I agree with most of this except you left out the 20 year tourney drought…
What I see now is a bunch of kids and current students that will be future season ticket holders/regular attendees…
The future is bright!
3 Likes
Ironically, we’ll probably have to go through some down years for today’s students to get season tickets, due to the wait list.
1 Like
They fall into regular attendees bucket…
Just get football season tickets and you will move up the basketball season ticket waitlist easily.
My CP points got me decent seats at Fertitta Center when we opened in fall of 2018.
3 Likes
I don’t know about “easily,” but I do know that what worked in 2018 won’t work the same today. Getting season tickets back then was pretty easy, and much cheaper.
1 Like
Welp we did against Tech and Arizona, the only two ranked teams we played at Fertitta this year…
Well it is what it is.
Yeah… that’s when the bandwagon started rolling…
Before then really just the diehards saw what was happening.
1 Like
It’s been quite a ride from that season playing at TSU to where we are today. Never really needed season tickets until the Fertitta rebirth.
2 Likes
I remember the days when Hofheinz was only full for graduation lol.
3 Likes
Both 2 and 3 seed are equally on the other side of bracket from the 1 seed, so you are correct @RobDob there is no real difference.
Other than ur Thursday Quarterfinal game is probably noticeably “easier” as a 2 than a 3, because you’re likely facing the 7 seed instead of the 6 seed, barring a Tuesday upset making it all the way to you from the “play-in” round
Example from last year:
2 Likes
There is definitely some truth to this assumption @uncleju . The City of Ames is inextricably linked to ISU no doubt, and vice versa. But I’d contend that’s more of an economical/general prosperity connection than anything else.
Certainly everything you’re saying on your Houston side checks out to me logically, and I don’t doubt anything you’re saying on your end.
I would just point out the reality on the ground here that any Clone can attest to @zrf . The vast majority of attending fans in JTS or Hilton Coliseum on any given game day travel from elsewhere in the State and region. By in large, Ames residents who are not alumni probably make up a very small number of attendees so as to be fairly negligable? And most alumni do not remain in Ames post-graduation unless they work at the school.
Lipsey, Hoiberg, Harrison Barnes, Doug McDermott? All grew up in Ames to varying degrees and all graduated from Ames High, but that is SOLELY because their parents were/still are ISU employees. Of those 75,000 residents, roughly half of them are ISU students and we certainly dont get 30,000 students on game day, nobody does.
ISU has very few non-alumni non-legacy fans, as opposed to iowa or Nebraska who have HORDES of casuals and ppl that never went there who flood their facilities on game day. These types really do probably make up the majority of their respective fanbases in sheer numbers, engagement, and sales of all kinds… including ticket sales.
Just like any other school, ISU does have plenty of students and faculty that are just good ol’ fashioned schoolie nerds who could give a crap less about athletics in general. The lack of T shirt fans and casuals probably does hurt our bottom line overall quite a bit, so this is NOT meant to be taken as a flex or anything like that.
Other than it probably does play into the passion u see (and hear) in our crowds. What ISU lacks in sheer numbers, casuals, $$$, etc… it makes up for in per capita engagement. We’re definitely one of the leaders there in the country. Most Cyclone fans plan their entire life around ISU atheltics and make it an inextricable part of their identity to a comical and unhealthy degree. U can chalk it up to boredom, that doesn’t bother me, doesn’t make it any less true either. This is the case for probably 90+% of us from top to bottom across all demographic strata.
To the point where it’s hard to see a difference in fanbase size between us and some of our neighbors until u really dig into what I’m describing. When u hear someone like Otz or Pollard, or players or media, say this place is special…this is specifically what they’re talking about.
1 Like
Seeding really doesnt matter to us lol.
We just want to avoid playing a road game vs Kansas or Iowa State.
3 Likes
Right. I wouldn’t assume otherwise.
1 Like
I don’t want a repeat of the 2024 Big 12 conference championship final lol.
2 Likes
I think I saw David copperfield at the game
1 Like
No big difference between 2 and 3 …except first game is against higher seeded team if you are 3 …both are on opposite side of bracket from #1
1 Like
Reminds me of when we lost Sasser
…Cold-Blooded, my guys! All good.
1 Like
Lol. Bed of Nails.
