to get a good coach to want to leave than to make him feel unappreciated for what he's trying to accomplish. That has to be the way that Keller is feeling right now. The Athletic Department or somebody HAS to find a way to get attendance up or Keller will be on the first bus out of here.

The apathy by the students is absolutely DISGUSTING! There were comments on Twitter last night made by people from other WAC schools asking "Where's the crowd?" Right now I don't think we could fill up WRJ if Duke or North Carolina or anyone else came to town, unless it's UT or A&M, which apparently are the only two schools most of these ignorant students have ever heard of.

PurpleOut said:

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TallTexan said:

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On the crowd noise side, I thought the cheerleaders did a great job with constant defense chants and it seemed pretty loud. Also, thankful that the pep band has school spirit by the truckload to make up for the lack of students. But there was one difference I noticed between Friday night and tonight.

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Don't disagree, but there has to be something else they do to change it up sometimes. All we have and have ever had, is just chanting defense. I know I'm always reaching for the atmosphere that I want, but very few of the best just chant defense over and over. That's fine every now and then, but there has to be that constant noise that you see from basically every larger school.

There were 8-10 times last night, where we had a nice bucket or went on a very small run, to where after the bucket is made...we should all be up and yelling. That's a real college basketball atmosphere.

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Ya I wish we had a few other things we could rotate in too, but hey, baby steps. I did feel like the times where we hit those buckets when people stood up and were cheering, and SDSU called timeout, we instantly hit play on a song.

Honestly, felt like the Ladyjacks crowd set a better standard on Friday of just pure noise.

PurpleOut said:

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Twitter was a disaster last night. I definitely fueled the fire and probably shouldn't have as much, but I was extremely irritated with the student turn out.

The student section was literally single digits. And sure, we always have a problem of students sitting in other areas...but walking around yesterday, I didn't really see them anywhere.

The excuses they all made on Twitter just adds to the same crap we've been dealing with since I graduate. Anytime you say something, give an idea, just provide constructive criticism it responded with "STOP ATTACKING US/THEM! THEY ARE DOING THEIR BEST!!!"

I tell you what, if that's their best...then they need to be replaced. This was a tweet from one of the leaders:

Sunday is a really iffy day to force attendance when: 1. The team isn't in our conference. 2. Games usually aren't on Sundays. Our organization has more to offer than just being a student section. This "resume builder" of a group is to help create campus leaders in different. 1/2

— 😎😳🤩🤪🥳 (@austincf71) November 14, 2021

Baffling. The Sunday excuse. The non-conference game excuse??? My goodness. Last year it was that they were "too tired." I don't know what else to do, unfortunately you can't do much to battle against lazy.

I feel bad for our entire athletic department but especially Keller after hearing his post game. He and his guys are out there handing out cookies and donuts and for what? ZERO return from the students.

I'll stop for now. Sorry.

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Ya if the goal of Axeperience is a resume builder for students, Purple Haze needs to be separate. Also, I work with a bunch of Aggies/Red Raiders/Bears and they're not about to ask about what you learned leading campus tours. They're gonna ask what games you loved to see. It's constant. Every interview they do.

I'm still thinking you make Purple Haze an athletic dept arm. Axeperience can contain everything else.

Honestly, our guys would get a better return handing out cookies and donuts in front of Walmart to get fans to the game.


In regards to students sitting in other sections, there was like 2 dozen students that sat at center court in our seats. The row behind them was open and the guy usually to my left is tall too so so I'm absolutely not mad about moving back a row and getting more space. But they were dead silent. They were just watching the game, no cheering at all. But I'm glad they showed up. I had more students in my seats than the actual student section.

This is my thought however, I don't want to hassle students who do show up too much. Like that's 75% of the battle. But we should hassle them to sit in the student section. And we should also reward them by making the student section center court on the home side. Let's say first 6-8 rows, so that it's always full. That way we're saying when you show up as a student, hey, enjoy the best seats in the house. Show up and go crazy.

I know that's a little countintuitive, like hey, they're not showing up well at the moment, or making noise, but last year the overall wearing hooligans(8-10 of them) would show up almost every game and really get into it. If you 1. reward them with center court front row seats you might get 15-20 of them every game 2. Their energy will get their fellow students into the game more if they're sitting in a single packed section.

I'm not about to kick the current students out of center court when there is only like 6 or 7 of us season ticket holders sitting there and the rest are no shows. Might as well make that the official student section and force them all into the best seats so they're concentrated.

Agreed! I think those students were fellow student athletes.

PurpleOut said:

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I think flipping the benches and moving the student section to the other corner hurts them. Sad, but now they have to walk the entire length of the coliseum to get to their section. I get having them there so they are next to the visiting bench, but I'm not sure that is going to work.

If we are going to leave it that way, then we at least need to force them to enter a side entrance to help direct them back to that corner.

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Honestly there are more students that sit right behind the first goal than the student section. I don't know why, the baseline view isn't great, but there's usually 20-30 students there.

It's like the old conundrum of where do you put sidewalks? Where people are already walking:


Don't try to build a student section where no students were sitting originally. Look at where they are sitting and build around that. Either that or entice them with free food in the far corner so that becomes default. You can snag 20 pizzas a game for 100 bucks from little Caesers(give or take).

PurpleOut said:

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Those students behind the other goal yesterday, were actually high school students. Hudson ISD brought two buses of kids. Maybe we can just hope for that every weekend?

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Friday night had a good contingent of 20 or so SFA students back there. And there was students from another school Thursday or Friday in the old student section corner. I wasn't sure where the Hudson kids were yesterday.

And I'd give any HS that will bring buses free tickets. Sit them right behind the official student section.

I know when PurpleOut, myself, and a few others on the board were at SFA they had a lot of giveaways and contests. They gave $100 to the organization that showed up with the most members. That at least put butts in the seats even though they were spread out. They also eventually got into the games and made some noise.

I remember them playing knockout and musical chairs during halftime. The cheerleaders throwing t-shirts and other things into the crowd.

Also free chicken from Canes if they scored what 65 points (thanks Danny ball).

I'm not sure when all of that stopped.

PurpleOut said:

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One other issue that I saw last night, was one concession stand.

I LOVE that they turned one into a store, but only having one concession stand looked like a disaster when I walked up at halftime. The line was all the way to half court.

I'm assuming they are trying to get everyone to use the mobile app and have food delivered, which is amazing. But I just think we have too many older fans that won't be able to do that.

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Concessions is a work in progress. New company, new facility, new equipment, staffing, etc. It will get better.

sfajack05 said:

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I know when PurpleOut, myself, and a few others on the board were at SFA they had a lot of giveaways and contests. They gave $100 to the organization that showed up with the most members. That at least put butts in the seats even though they were spread out. They also eventually got into the games and made some noise.

I remember them playing knockout and musical chairs during halftime. The cheerleaders throwing t-shirts and other things into the crowd.

Also free chicken from Canes if they scored what 65 points (thanks Danny ball).

I'm not sure when all of that stopped.

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Don't know about the others, but Canes stopped the free chicken. Perhaps two years ago?

SFAJack_76 said:

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PurpleOut said:

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One other issue that I saw last night, was one concession stand.

I LOVE that they turned one into a store, but only having one concession stand looked like a disaster when I walked up at halftime. The line was all the way to half court.

I'm assuming they are trying to get everyone to use the mobile app and have food delivered, which is amazing. But I just think we have too many older fans that won't be able to do that.

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Concessions is a work in progress. New company, new facility, new equipment, staffing, etc. It will get better.

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Ya I think KB's team is definitely going to get this to a much higher level.

And the app is fantastic. We just need to let our folks know they can use it from their seats.

I think this entire thread by Vanessa is really good at highlighting some of the attendance and atmosphere issues and what their underlying causes could be. She's a recent grad and ticketing pro.

I feel my time in professional sports and working with SFA Athletics as a student engagement marketing intern really pushed me to analyze both sides of the coin here regarding attendance for @SFA_WBB and @SFA_MBB games here in 2021. CC: @PeytonWXYZ @mattadk

— V for Good Vibes ☁️ (@nessie_horan) November 15, 2021

PurpleOut said:

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Agreed. We have a few tweets back and forth around "memberships." Which I think is a huge problem. That has and always will cause a problem.

If our students can't recognize that they can go to any athletic event and sit in a designated section just for students, then they will not understand why they have to be a member. Or in the past, why they would have requirements to be a member of PHA. Makes no sense and just deters them.

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Ya I like the idea of the Jackhammers running around the stadium pre-game and in TV timeouts getting folks to sit in the student section. I would even give the official PH leaders the front row reserved in that section.

But "Purple Haze" should always be the student section name with no additional requirements and that needs to be clearly communicated. Maybe some sort of a hype video to help explain that the student section is for all students. (sidenote, did we even replace Alex? He had a video a week).

This is one space where I think the new Axeperience name can help remove some of that confusion. Now it's possible to differentiate the org from the student section and we should clearly establish that.