The STU feels like Poo

[duncanlamb]

I hate to say it but the stu looked like eagle bank arena last night.

 

[BradRamFan]

Yes I understand there is a global pandemic taking place. I have multiple students who have lost parents and family members to Covid. A dear friend lost his life in May of 2020 to this horrible virus. I get it and I don't think less of anyone who doesn't want to go to a basketball game during this insane period of time. It all sucks.

With all of that being said, last night the best team VCU will play on its home court this season came to town and there was 0 juice in the building. I might as well have been watching Kennesaw State and North Alabama play. I had serious flashbacks to the McCarthy days. The poor lighting; the stench of burnt popcorn; the lame contests during timeouts; they are all easier to accept when the place is packed and the energy/electricity is on HAVOC levels or close to it. Instead last night it felt like all 3 were huge zits on the face of a beauty pageant contestant. The whole thing felt very "Mid-Major" in the most derogatory sense of the title. It felt like I was at a Flying Squirrels game when I thought I had a ticket to see Yankees/Red Sox.

The student section is a joke. What happened? Do students not care anymore about the basketball team? 5 years ago I was taking students to visit VCU in large part because they wanted to go to a school where hoops was a big part of the college experience. Did it really fall off that quickly?

I kept thinking of the Dayton game from a couple of weeks ago. That was a tough place to go and get a win on the road. I'm not so sure the STU was for Davidson last night.

I know things had been trending this way for a bit anyway but I guess I was busy doing my best to ignore it. But the fact is there are more difficult places to play in the A-10 than the STU and even an unbiased observer of A-10 basketball would agree. And I know you couldn't say that 4 years ago.

It's a bummer and maybe I'm just salty b/c VCU got screwed last night by 1 ref and then did a fine job on its own of giving away a massive game. But something feels wrong about the whole thing and I worry that this is just the tip of the iceberg. I don't expect sellouts anytime soon but I'm scared to see what the rest of the season is going to look like inside that building.

Stu sounded like it was rocking on the radio last night....especially as we began to catch up and then take the lead. Sounded great on the radio

 

[VCUPepBandRules]

More Gwar.

We did play all three Gwar tunes that we have in the book: "Saddam a Go-Go", "Sexecutioner", and "El Presidente". I'd like to get "Sick of You" in the lineup, but that song would work best with the student body engaged while pointing to the opposition and singing along with the chorus, but they just aren't that engaged anymore...

 

[theyaintwantit]

I hate to say it but the stu looked like eagle bank arena last night.

You enjoyed typing that post out, don’t say you hated it.

 

[DisplacedRam]

I hate to say it but the stu looked like eagle bank arena last night.

you dont go to games or even watch the games so how the fudge would you know

 

[Ramdog]

you dont go to games or even watch the games so how the fudge would you know

He read the box score....

 

[WillWeaverRVA]

Are they getting more money for the Bree factor? are they trying to make up for less in ticket sales by having more promos?

I guarantee you they aren’t getting paid to have Bree host the promotions. If anything they’re paying her, which means the promotions she hosts actually bring in less money.

 

[Rams4Life]

Get rid of the hype girl. The promotions are absolutely terrible and she kills the crowd vibe every time. If they’re paying her, while slacking on lots of other things, their priorities are seriously f’d up and they need to tear it down and start over.

Step 1: Poll the donors and ACTUALLY LISTEN TO ALL OF THEM, NOT JUST THE TOP 10 OR SO!!!!!

 

[theyaintwantit]

I've said this before and I'll say it again:

Bring back Air Rodney and all will be well.

 

[rambunctiousrowdyram]

Get rid of the hype girl. The promotions are absolutely terrible and she kills the crowd vibe every time. If they’re paying her, while slacking on lots of other things, their priorities are seriously f’d up and they need to tear it down and start over.

Step 1: Poll the donors and ACTUALLY LISTEN TO ALL OF THEM, NOT JUST THE TOP 10 OR SO!!!!!

Step 1: They might poll but it’s the big donors they listen to. You can easily figure out who they are too. If you follow the VCU AD you’ll notice the biggest ones are his inner circle (golf buds and such.). Then you’ll see where those same people sit at games. That inner circle isn’t getting messed with especially when it’s their cash cow. They especially aren’t messing with it with all the uncertainty around the program these days with attendance and such.

 

[VCU Finance 2008]

Lack of attendance due to covid and masks muffling cheering from those who are in attendance are issues affecting the atmosphere which will go away eventually. Lack of attendance for other reasons will be a persistent issue until the athletic department makes some adjustments. Lack of student attendance and engagement has really killed the vibe. I don't know what happened there, but 10 years ago we had more students in line 4 hours before the game than we have in attendance now. The promos definitely suck. I get that sponsors generate revenue, but that revenue will go away if they don't make the promos more entertaining. They are derivative and exhausting. It feels like Groundhogs Day sitting through the exact same promo games at the exact same times with the exact same script 17 times a season. I am at every game and I couldn't even tell you what they are all for. I just tune them out at this point and I suspect others do as well. We have a minor league baseball team in town that enhances the fan experience through contests, games, and promos. Ours just seem to turn people off which is not good for fans or sponsors. I believe we have plenty of creative people in the athletic department. They just have to drop the game day script and let them use that creativity.

 

[VCUBusiness]

The best host the STU ever had was @TTL PKG.

 

[theyaintwantit]

Lack of attendance due to covid and masks muffling cheering from those who are in attendance are issues affecting the atmosphere which will go away eventually. Lack of attendance for other reasons will be a persistent issue until the athletic department makes some adjustments. Lack of student attendance and engagement has really killed the vibe. I don't know what happened there, but 10 years ago we had more students in line 4 hours before the game than we have in attendance now. The promos definitely suck. I get that sponsors generate revenue, but that revenue will go away if they don't make the promos more entertaining. They are derivative and exhausting. It feels like Groundhogs Day sitting through the exact same promo games at the exact same times with the exact same script 17 times a season. I am at every game and I couldn't even tell you what they are all for. I just tune them out at this point and I suspect others do as well. We have a minor league baseball team in town that enhances the fan experience through contests, games, and promos. Ours just seem to turn people off which is not good for fans or sponsors. I believe we have plenty of creative people in the athletic department. They just have to drop the game day script and let them use that creativity.

I find this assessment to be dead on.

I am in the same ballpark as you - I have NO idea what our sponsors are talking about during breaks and time outs. I use that time to use the restroom, grab a beer, look at my phone, or all three. I still LOVE watching basketball at The Stu and even with the arena 70-80% full it can still get loud. But.... man could it be better.

 

[RowdyPkunk]

Step 1: Poll the donors and ACTUALLY LISTEN TO ALL OF THEM, NOT JUST THE TOP 10 OR SO!!!!!

Why would they do that? Us little donors bring nothing to the table except more money (and for the record, yes I'm one of them.. so I'm not calling out small donors as an attack) .... and clearly they care more about donors dropping 10-25k even if its only for 1 year versus donors who donate $500-1000 dollars for 10-20-30-40 years.... etc.

Its obvious they genuinely care more about money than loyalty.

 

[theyaintwantit]

Step 1: Poll the donors and ACTUALLY LISTEN TO ALL OF THEM, NOT JUST THE TOP 10 OR SO!!!!!

For what it's worth, I was talking to a long time season ticket holder at Home Team before the game the other night and he told me that he recently had a convo with Ed.

I think its been mentioned on here before, but there will be another re-seating after this season. I was told that some of the "newer" season ticket holders have jumped in with better seats due to former season ticket holders ending their packages. It has clearly rubbed some folks the wrong way and my understanding is that there will be an effort for better seats to be given to long time season ticket holders who are not in the upper echelon of donations.

I was also told that though we've lost season ticket holders since last season, we've gained that right back with new season ticket holders. Now I don't know if that means 2 tickets from an alum or if a company bought tickets.