Big East 5th in attendance for 2013-14

[Irishdawg]

Villanova's attendance was artificially suppressed since they played all but 4 of their home games this year in their 6,500 seat campus arena. Sold out every one of those games. Not counting the NIT home game, St. John's had a dead even split between games at Carnesecca Arena (5,602 capacity) and MSG (20,000 capacity). The NCAA figures would have also taken into account Georgetown's NIT game against WVU which was played at McDonough Arena, which only seats 2,500 people. Taking that game out, they were right around 9,100 for home games this season.

[hoyahooligan]

Villanova's attendance was artificially suppressed since they played all but 4 of their home games this year in their 6,500 seat campus arena. Sold out every one of those games. Not counting the NIT home game, St. John's had a dead even split between games at Carnesecca Arena (5,602 capacity) and MSG (20,000 capacity). The NCAA figures would have also taken into account Georgetown's NIT game against WVU which was played at McDonough Arena, which only seats 2,500 people. Taking that game out, they were right around 9,100 for home games this season.

Still,

Here are Georgetown's attendance figures since JT3 started:
2004-05: 17 MCI Center (20,500) 7,837 69th
2005-06: 13 MCI Center (20,500) 10,352 40th
2006-07: 17 Verizon Center (20,500) 10,441 41th
2007-08: 16 Verizon Center (20,500) 12,955 24th
2008-09: 16 Verizon Center (20,500) 12,826 26th
2009-10: 15 Verizon Center (20,500) 12,040 29th
2010-11: 14 Verizon Center (20,500) 12,675 25th
2011-12 16 Verizon Center (20,500) 11,283 35th
2012-13 17 Verizon Center (20,500) 10,911 33rd
2013-14 16 Verizon Center (20,500) 8,670 51st

Obviously the biggest mover of attendance is winning so I expect us to move in the right direction.

[movemento]

It looks like Hoyas attendance has been slowly declining since 07-08. Has to be some concern right?

[hoyahooligan]

It looks like Hoyas attendance has been slowly declining since 07-08. Has to be some concern right?

I mean it makes plenty of sense why.

1) Haven't had much tournament success since then ( this is the major mover)

2) That's when the Economy went to shit as well.

3) You could point to the rise of the Capitals and the Nationals and this past year the Wizards as well as siphoning of entertainment dollars from people who might spend it on a Georgetown game.

I think if the Hoyas make a good run this year you'll see the ticket sales go right back up.

[Bill Marsh]

Villanova's attendance was artificially suppressed since they played all but 4 of their home games this year in their 6,500 seat campus arena. Sold out every one of those games. Not counting the NIT home game, St. John's had a dead even split between games at Carnesecca Arena (5,602 capacity) and MSG (20,000 capacity). The NCAA figures would have also taken into account Georgetown's NIT game against WVU which was played at McDonough Arena, which only seats 2,500 people. Taking that game out, they were right around 9,100 for home games this season.

Still,

Here are Georgetown's attendance figures since JT3 started:
2004-05: 17 MCI Center (20,500) 7,837 69th
2005-06: 13 MCI Center (20,500) 10,352 40th
2006-07: 17 Verizon Center (20,500) 10,441 41th
2007-08: 16 Verizon Center (20,500) 12,955 24th
2008-09: 16 Verizon Center (20,500) 12,826 26th
2009-10: 15 Verizon Center (20,500) 12,040 29th
2010-11: 14 Verizon Center (20,500) 12,675 25th
2011-12 16 Verizon Center (20,500) 11,283 35th
2012-13 17 Verizon Center (20,500) 10,911 33rd
2013-14 16 Verizon Center (20,500) 8,670 51st

Obviously the biggest mover of attendance is winning so I expect us to move in the right direction.

You consider going from 12,955 in 2007-08 to 12,675 in 2010-11 a decline worth mentioning? How have they been doing since 2006-07? On the upsurge until last year, right?

Georgetown is not a big school and they play in an off campus arena. They depend on college basketball fans in the area who are not GU grads buying tickets to their games, which means that their games have to be perceived as big events. Georgetown-Syracuse was always a big event. That's gone as are games with UConn, Louisville, Notre Dame, etc. I think that losing those opponents combined with the fact that this was a disappointing season explains the drop in attendance this year. The fluctuation of attendance between 11-13K before that is normal fluctuation and is hardly worth mentioning.

[marquette]

My understanding is that college basketball attendance has been trending down since the 05-06 season in general. It did experience an uptick this last season. Georgetown lost a lot of traditional rivals this past season and weren't expected to be world beaters anyway. With the Syracuse series renewed Georgetown will get an uptick every other year, much like Marquette does when we have a home game against Wisconsin. It would help if they could start up a series with a team like UConn, but I don't know how realistic that is with the challenges coming up. Those should help all our attendance numbers for our OOC schedule. I hope we renew our rivalry with Notre Dame. It is usually a good game, draws well, and is our second longest running rivalry, after Wisconsin (in terms of both number of games and time since first meeting).

[stever20]

just looking last 3 years....
all games for Georgetown-
2014 8670
2013 10911
2012 11283

conference games only
2014 10336
2013 13177
2012 12993

I think the 8670 is a function largely of a pathetic home schedule. Wright St, Lipscomb, High Point, Colgate, Elon, and FIU. avg of those 6 games was 7261. Yeah, the 2133 for WVU didn't help out at all of course, but even if it was say a 12,000 crowd, the attendance would have been for the year would have still been 9295.

Also I would say that of our top games- most were on weeknights. Marquette, Villanova, Creighton, Providence all on Monday nights. DePaul on New Years Eve(drawing 7823). Our home Saturday games- St John's(on 1/4), Seton Hall, Butler, and Xavier.

Last year 4 home Sat/Sun games- were Louisville, St John's, Rutgers, and Syracuse. avg for those 4 games- 16750.
this year 4 home Sat games- were St John's, Seton Hall, Butler, and Xavier. Avg for those 4 games- 11203
The total gap there is about 5500 per game- 22188 total.
the total gap from 2013 conference games to 2014 cnference games- 25569. So our home schedule and moreso the weekend schedule, was largely responsible for our difference. That and then in OOC play, in 13 we got Tennessee.

[micgoG'town]

Hoya fans complain a bit about a lack of big out-of conference games. Last year OOC: Wright St., Elon, Lipscomb, High Point, Colgate, and FIU. Big ones tend to be neutral court. Kansas and Robert Morris set so far this year at home.

[dmac80]

It looks like Hoyas attendance has been slowly declining since 07-08. Has to be some concern right?

I mean it makes plenty of sense why.

1) Haven't had much tournament success since then ( this is the major mover)

2) That's when the Economy went to shit as well.

3) You could point to the rise of the Capitals and the Nationals and this past year the Wizards as well as siphoning of entertainment dollars from people who might spend it on a Georgetown game.

I think if the Hoyas make a good run this year you'll see the ticket sales go right back up.

Let's hope so. While I want and expect the shakeup of the BE to result in more spreading of the wealth and higher attendance for the bottom half, we need a strong Georgetown and Villanova. I want those programs drawing very well. Luckily Creighton and Marquette carry the day in attendance, let's hope neither drops off with their major changes. HOpefully PC continues the slow but steady pace back above 10k for the season that they once enjoyed for a long time.


I also think Georgetown was smart to continue the rivalry with Syracuse for a host of reasons that benefit both Georgetown and the league. I never bought into the argument that the BE is in the position to snub our noses at prior members who left, etc. We need strong attendance and we need our teams to continue to compete (and win) against the best perceived teams and brands nationally, to remain relevant.

[stever20]

one point on attendance that we may see- with every game on FS1- will especially the OOC games suffer- as fans now know they can watch on TV. I'd think especially for the dreg OOC games- this could be a big factor. Watch for 2 hours instead of the 4+ hours you have to invest to go to a game. Just something that bares watching in the next few years....