Once Proud: Missouri State basketball attendance hits new..

[ValleyFAN]

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Wyatt Wheeler of the Springfield News-Leader, who does an incredible job covering the Bears, recently published a three part series into the waning enthusiasm for Missouri State Basketball. Part I and II of the series are available for the public to read. Part III, which is a sit down interview with AD Kyle Moats, is available to subscribers only.

Part I is a history of attendance and fandom at Missouri State and focuses on the gradual decline. Interviews were done with several fans, both season ticket holders and those who have since non renewed their tickets.

https://www.news-leader.com/story/sport ... 15715007//

Part II focuses on SIU and Mizzou and what those schools have done in terms of fan outreach, student engagement, and marketing in an effort to increase and maintain their attendance numbers.

https://www.news-leader.com/story/sport ... 23581007//

Part III as mentioned is a sit down with AD Kyle Moats. I will say that Part III in particular really riled up the Bears fanbase as the AD Moats comes across as fairly tone deaf and lacking any sense of responsibility.

https://www.news-leader.com/restricted/ ... 630007%2F/

[MissouriValleyUnite]

Holy cow. That is one of the most fascinating Valley-related pieces I’ve ever read. Totally worth the 30 minutes reading all 3 parts.

[tribecalledquest]

Holy cow. That is one of the most fascinating Valley-related pieces I’ve ever read. Totally worth the hour reading all 3 parts.

This is why having a beat writer and great local coverage is so important to MVC fans. Well done by Wyatt. No one needs to read state sponsored media all the time (here's looking at you Peoria Journal Star).

[BEARZ77]

We may be screwed for another year as the timing of naming a new president may throw a kink in making a move on a new coach. But then that sets up the problem of do you give Ford a one year extension as he only has 1 year remaining on the current. We can get out from under him for I think less than $200,000 at the end of this year. While ready to move on from Ford, most Bear fans are much more ready to jettison Moats [AD] who they see as much more a problem related to attendance etc. He was a much favored son of President Smart, and clearly wasn't gonna be let go as long as Smart was in office.

[ValleyFAN]

Attendance last night was announced at around 2,600. There were about 100 students but only had about 15 or so towards the front who were standing. If you're familiar with the arena, the "student" seating in the bleachers is entirely too big of a space. We filled it during the Cuonzo years but not much since.

Getting blown out by 26 points in front of a crowd of 2,600 isn't exactly ideal.

[pafan]

Looks to me that attendance is a problem around the Valley. MSU is the worst, but I remember Carver Arena and McLeod Center being sold out (or close to it) every night in the same years Wyatt Wheeler was discussing in this series.

Comparing 2010-11 to the present season, data from Wheeler's story, percentages by me:

Down 50% and more: MSU, Valpo
Down 25-49%: UNI, Bradley, UIC
Down 10-24%: Illinois State, Drake, Evansville
Down 0-5%: Indiana State
Up: Murray St, Belmont, SIU

[Bulldog2323]

I look at a program like Baylor opening a brand new arena that has 25% less seating capacity and that says it all for attendance across the sport.

Depending on what school you went/go to, it used to be if you didn't go you weren't getting anything beyond the radio commentary. Now with ESPN+, etc. you don't have to go to "see it" if you don't want to.

Everything one can see screams coaching change.

[MissouriValleyUnite]

I look at a program like Baylor opening a brand new arena that has 25% less seating capacity and that says it all for attendance across the sport.

And that’s with an AD who previously built a 30k-seat football stadium at Akron. Even he sees the writing on the wall and pivoted to the opposite strategy for Baylor’s BB arena.

[BEARZ77]

Step 1: Missouri State announced today that Dr Richard "Biff" Williams will become the 12th president for Missouri State when he will take over for Clif Smart in June. Williams was the president for Utah Tech [ previously Dixie St] and over saw that University's move to D-1 athletics, increased enrollment there by 40% and oversaw extensive expansion of academic offerings in his time there. Among past experience includes some Valley time as he was Vice president for Academic affairs at Indiana st and also the Dean of the College of Education at UNI. He has some solid history in support of athletics and one undergraduate degree was in athletic training.

Kinda funny in that neither John Jasinski who is currently the provost at Mo St and was formerly the president at very athletically successful North West Missouri St and was clearly pushed by president smart for the job, nor the candidate who seemed to impress the Mo St fan base most in interviews got the job. Jasinski had a late push against him by several board members at NWMST and a couple Mo state legislators citing reasons he was not offered a contract extension at NWMST 2 years ago. Seemed like a lot of politics behind the scenes were involved.

But anyway , step 1 done. In the post game interview with Ford yesterday, w/o saying so, he sounded like a guy who thinks his time is over. Probably know that this time next week. Another item, and I'm not pushing this nor is it coming from MSU fans; a poster on our board who is a W Kentucky fan has been talking about a move of Mo St for some time and stating his prez has been advocating it to CUSA. Who knows, but today he posted that a booster from Delaware who told him several months ago to remove UMASS from the likely to
join CUSA , that they were going to the MAC , and replace them with Mo St. is now telling him it's a done deal for Mo ST to CUSA. Again who knows, but it's really an interesting time at Missouri State . Don't shoot the messenger , and again this stuff is coming from outside Mo St. I remain skeptical and not necessarily in support because i think there are big changes in the landscape coming in a couple years, but it is what it is and will be what it will be. I just send em money and ask that they entertain me.

[Drakey]

Step 1: Missouri State announced today that Dr Richard "Biff" Williams will become the 12th president for Missouri State when he will take over for Clif Smart in June. Williams was the president for Utah Tech [ previously Dixie St] and over saw that University's move to D-1 athletics, increased enrollment there by 40% and oversaw extensive expansion of academic offerings in his time there. Among past experience includes some Valley time as he was Vice president for Academic affairs at Indiana st and also the Dean of the College of Education at UNI. He has some solid history in support of athletics and one undergraduate degree was in athletic training.

Kinda funny in that neither John Jasinski who is currently the provost at Mo St and was formerly the president at very athletically successful North West Missouri St and was clearly pushed by president smart for the job, nor the candidate who seemed to impress the Mo St fan base most in interviews got the job. Jasinski had a late push against him by several board members at NWMST and a couple Mo state legislators citing reasons he was not offered a contract extension at NWMST 2 years ago. Seemed like a lot of politics behind the scenes were involved.

It will certainly help attendance to have Florida International, Jacksonville Sate and Liberty come to town. Missouri State must still be dreaming of FBS football money, but I'm not sure any C-USA football programs make money?

But anyway , step 1 done. In the post game interview with Ford yesterday, w/o saying so, he sounded like a guy who thinks his time is over. Probably know that this time next week. Another item, and I'm not pushing this nor is it coming from MSU fans; a poster on our board who is a W Kentucky fan has been talking about a move of Mo St for some time and stating his prez has been advocating it to CUSA. Who knows, but today he posted that a booster from Delaware who told him several months ago to remove UMASS from the likely to
join CUSA , that they were going to the MAC , and replace them with Mo St. is now telling him it's a done deal for Mo ST to CUSA. Again who knows, but it's really an interesting time at Missouri State . Don't shoot the messenger , and again this stuff is coming from outside Mo St. I remain skeptical and not necessarily in support because i think there are big changes in the landscape coming in a couple years, but it is what it is and will be what it will be. I just send em money and ask that they entertain me.