Georgetown crowd

[JTG]

Anyone else concerned by the miniscule crowd for the game last night ? Is Georgetown no longer a hot ticket in DC ? Or is DC a frontrunner or strictly pro town ? Or, worst of all, is Xavier, even at #4, just not a draw?

[bjf123]

Doesn’t matter who the opponent is. It seems like every GU home game I’ve watched has lots of seats pretending to be fans.


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[xu82]

I read lower bowl seats for a top five team could be had for $5. Seems high to me based on the crowd I witnessed. I paid almost $100 on Stubhub for nosebleeds at Cintas against Creighton.

[JTG]

Face value for top row upstairs @ Cintas for Nova was $70. We're fine at home. My point in this post was, we seem to play on campus or in empty arena in Philly, DC, and NY.

[xu82]

Face value for top row upstairs @ Cintas for Nova was $70. We're fine at home. My point in this post was, we seem to play on campus or in empty arena in Philly, DC, and NY.

Well, that was my point as well. I just put numbers to it. Even with the prime seats you see on TV, the attendance was pathetic last night.

[stammina0721]

I know what I say isn't taken as seriously but hear me out. I think the Georgetown fan base is still amazing. Those fans dont just disappear. However, they do get apathetic over time. My personal opinion is this. John Thompson III killed the desire of the Georgetown fan base. They love their Hoyas, but they won't go back until they see a winner. I think Patrick Ewing will do great things there but it will take time.

Until Ewing brings a winner to DC those fans wont come back. However, when they do... Georgetown becomes a monster to play at again. I just think those fans got fed up with JT3 so much they just refuse to go. Kind of like how some Bengal fans wont go back as long as Marvin Lewis coaches the team, but on a larger scale. JT3 outstayed his welcome by 2 or 3 years. I may be right or wrong but it may be a legit thought

[MauriceX]

Anyone else concerned by the miniscule crowd for the game last night ? Is Georgetown no longer a hot ticket in DC ? Or is DC a frontrunner or strictly pro town ? Or, worst of all, is Xavier, even at #4, just not a draw?

I've lived in DC for 4 years, and I've gone to each XU @ Georgetown game during that span. Last night was the worst crowd in my four years, but not by much. I don't consider games @ Georgetown to be much of a "road" game because the place feels like an empty cavern for most games - more of a neutral site than an away site. Granted, last night had some bad things going for it - the game was on a Wednesday night at 6:30. With DC traffic, I think a lot of people don't even bother to try to make that game. It was also 75 degrees and a beautiful night to be outside.

There has been one game where I felt like there was a decent showing of fans, and that was last season. That game was a midday game on a Saturday, and it happened to be New Years Eve, so I guess that was an easier game for fans to make.

I think a big part of the problem is that they haven't been competitive for a couple years, their arena isn't near campus, and I don't think sports is a big part of their culture anymore (all of my friends who graduated from Georgetown are pretty apathetic about sports). For those talking about ticket prices, I had tickets in the lower bowl and paid $12 for them, and that wasn't resale, but just a regular ticket purchase.

[bjf123]

Kind of like how some Bengal fans wont go back as long as Marvin Lewis coaches the team, but on a larger scale.

I completely understand that. I didn’t renew my Bengals season tickets after 33 years. My wife said she was done going until both Marvin Lewis and Mike Brown were gone. They’re too expensive to pay for and not get used.


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[Masterofreality]

Yeah, I was at the game. Beautiful day in DC. Shirt sleeve weather. Drank beer with DC Muskie (He says Hi to the Board). Capital One Arena is Double the size of Cintas yet they had half of a Cintas crowd. It’s tough getting downtown to the arena at that time of the day and unless GTown is ranked/must see Basketball people won’t fight to get down there although the Metro ride is easy on the Red Line.

Point is that unless it’s Syracuse or Maryland, or unless GTown is good, they won’t get a crowd. Most GTown people I talked to just think that the Hoyas are just too young and Ewing hasn’t proven himself yet, but they’re satisfied with the job he’s doing so far. It will take some time to recover from JTIII. He really lost the long time Fan base.

[xavierj]

Providence and Nova drew over 12,000, Marquette over 15,000, Creighton over 18,000, Seton Hall 10,500, and Butler was sold out. It’s not like they are not facing tough crowds. Georgetown yes but not the rest of the league.

[paulxu]

Georgetown's problem is that they don't have room on campus to build a Cintas.

[UCGRAD4X]

Those fans dont just disappear. However, they do get apathetic over time.

If you love or hate a team, you are still invested and care if they win or lose. Apathy, however, is a real killer. It means you just don't care one way or another and realize there is life beyond rooting for your team. You learn to live without it, realize how much it (doesn't) matter and you really never go back. Perhaps casually, but you never really invest anything: time, emotion or (esp.) $$$$$.

I've been that way about the Bengals for some time. I used to live and die with them and it used to ruin most of the week if they lost. It was insanely stupid, looking back. I slapped myself in the face one day and realized it just doesn't matter. Now, I don't even watch most games.

If Marvin and Mikey Boy left, I might be more interested. But I will never, ever be 'all in' again...not even close.

[THRILLHOUSE]

Mac McClung's highlight videos are fun and he just broke Iverson's high school scoring record. So if he can live up to the hype and help get G'Town winning again, I could see the fans coming back.

[MD Muskie]

1) DC is a front runners town. When your team is winning and it is a good show, people show up. 2) "real" georgetown fans haven't gotten over the fact they don't play Syracuse, louisville, or UCONN regularly anymore. They are very apathetic to this current BE league. I had a co-worker go to the game with me and he is the voice of Mt St. Marys basketball. He was wearing a MSM shirt and people asked him if that's who Gtown was playing that night. I continue to be less and less impressed by this fan base and I grew up around it.

[THRILLHOUSE]

2) "real" georgetown fans haven't gotten over the fact they don't play Syracuse, louisville, or UCONN regularly anymore. They are very apathetic to this current BE league.

This is a very good point. No other fan base whined as hard about the Big East "breaking" apart as G'Town fans did. Which is why I'm enjoying their downfall.

[BMoreX]

I have gone to every Xavier road game at Georgetown except for the first season. One of my best friends is also a Georgetown alum and we had about an hour long convo on the drive home after the game.

First off, my friends and I bought tickets that were literally inside a suite for $5. The 6:30 time certainly doesn't help things but right now, Georgetown's entire fanbase is apathetic. They also lose out on the generic sports fan in DC (that have in the past attended games) because of their lackluster play in the last 5+ years.

It really comes down to a horrible set-up for their games and the fact that they have to play in the Verizon Center or whatever it is called these days. It is a 30 minute trek for students from campus to the arena's doors. Up until just several years ago, the school didn't even offer buses to send students, so they would have to find their own method of transportation (there is also no direct metro route either). At Wednesday's game, there were maybe 200 students in their student section. Maybe 200.

It boils down to the Georgetown program does not need a 20,000 seat arena save for the maybe 3 big games every year. This is especially relevant with the team playing mediocre basketball recently. Unfortunately for them, the Georgetown neighborhood will never allow construction on or near campus to build an arena that would be ideal for the program. If they had the capacity (they certainly have the money...the land/regulation approval is the hold-up), I think an arena around the size of the Cintas Center would be perfect for them.

Unfortunately for them, that is not happening any time soon. And until they turn the corner and bring back the casual DC sports fan, it will continue to be disappointing attendances.

[MD Muskie]

It really comes down to a horrible set-up for their games and the fact that they have to play in the Verizon Center or whatever it is called these days. It is a 30 minute trek for students from campus to the arena's doors. Up until just several years ago, the school didn't even offer buses to send students, so they would have to find their own method of transportation (there is also no direct metro route either). At Wednesday's game, there were maybe 200 students in their student section. Maybe 200.



I have never liked that lack of metro excuse. Yes they don't have one one campus and that will never happen because of the people living in Gtwon. But that excuse doesn't stop students from going to bars on 18th, or U street, or the 9:30 Club for concerts. The closest metro is not that far off from the main shopping strip of Georgetown. It's a very cheap cab/uber/lyft ride. It isn't like they are playing the games at the old Capital Center that is easily a 30 to 40 drive from campus.

[BMoreX]

I have never liked that lack of metro excuse. Yes they don't have one one campus and that will never happen because of the people living in Gtwon. But that excuse doesn't stop students from going to bars on 18th, or U street, or the 9:30 Club for concerts. The closest metro is not that far off from the main shopping strip of Georgetown. It's a very cheap cab/uber/lyft ride. It isn't like they are playing the games at the old Capital Center that is easily a 30 to 40 drive from campus.

I think the bigger issue is that the Georgetown Athletic Dept. or university itself hasn't really actively assisted students in getting over to Verizon Center until very recently.

[stammina0721]

If you love or hate a team, you are still invested and care if they win or lose. Apathy, however, is a real killer. It means you just don't care one way or another and realize there is life beyond rooting for your team. You learn to live without it, realize how much it (doesn't) matter and you really never go back. Perhaps casually, but you never really invest anything: time, emotion or (esp.) $$$$$.

I've been that way about the Bengals for some time. I used to live and die with them and it used to ruin most of the week if they lost. It was insanely stupid, looking back. I slapped myself in the face one day and realized it just doesn't matter. Now, I don't even watch most games.

If Marvin and Mikey Boy left, I might be more interested. But I will never, ever be 'all in' again...not even close.

Yeah I've become apathetic towards the Bengals. I played more golf on Sundays than watched NFL games and I didn't miss them

[stammina0721]

I have gone to every Xavier road game at Georgetown except for the first season. One of my best friends is also a Georgetown alum and we had about an hour long convo on the drive home after the game.

First off, my friends and I bought tickets that were literally inside a suite for $5. The 6:30 time certainly doesn't help things but right now, Georgetown's entire fanbase is apathetic. They also lose out on the generic sports fan in DC (that have in the past attended games) because of their lackluster play in the last 5+ years.

It really comes down to a horrible set-up for their games and the fact that they have to play in the Verizon Center or whatever it is called these days. It is a 30 minute trek for students from campus to the arena's doors. Up until just several years ago, the school didn't even offer buses to send students, so they would have to find their own method of transportation (there is also no direct metro route either). At Wednesday's game, there were maybe 200 students in their student section. Maybe 200.

It boils down to the Georgetown program does not need a 20,000 seat arena save for the maybe 3 big games every year. This is especially relevant with the team playing mediocre basketball recently. Unfortunately for them, the Georgetown neighborhood will never allow construction on or near campus to build an arena that would be ideal for the program. If they had the capacity (they certainly have the money...the land/regulation approval is the hold-up), I think an arena around the size of the Cintas Center would be perfect for them.

Unfortunately for them, that is not happening any time soon. And until they turn the corner and bring back the casual DC sports fan, it will continue to be disappointing attendances.

Looks like I'm going on a roadie to DC nexr year

[HomerCecil]

I live in DC as well and have been to every Georgetown game at the Verizon Center/Capital One Arena/whatever it is currently called since we joined the Big East. I don't have too much to add that hasn't already been mentioned. I do think this is the first year that the game wasn't on a weekend or holiday (last season, it was a 11 am or noon tip on New Year's Eve), and the 6:30 tip doesn't help. I would say the crowd probably doubled between 6:30 and 7:00 or so.

I bought two tickets in the 200 level for $40 a couple of months ago. I realized the day of that they were printed tickets (versus the instant download tickets that you can access on your phone). Instead of taking a half hour to go home and get them -- which I certainly had time to do -- I looked online and saw that I could purchase two additional tickets in the same location for $12. Total.

I will say that this was the first year that I didn't either overhear people asking each other -- or didn't have someone ask me -- where Xavier is located. So I guess that is progress for us. But I echo the statements of folks who say the Hoya fans lament not playing the old Big East schools, and frown upon the Midwestern schools.

The atmosphere is not exactly electric, but as an opposing fan, I'm fine with it. We had real battles with far less talented George Washington teams in the A10 because their gym is a quarter the size of Georgetown's and was therefore always packed.

The arena is too damn big for Georgetown (and the Wizards, for that matter).

[smileyy]

"apathetic fan[atic]" is an interesting concept.

[gufan1]

GU fan here:

Sorry for intrusion. I have been checking opposing fan boards this season to get their impressions of the program during beginning of re-build. I saw this thread.

The Cap One Center is a continual source of discussion for the Hoya fans. Lots of people wish for mid-sized campus arena; others wish for a mid-size arena in Arlington, near campus but away from the city. The on-campus arena is a no-starter. The city will not permit it because of the traffic and parking situation around campus. The campus itself is not accessible to the metro. Cap One is by far more accessible and generally convenient for the alums. We talk about it all the time.

Just this season, the program added bus rides for the students to the games. It is about 1/2 hour away. Academically, Georgetown is intense. If the team is not winning, then the students just don't come down. Believe it or not, student attendance has been much better this year than in previous years. They rightly believed that the program with JT3 at its helm had become arrogant. 200 or so students at a midweek game during a mediocre season. That situation would be better if there were a campus arena, but in all honesty it's the alums who constitute the die hards of the fan base. They still would be the bulk of fans in an on-campus arena.

Generally, fans identify with the big eras of Georgetown basketball. If you asked most Georgetown fans when they became fans, they would likely talk about Ewing, Iverson, and Green, with the loyalest of these from the Ewing and Iverson years. It's an old fan base. Part of the damage of the JT3 years was the loss of the young alumni. After Porter left (and the Hoyas won the regular season championship in 2013), fan enthusiasm tailed off. There are two losses in Georgetown history that will sting forever: Villanova in 1985 and FGCU in 2013. And, the latter was the beginning of the downward trajectory of the program.

Ewing has been a jolt of energy for the program. He is truly, truly beloved by everyone in the city, not just at Georgetown. There is general interest in the program, but it has not translated into fans in the seats. Regarding apathy -- maybe you saw it. But, I can tell you the fan base is feeling very positive about the re-build. He has done extremely well with this group. His first-year recruits are fine, with one probable All-BE player in the group. He's done especially well with Derrickson's game. And, you've seen the guards he was left with.

Among Georgetown fans, there was a decidedly mixed reaction to the conference re-alignment. A few like me accepted it and were glad the football schools were gone. But, if you think we didn't have reason to feel disappointed that our old rivalries with Syracuse, UConn and Pitt were gone, well I don't know what to tell you. There was a loud portion of the fan base that believed Georgetown would be at the top. Those expectations hurt the program in my opinion. It's more than about giving opposing fans' schadenfreude. It has taken a while for us to get to know our opponents. I certainly have a better feel for them now, but at first I had trouble caring about the games.

How could you expect us to get as excited for Butler or Xavier as we did Syracuse or UConn? Related to that, attendance has suffered just because those rivalries are gone. Part of it is that their fan bases were so large they would fill out the 400s.

But as you know, we can't seem to fill the 100s these days. Many of our season ticket holders don't come. They practically give away seats by game day. You can sit wherever you want. There's considerable angst among the fans as to whether people will come back, but it won't happen unless the Hoyas begin to win again. All those people who feel good about Patrick at Georgetown won't come in unless they think Georgetown can be competitive again. When I first bought my tickets in the 2008-2009, following the final 4 appearance, it was the hottest ticket in the city and sold out every night. So it's mostly about winning.

Having said all that, about 10,000 fans rocked the arena when Georgetown beat Seton Hall on Feb. 10. It made us feel like it could happen again for us. The crowd for the X game didn't match it by a long shot. Kind of disappointing compared to that game, but compared to where we've been it was good.

FWIW you have our respect. We are more than aware of your record against us. Is it the same as Syracuse? Not yet, but we haven't spoiled very much for you yet. When it does, it will feel very sweet.