Improving the Program

[Muskie]

I don't pretend to know the relative health of the Women's program, but what are some of the ways we can get more fans involved? What other ways of improving the program?

I've been a proponent of doing a double header with the Women's team playing a game on Saturday Afternoon followed by the Men's game that night.
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[GuyFawkes38]

Easy question.

More fireworks.

The kids love fireworks.

[Muskie]

Easy question.

More fireworks.

The kids love fireworks.

Gunpowder plot eh?

I don't know if more gimmicks are the answer. I was never a fan of Women's College Ball until my friend's sister starting playing in high school. She now plays for another Division I school, and I absolutely enjoy watching those games. I like the Women's game for different reasons than the men's game. But fundamentally, the game is the same. Both Men and Women are putting an orange ball through an orange hoop.

[xuwin]

Bobbleheads every game. Kids will go anywhere to get a bobblehead no matter who it is. :)

[xu_fan]

The sad thing is I don't know that there is a way. I have tried for years to get people to come with me to games. I've asked co-workers, fellow students, family, etc and nobody ever wants to come! I've even offered to pay for their ticket at times. There is this pre-concieved notion that women's sports are "stupid"/"not sports" ( just some of the things I hear). Most of the time if I was actually able to get a friend through the door they've enjoyed themselves and have come back from time to time.

I wish I had a better answer to this question, but I dont. Literally, when I talk about it at work people laugh at me and say, "who watches women's basketball" blah blah blah blah blah... I try to explain how enjoyable it is but it never works. Personally, I am so entertained by it, its crazy. I am so freakin passionate about it that its hard to understand why people wouldn't be. I just don't know how to spread the word in a productive way.

:(

[BBC 08]

I try and watch Xavier whenever they are on national TV but it's such a boring game of ball (women's basketball as a whole, not just Xavier) that I can't help but change the channel.

[spongebob]

I try and watch Xavier whenever they are on national TV but it's such a boring game of ball (women's basketball as a whole, not just Xavier) that I can't help but change the channel.

This is the precise answer to the originally posed question imo. Change this perception, and you have your golden goose. How to do it, now that's the million dollar question. It is obvious that the "build it they will come" thing i.e. put a winning product on the floor, play an exciting and challenging non-con, win conference championships, go to the tourney, etal hasn't been enough.

[Benxman]

Gunpowder plot eh?

But fundamentally, the game is the same. Both Men and Women are putting an orange ball through an orange hoop.

Truly, the fact that they are both putting an orang ball throuigh an orange hoop, is about the only similarity between the men and women's games.

The women play at a much slower pace and a much lesser athletic ability. They lack the quickness and power that make the men's game so scintilating. Frankly, l love to watch women swim and play tennis, but basketball? Not so much.

Just sayin'.

GO MUSKIES!

[STL_XUfan]

This is the precise answer to the originally posed question imo. Change this perception, and you have your golden goose. How to do it, now that's the million dollar question. It is obvious that the "build it they will come" thing i.e. put a winning product on the floor, play an exciting and challenging non-con, win conference championships, go to the tourney, etal hasn't been enough.

There was an article a few years ago that suggested part of the perception issue that women's basketball programs have is the ticket pricing. By placing the ticket prices so much lower than males sports it institutionalizes the perception that women's sports are worth less and therefore it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy.

I don't necessarily agree with it, also I don't think a change this late in the game can really effect the perception much, but it is an interesting thought.

Something that could be interesting to do is make the arena artificially smaller. Maybe drop curtains on the upper deck so it doesn't feel as empty and encourages people to sit closer to the floor. The game would be more exciting with 5k fans packed in the lower bowl, than having 5k fans and you are still looking at 5k empty seats on the second level. Also the curtains could help increase noise in the arena. Finally, it would bring the supply of the tickets a little bit closer to demand.

[xu_fan]

Truly, the fact that they are both putting an orang ball throuigh an orange hoop, is about the only similarity between the men and women's games.

The women play at a much slower pace and a much lesser athletic ability. They lack the quickness and power that make the men's game so scintilating. Frankly, l love to watch women swim and play tennis, but basketball? Not so much.

Just sayin'.

GO MUSKIES!

It's so hard for me to even wrap my mind around this because I disagree so much. I do think the game is a little slower, but it never has been an issue for me being totally entertained! It is different for sure but a good different imo...