Orlando Sentinel: Bleak look at UCF hoops fandom

[CyberBull]

When USF was winning in our SunBelt/Metro conference days and at the height of Greenberg's stay in Tampa USF was pulling in averages of at least 5K/game. Not great but not bad.

I wonder how long Speraw sticks around with this kind of support?

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Bleak look at UCF hoops fandom

By Alan Schmadtke

Sentinel Staff Writer

If there’s one thing UCF men’s basketball coach Kirk Speraw should have learned from his third consecutive 20-win season, it’s that he needs to do one of two things:

1) Get a serious chunk of new marketing dollars for his program.

2) Or challenge himself -- and his three assistant coaches -- to add marketing to their job descriptions and start recruiting fans and boosters like they recruit players.

The Golden Knights went 24-9 with a second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and saw their attendance drop by a third. Say what?

Speraw’s program went from a 2003-04 home game average attendance of 1,884 to this year’s 1,283.

Here’s a news flash: No matter what the Knights do on the court, they’re going to struggle to get over the 2,000-fan average mark.

That’s what happens when you surround your basketball arena with a construction site. And we do mean surround. The next two years could be the worst of all, for just getting to the arena from the main part of UCF’s campus will mean somehow getting through the construction zone scheduled for the new convocation center.

Then there’s this bit of disturbing news, courtesy of UCF’s recently conducted football stadium feasibility study. There aren’t that many college basketball fans in Orlando.

C.H. Johnson Consulting surveyed Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce members and Golden Knights Club members about how interested they are in buying season tickets and club-level seats at a new on-campus football stadium. They also asked about how likely those folks were to buy tickets at the new convocation center.

Of the chamber members surveyed, 88 percent said they “would NOT†be interested in premium seats in the new arena over a new stadium. And 88 percent said they wouldn’t buy premium seats in both.

Of GKC members surveyed, 93 percent said they “would NOT†be interested in premium arena seats ahead of premium seats in a new stadium.

In other words, boosters are less likely to buy good seats than others in Orlando.

Ouch.

Speraw has an attendance clause in his contract. It promises a bonus to the coach for any season in which the Knights average more than they did in 2003-04.

Which, given the fact UCF Athletic Director Steve Orsini pushes almost every marketing dollar toward George O’Leary’s football program and virtually none to any of UCF’s other programs, puts the onus on Speraw to generate any pre-season buzz around his team. (Marc Daniels, voice of the Knights, can only do so much from his perch at 740 The Team.)

So exactly what does a nice guy from Iowa have to do in Orlando to generate some excitement?

We shall see.

You can reach Alan Schmadtke at

[KNIGHTTIME]

Basketball is a tough sell in Orlando.   Add to the fact that we make it pretty hard for any casual fan to get motivated about it.  

1)  The current arena- enough said

2)  The Atlantic Sun- Playing Garner-Webb, Jacksonville, and others has horrible attraction for the fans.  

3) Lack of T.V coverage- mostly b/c of 1 & 2

The C-USA should increase our fan base, but our current arena really limits us.  The upper area of the arena is tough to watch the game with the bleacher style seats.  

[Guest Sprtsfn627]

I would also imagine losing the Orlando Magic (if they leave) would also increase attendence.  But then again, pro and college basketball are very different.

[Knight_Light]

Wish it would of made the print version as well.

Maybe if Alan wrote this article DURING the season (when stats were known), it might of made the print version.

This is the #1 reason why UCF didn't receive a BCS Bid.

Most BCS Conferences and teams MAKE $$$$$ off Hoops.

UCF...we can barely pay our electric bill on our Arena.

KL

[CyberBull]

When your admiinstration devotes all  of its money toward football how do you expect anyone to get excited and want to attend games?

[KNIGHTTIME]

When your admiinstration devotes all  of its money toward football how do you expect anyone to get excited and want to attend games?

It's a little different these days.  We have been spending money on basketball.   You can only make so much money in our current arena.  It barely seats 4,000 and we played a bunch of no names.   I would think attendance will jump playing in the C-USA and building the new arena.    

Even if we sell out every night means peanuts in our current arena.  

[CyberBull]

It's a little different these days.  We have been spending money on basketball.   You can only make so much money in our current arena.  It barely seats 4,000 and we played a bunch of no names.   I would think attendance will jump playing in the C-USA and building the new arena.    

Even if we sell out every night means peanuts in our current arena.  

Outside of Memphis, I don't see anyone else in the remaining C-USA attracting more fans to the Arena. UAB has had a nice turnaround under Williams but your average fans won't know the difference between them and Jacksonville or Stetson who they at least have some familiarity.

Needless to say there are no recent national champions on your home schedule.

[KNIGHTTIME]

Outside of Memphis, I don't see anyone else in the remaining C-USA attracting more fans to the Arena. UAB has had a nice turnaround under Williams but your average fans won't know the difference between them and Jacksonville or Stetson who they at least have some familiarity.

Needless to say there are no recent national champions on your home schedule.

Much easier to sell tickets playing even playing Rice, Tulane, and East Carolina.   Playing Garner-Webb, Campbell, and Jacksonville isn't going to cut it.  

When you say UAB, Tulsa, UTEP...The semi-causal fan at least has heard of the school.    

[FreaKnight]

Outside of Memphis, I don't see anyone else in the remaining C-USA attracting more fans to the Arena. UAB has had a nice turnaround under Williams but your average fans won't know the difference between them and Jacksonville or Stetson who they at least have some familiarity.

Needless to say there are no recent national champions on your home schedule.

The continuity of playing all sports will help as well.  We will be playing the same teams in football, basketball, and baseball, and this will help in attendence as we continue playing in CUSA in 2006 and beyond.  This is something that UCF fans have NEVER been able to enjoy.

[ucfknights04]

How many students are going to live 200 feet away from the current and new Arenas when those 4 dorms are all done?  That has got to help.

Hopefully UCF won't make it those dorms for honor students.  Those geeks would choose a LAN party over watching us play Duke.