Altman, simple Question

Moderators: greenyellow, Autzenoise, UOducksTK1

Is it time for Altman and the Ducks to part ways?

Yes
2
7%
No
28
93%
 
Total votes: 30
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pudgejeff
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Re: Altman, simple Question

Post by pudgejeff »

They priced a ton of people out of MKA, especially with the "construction fee" continually attached every season to season tickets. I think a lot of people never came back after that. Football is having the same problem, as success grew so did the prices and a lot of fans got priced out and replaced at that time by bandwagoners. As the hype died down, the bandwagoners left, the outpriced fans aren't coming back and the prices aren't low enough/product isn't good enough to attract fans at those prices.
dthomas=ddixon
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Re: Altman, simple Question

Post by dthomas=ddixon »

I haven’t run the numbers, and I’m sure there’s exceptions at certain programs, but college basketball just isn’t a very popular sport. Even I have a harder and harder time caring about the regular season. The level of play isn’t very high, lots of mediocre coaching, and it’s rare to see a game that’s well officiated. It’s just not a great product that isn’t marketed well at all. Women’s basketball is even worse but the sport seems to have gained a ton of marketing power recently.

Places like Gonzaga and Duke will always pack out their arenas but Oregon isn’t one of those places. We’d be better off playing in a smaller venue and trying to artificially create a great crowd.
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SuperDuck
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Re: Altman, simple Question

Post by SuperDuck »

I hope Altman is here until he retires. Almost all schools have average years from time to time.

The AD needs to do something to incentivize fans coming to basketball games - especially BIG games.

Start throwing some ideas together, put them out there and see what works.
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northbeachsf
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Re: Altman, simple Question

Post by northbeachsf »

dthomas=ddixon wrote: We’d be better off playing in a smaller venue and trying to artificially create a great crowd.
Agree and here is my short rant. They had that advantage at McArthur Court. I was in school in the early 90s and the teams ranged from below average to marginally decent when I was in school. However, back then it was about atmosphere and experience. We didn't miss games. We skipped classes and waited in line for tickets and early access to the lower level of student section. The place was pretty full most nights and the crowd was rabid and the fans were diehard. On any given night, I would bet that McArthur Court was easily a 7 point home court advantage. It was easy to park and it was an extension of the campus.

I remember taking my girlfriend to a game against UCLA when I was in school and the place was just bonkers. She didn't go to Oregon, but I managed to get her a ticket in the student section and the Ducks pulled out the win that night. She grew up in Tucson and was a diehard Wildcat fan with family season tickets her whole life. You should have seen the look on her face. She is my wife now and still talks about that game today and says it was the craziest / most intense game she has ever seen in person.

Instead of building an updated version of something that worked really well for the community, the fans, and the home team, they decided to build an NBA arena with no atmosphere and no reasonable parking. Then top that all off with the "hype guy", the scripted Pit Crew stuff, and the expensive concessions. I wonder why nobody goes?

I don't live in Oregon anymore so I only make it to a home game once every couple years now. However, if there was a big game and it was in a place like McArthur, I probably would be on a plane a lot more often to see those games.

I hate being the "it was better when I was in school" guy, but it was better when I was in school.....
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StevensTechU
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Re: Altman, simple Question

Post by StevensTechU »

I was in school from '07-11, so I was a student at both Mac Court and MKA. I don't think anyone is off base - the atmosphere was intense at Mac, and the atmosphere at MKA is a dud. There is frankly just something about the way it's constructed that is as un-intimate as you can make a place, and so unless people are doing 360 dunks and making half court shots, it's difficult to liven up the place. And again, my experience was 2 years apart with largely the same group of students and grads.
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