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Topic: MAC semis attendance question

Topic: MAC semis attendance question

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bobcatsquared
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Member Since: 12/20/2004
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MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/10/2019 7:47:59 PM

What would be the best possible final four for Cleveland in terms of attendance? Ohio would have to be the top draw, no? At least a top 4.

Not in terms of this season, but over the long haul.

Broomball @ Midnight!
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/10/2019 7:54:30 PM

The quarters of any tournament are a bargain... 4 games in a day!

Any MAC final four minus the Michigan compass schools, NIU and Ball State is about the best the MAC can wish for. An Eastern vs. Central Final would be a hoot.

You just got lesson number one: don't think; it can only hurt the ball club. - Crash Davis (1988)

BS Ohio '88 - MA Florida '92 - PhD Florida '10

Jeff McKinney
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/10/2019 8:39:09 PM

Akron, Kent, Ohio and Toledo.

Remember, it hasnt been that long ago that the semis regularly drew 9000-11000 while the finals drew over 10000.

Jeff McKinney
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/10/2019 8:39:48 PM

Buffalo hae brought decent crowds the last few years.

GraffZ06
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/11/2019 12:07:18 AM

bobcatsquared wrote:

What would be the best possible final four for Cleveland in terms of attendance? Ohio would have to be the top draw, no? At least a top 4.

Not in terms of this season, but over the long haul.

Certainly not wholly scientific but it gives a general idea and the results pass the smell test based on past attendance experiences.

First criteria would be the number of basketball fans that support the team, so I looked at 2018 home attendance figures (2019 not available from the site yet).

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/2019/Attend...

Based on that, the average attendance figures:
1) Ohio - 5597
2) Toledo - 4239
3) Ball St - 3720
4) Buffalo - 3569
5) Akron - 2824
6) Kent St - 2799
7) Western Michigan - 2225
8) Central Michigan - 2131
9) Bowling Green - 1917
10) Miami - 1670
11) Eastern Michigan - 1524
12) Northern Illinois - 998

Second criteria is how far the school is from Cleveland. Just based on Google Maps from the University to the Q in Cleveland. Obviously the closer, the better so I just made a ratio from 0 to 1 where the closest school in miles gets a score of "1" and the furthest school in miles gets a "0" - and then used a linear scale to give a number to all the schools in between.

School - Distance - "Score"

1) Kent St - 38 miles - 1.000
2) Akron - 40 miles - 0.995
3) Bowling Green - 113 miles - 0.797
4) Toledo - 119 miles - 0.780
5) Eastern Michigan - 167 miles - 0.650
6) Buffalo - 198 miles - 0.566
7) Ohio - 217 miles - 0.515
8) Miami - 260 miles - 0.398
9) Western Michigan - 263 miles - 0.390
10) Ball St - 281 miles - 0.341
11) Central Michigan - 300 miles - 0.290
12) Northern Illinois - 407 miles - 0.000

A third criteria would be number of alumni in the Cleveland area, but I couldn't readily find those #s - so I simply multiplied the average attendance numbers with the "score" value for how close the schools are and got the following results where higher is "better" for attendance in Cleveland.

1) Toledo - 3309
2) Ohio - 2882
3) Akron - 2809
4) Kent St - 2799
5) Buffalo - 2022
6) Bowling Green - 1527
7) Ball St - 1270
8) Eastern Michigan - 991
9) Western Michigan - 868
10) Miami - 665
11) Central Michigan - 618
12) Northern Illinois - 0

Looks reasonable to me for a total "guestimate".

Best 4 options for attendance would be: Toledo, Ohio, Akron and Kent. Total those 4 and you'd get an attendance of 11,799. 12K sounds about right for the semis/finals at the top end. Also based on their recent success and past attendance that Buffalo would be a solid #5 on this list.

Flip side would be a bottom 4 of WMU, Miami, CMU and Northern Illinois with a total of 2,151. Obviously NIU wouldn't bring 0 so that's a little low - but probably 3-4K might be sadly realistic with those four. Any of the directional Michigans with NIU and Miami would be a disaster.

Last Edited: 3/11/2019 12:14:43 AM by GraffZ06

ts1227
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/11/2019 7:18:08 AM

Jeff McKinney wrote:

Akron, Kent, Ohio and Toledo.

Remember, it hasnt been that long ago that the semis regularly drew 9000-11000 while the finals drew over 10000.

I�d even throw Toledo out of that group. They�re a draw, but the other 3 draw much better.

MAC brass can�t be thrilled this year, since it�s highly unlikely they get anyone from the big 3 except Kent. Toledo likely being there will soften the blow.

UpSan Bobcat
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/11/2019 10:17:02 AM

Toledo, Kent State and Buffalo all will send quite a few fans if their teams are there. Attendance should be pretty good.

Buckeye to Bobcat
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/11/2019 11:42:02 AM

If I am the MAC Offices and had my way:

Top 3 : Kent, Ohio, Akron. Doesn't matter the order, but to me that's the holy trio for the offices.

Tier Two: Toledo, Buffalo, Bowling Green.
BG-I will admit, haven't seen an on BG team in eons. However, watching their attendances in BG for big games at home, I feel like this is a base that quietly gets jacked up for basketball when they're on and trust me, they haven't had a ton to cheer about in a while.
Toledo-Solid traveling group. Not great, but good enough. Nothing to see here other than their results.
Buffalo-Buffalo is making a run on tier one in a hurry. Good crowds going down and their fanbase realizing Cleveland is as far as a drive as it is for Bobcat fans from Athens to Cleveland. Having them figure that out will keep moving them up. Will be intriguing what happens when Buffalo slips back to the mortals pack in terms of W's and L's

Tier Three: Fiami
Just because they're in Ohio, local alumni bases, and haven't had a lot to cheer about. Do they care about basketball over there?

Tier Four: NIU, CMU, WMU, Ball State
They're out of state and hauls to Cleveland.....

Tier Five: Eastern Michigan
The almighty prayer that they never go to a MAC Championship.....

Brian Smith (No, not that one)
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/11/2019 11:45:49 AM

I think a ranked Buffalo team is a squad that a casual Cleveland basketball fan who doesn't have any rooting interest in a MAC program might buy a ticket to go watch. I have no proof of that, but just being ranked makes a team compelling to a fan who might otherwise turn up their nose at MAC basketball.

Last Edited: 3/11/2019 11:46:51 AM by Brian Smith (No, not that one)

Pataskala
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/11/2019 1:49:11 PM

Brian Smith wrote:

And don't forget that Cleveland b-ball fans haven't had much to get excited about since LaBron left for LA. Some might be willing to plop down a few bucks to see some real b-ball.

We will get by.
We will get by.
We will get by.
We will survive.

ts1227
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/11/2019 9:20:56 PM

Brian Smith wrote:

Agree, that little number out in front of their name will help draw in randoms.

Plus as Buckeye to Bobcat mentioned, they're in that second tier that draws OK most times (like Toledo), and being good a few years in a row now will only help them. They usually draw like crap until the weekend, then they send a solid contingent down 90 to Cleveland.

Tom Valentino
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/11/2019 10:06:04 PM

I�m kinda shocked that the MAC has Akron, Kent State and Buffalo on the same side of the bracket, and they�re playing in the afternoon session on Thursday. Putting them in the night session is free money. In past years, the league has absolutely scheduled around that.

On Twitter: @1tomvalentino | TheNailPodcast.com

Deciduous Forest Cat
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/11/2019 10:31:26 PM

Tom Valentino wrote:

Its determined by seeding, not location

Tom Valentino
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/11/2019 11:03:10 PM

They�ve absolutely made sure the side of the bracket with Akron and/or Kent is on is the one playing the night games in years past.

On Twitter: @1tomvalentino | TheNailPodcast.com

Buckeye to Bobcat
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/11/2019 11:05:03 PM

Tom Valentino wrote:

They�ve absolutely made sure the side of the bracket with Akron and/or Kent is on is the one playing the night games in years past.

ts1227
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/14/2019 4:20:24 PM

MAC brass is about to live their worst nightmare for attendance this weekend - Ohio and Akron gone, and Kent losing at the under 4.

Toledo/Buffalo final is their only hope to salvage it

GraffZ06
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/14/2019 4:45:45 PM

Toledo (assuming they win tonight) and Buffalo will bring plenty this weekend. Not huge crowds, but decent.

My guess is 7500-8000 total in the Q - which is what, about 1/3 filled?

OU_Country
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/14/2019 4:46:07 PM

ts1227 wrote:

MAC brass is about to live their worst nightmare for attendance this weekend - Ohio and Akron gone, and Kent losing at the under 4.

Toledo/Buffalo final is their only hope to salvage it

Don't underestimate BG's fans this year. They're pretty excited up there this year.

OU_Country
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/14/2019 4:47:06 PM

GraffZ06 wrote:

Toledo (assuming they win tonight) and Buffalo will bring plenty this weekend. Not huge crowds, but decent.

My guess is 7500-8000 total in the Q - which is what, about 1/3 filled?

MAC Tournament capacity is significantly reduced - remember, they curtain off the upper deck. I think capacity is in the 13-14,000 range.

ts1227
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/14/2019 4:48:03 PM

GraffZ06 wrote:

Toledo (assuming they win tonight) and Buffalo will bring plenty this weekend. Not huge crowds, but decent.

My guess is 7500-8000 total in the Q - which is what, about 1/3 filled?

Basketball capacity is 20,562, so that�s 1/3(ish) filled.

Needless to say they aren�t opening the curtain for any top sections. Even the 2012 final vs. Akron was around 12k I think and it was bottom deck only.

Alan Swank
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/14/2019 5:09:16 PM

Jeff McKinney wrote:

Akron, Kent, Ohio and Toledo.

Remember, it hasnt been that long ago that the semis regularly drew 9000-11000 while the finals drew over 10000.

Wasn't that long ago that we drew 8 to 9,000 actual butts in seats.

GraffZ06
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/14/2019 8:12:57 PM

Ok, NOW the MAC can start to worry.

NIU about to knock off Toledo.

Heaven help them if Balls beats BG in the night-cap.

A final four of Buffalo/CMU/NIU/Balls - might only draw 4-5k.

Mark Lembright '85
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/14/2019 8:35:19 PM

Cross Toledo off the list.

ts1227
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/14/2019 9:24:21 PM

This is not good.

MonroeClassmate
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RE: MAC semis attendance question

Posted: 3/15/2019 5:29:15 AM

Parity brackets. Two from the east and two from the west and neither playing each other till the finals.

Watch out for BGSU. Scoring 99 in their first game at the big house portends well to not being stymied on the offensive end in the games ahead--they are feelin it! Can their defense slow their remaining opponent(s)?

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