2008 Woodie Awards
DU students show lack of support
DU Teams struggle to get fans as students seem disinterested
Bryce Evans
Issue date: 2/6/07 Section: Sports
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Seconds tick down on the Pioneer men's basketball team's 76-68 victory over Arkansas State Sunday. The Pioneers hold the ball as the last buzzer sounds, they celebrate. The crowd is… well, quiet.
The Pioneers, who battled hard to earn their fifth win of the season, were only supported by just over 600 fans, which barely fills one fourth of DU's Hamilton Gymnasium capacity of 2,500.
With the exception of our hockey team, who boast a great set of fans we call the 'crimson creatures,' this is a common sight for the DU athletic department, which has struggled greatly to get students involved in team's other than our fifth ranked hockey club.
The question arises through this lack of attendance: Do DU students care about Pioneer athletics?
That question is not an easy one to answer, as it is easy to receive different answers from different people. But, it is a very valid one to ask.
According to the majority of students interviewed for this story, many believe that they would be more inclined to go to Pioneer events if they had a better knowledge of when these events took place.
Pioneer Director of Advertising and Venue Sales Jeremy Decker believes that the issue runs deeper, and that DU students have the available means to find when the games are being played.
"Everything that a student wants to know about Pioneer events is all on pioneerathletics.com," said Decker. "It is a very easy source for students to find out anything that they need to know about our athletic programs."
Decker also went on to say that the athletic department hands out pocket schedules, which hold the season schedules for all Pioneer teams, at every athletic event and many areas around campus including the dormitories, the Driscoll Center's book store, all Pioneer shops and at the health center.
Decker believes that it may not be the lack of knowledge about Pioneer sports that is keeping students out of the stands, but rather the immense amount of options that DU students have in spending their free time.
The Pioneers, who battled hard to earn their fifth win of the season, were only supported by just over 600 fans, which barely fills one fourth of DU's Hamilton Gymnasium capacity of 2,500.
With the exception of our hockey team, who boast a great set of fans we call the 'crimson creatures,' this is a common sight for the DU athletic department, which has struggled greatly to get students involved in team's other than our fifth ranked hockey club.
The question arises through this lack of attendance: Do DU students care about Pioneer athletics?
That question is not an easy one to answer, as it is easy to receive different answers from different people. But, it is a very valid one to ask.
According to the majority of students interviewed for this story, many believe that they would be more inclined to go to Pioneer events if they had a better knowledge of when these events took place.
Pioneer Director of Advertising and Venue Sales Jeremy Decker believes that the issue runs deeper, and that DU students have the available means to find when the games are being played.
"Everything that a student wants to know about Pioneer events is all on pioneerathletics.com," said Decker. "It is a very easy source for students to find out anything that they need to know about our athletic programs."
Decker also went on to say that the athletic department hands out pocket schedules, which hold the season schedules for all Pioneer teams, at every athletic event and many areas around campus including the dormitories, the Driscoll Center's book store, all Pioneer shops and at the health center.
Decker believes that it may not be the lack of knowledge about Pioneer sports that is keeping students out of the stands, but rather the immense amount of options that DU students have in spending their free time.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Ian Tanner
posted 2/07/07 @ 3:28 AM MST
Just a number of ideas
1. shut the canteen and other facilities on game nights and allow students to have food vouchers redeemable at the games and available from the stadium kiosks. (Continued…)
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