The University of Massachusetts men's basketball team will play Central Florida on Wednesday night, a game matching two teams with a combined 17-3 record. The unbeaten visitors include Marcus Jordan, son of Michael. But a sparse crowd is expected, because at UMass home games these days, a sparse crowd is the rule.
UMass officials are more than baffled. They are worried, because basketball is still considered the school's flagship sport, in terms of image and revenue potential.
UMass officials search for what, if anything, will entice fans to basketball games
Published: Monday, December 20, 2010, 3:56 PM Updated: Monday, December 20, 2010, 4:15 PM
To a backdrop of empty seats at the Mullins Center, Maine upset UMass 68-56 on Dec. 8. A crowd of 2,766 came out to watch the Minutemen, who entered the game with a 7-1 record. AMHERST - The University of Massachusetts men's basketball team will play Central Florida on Wednesday night, a game matching two teams with a combined 17-3 record.
The unbeaten visitors include Marcus Jordan, son of Michael. But a sparse crowd is expected, because at UMass home games these days, a sparse crowd is the rule.
UMass officials are more than baffled. They are worried, because basketball is still considered the school's flagship sport, in terms of image and revenue potential.
"We're out there, on TV and radio, in print and with personal appearances. We're 7-3,'' UMass executive associate athletic director Tim Kenney said.
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"Our ticket prices are in the bottom third of Atlantic 10 teams. For groups of 15 more, you can get a $6 ticket.''
Kenney was asked how UMass plans to lift its lowest attendance level in memory.
"We're a little bit stumped,'' he said.
UMass is averaging 3,128 fans for six dates at the Mullins Center. They drew an 1,893 average for two games in Springfield as part of the Hall of Fame Tournament.
A game against Boston College at TD Garden, which was considered a UMass home game, drew 10,642. The best Mullins crowd was 4,321 on a Saturday night against Seton Hall.
That crowd saw UMass surrender 104 points. What perplexes UMass officials the most, though, was that even a 7-0 start did not generate any traction at the gate.
"I'm not sure what people are looking for,'' coach Derek Kellogg said.
He does not portray the 7-0 start as proof of a finished product or even a tournament-worthy team. It was still the team's best start in 15 years.
"You have college kids, playing the game the right way. It's our local university; you would think people would want to support it,'' Kellogg said.
Last year, UMass averaged 3,987 at home. Taking only the Mullins Center figures into account, this year's dropoff is 22 percent.
It is even lower than in 2003-04, when the average was 3,192 for Steve Lappas' last season. Low attendance was considered a reason Lappas was let go.
The reasons for the current apathy are many and varied. A popular theme - perhaps the most popular - is that the glamorous run of success under John Calipari in the 1990s warped expectations so much that fans expect similar glory, and accept nothing else.
Kenney said the slack economy might be a factor. Others reason range from an unexciting home schedule to UMass' 24-38 record in Kellogg's first two years.
Kellogg is a popular local figure from Springfield, and a former UMass player, but that alone is not pulling people to Amherst - or for that matter, pulling students from their dorms.
Neither is a roster of mostly underclass players who have good potential, but are not marquee names.
"There is a little bit of buzz with the students, but they're always the last ones to hop aboard,'' Kenney said.
Many longtime fans have complained their seats were moved, or that other signs of disregard for their loyalty were evident when the Minutemen owned the market in the 1990s.
When the teams exited from the Top 25 polls, many fans exited the Mullins Center. Some did not return.
But that was four coaches, two athletic directors and more than 10 years ago. Kenney says it's hard to believe the residual bitterness has lasted this long.
He noted that this year's crowd figures are lower than ever those from the early 2000s.
"We don't screw around with (moving) people's seats. We're looking into trying more things with groups,'' he said.
Kellogg was especially disappointed with a crowd of 2,766 against Maine last week. At the time, UMass was 7-1 with a respectable 76-71 loss to Boston College.
Making matters worse, Maine upset UMass 68-56. That probably hurt the Seton Hall gate, three nights later.
"It's a little difficult, not having a full Mullins Center,'' said Kellogg, who never played to an empty seat at Mullins as a UMass player.
"But I'm a realist, too. People, especially in New England, want a winner.''
The record says UMass is a winner, but only for the past month.
Looking to create atmosphere, UMass played Holy Cross on Thanksgiving weekend at cramped, beloved Curry Hicks Cage, its home until 1993. The promotion was deemed a complete success.
Yet even that crowd of 3,395 fell 700 short of capacity, and would constitute a small turnout at the Mullins Center - a 9,493 seat arena that some now suggest was built too large for its market.
The rest of the season does not look promising. Temple and Dayton are most attractive opponents coming to Amherst.
In January, UMass will play another game in Springfield, against La Salle.
The unease being felt by UMass officials is that whatever is done to beef up the crowds - including winning - may not resonate with a public that has spurned all advances.
"Maybe we'll try some focus groups. What else can we do?'' Kenney asked.
"We might have to work harder with youth groups, and create a culture with the kids (for future years). It's not a quick fix.''
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