Apples to Apples Game attendance

[Saboteur II]

I strongly encouraged my girlfriend’s daughter to attend the game last night between the Hurricanes and Tar Heels in Miami. She’s a junior and had not attended a single hoops game due to Covid, indifference, etc.
The Canes are very good this year.
UNC is still a blue blood and should be a draw. The Canes blew UNC out of the building.
The Watsco Center holds just under 8,000 fans.
She sent me a photo from her seats down low just before halftime.
The place was half full/empty.
The published attendance was 5,900.
My sense is that the days of full arenas has passed.
Our attendance is poor, no doubt. But I strongly suspect that were we having the same kind of year as the Canes are having and UNC were in town, there would be more than 4000 fannies in the seats.
Better days lie ahead.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I strongly encouraged my girlfriend’s daughter to attend the game last night between the Hurricanes and Tar Heels in Miami. She’s a junior and had not attended a single hoops game due to Covid, indifference, etc.
The Canes are very good this year.
UNC is still a blue blood and should be a draw. The Canes blew UNC out of the building.
The Watsco Center holds just under 8,000 fans.
She sent me a photo from her seats down low just before halftime.
The place was half full/empty.
The published attendance was 5,900.
My sense is that the days of full arenas has passed.
Our attendance is poor, no doubt. But I strongly suspect that were we having the same kind of year as the Canes are having and UNC were in town, there would be more than 4000 fannies in the seats.
Better days lie ahead.

Miami is the worst sports town in America. You cant compare ANYTHING to Miami. Miami Basketball, historically, probably has the worst P6 attendance for a "good program." My guess is they don't draw 1000 for OOC games and maybe get 1000-3000 for ACC unless they're like Top 10/15, in which case they'll get maybe 5000-6000.

Interest in Miami basketball in Miami is about the same as interest in Duquesne basketball in Pittsburgh.

FWIW, I flipped on UNLV @ SJSU the other night. There weren't 50 people there. The announcer made an excuse that students are virtual right now.

 

[Drew1208]

Miamis home court seems depressing but at least they're winning. And seems they've set up some crazy cool NIL deal to get players.

 

[Saboteur II]

Miami is the worst sports town in America. You cant compare ANYTHING to Miami. Miami Basketball, historically, probably has the worst P6 attendance for a "good program." My guess is they don't draw 1000 for OOC games and maybe get 1000-3000 for ACC unless they're like Top 10/15, in which case they'll get maybe 5000-6000.

Interest in Miami basketball in Miami is about the same as interest in Duquesne basketball in Pittsburgh.

FWIW, I flipped on UNLV @ SJSU the other night. There weren't 50 people there. The announcer made an excuse that students are virtual right now.

You’re probably right about Miami, but they are in the same conference and they are having a very good year and they were playing a blue blood.
The UNLV San Jose game (game played in CA) might be more applicable but I tend to separate based on conference affiliation.
If you think about it, Mimi has added very little to the ACC.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

Miamis home court seems depressing but at least they're winning. And seems they've set up some crazy cool NIL deal to get players.

They've got a great little arena. In retrospect, kind of wish we had an arena that size. Could have fit it on the old Syria Mosque site (I realize that wasn't available back in the late 90s).

 

[Drew1208]

They've got a great little arena. In retrospect, kind of wish we had an arena that size. Could have fit it on the old Syria Mosque site (I realize that wasn't available back in the late 90s).

You just can't tell what its like there from tv. Seems all gloomy and shit

 

[JD1976]

Went to a game at Miami while on vacation a few years ago and it’s a nice arena, but the fans are very passive.

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

I strongly encouraged my girlfriend’s daughter to attend the game last night between the Hurricanes and Tar Heels in Miami. She’s a junior and had not attended a single hoops game due to Covid, indifference, etc.
The Canes are very good this year.
UNC is still a blue blood and should be a draw. The Canes blew UNC out of the building.
The Watsco Center holds just under 8,000 fans.
She sent me a photo from her seats down low just before halftime.
The place was half full/empty.
The published attendance was 5,900.
My sense is that the days of full arenas has passed.
Our attendance is poor, no doubt. But I strongly suspect that were we having the same kind of year as the Canes are having and UNC were in town, there would be more than 4000 fannies in the seats.
Better days lie ahead.

Agreed that covid/mask culture has ruined some attendance forever. I think having so many tv options and other things have also ruined it forever. I think Miami, despite being a like Apple, is a bad example because no one cares about Miami basketball.

Miami is the worst sports town in America. You cant compare ANYTHING to Miami. Miami Basketball, historically, probably has the worst P6 attendance for a "good program." My guess is they don't draw 1000 for OOC games and maybe get 1000-3000 for ACC unless they're like Top 10/15, in which case they'll get maybe 5000-6000.

Interest in Miami basketball in Miami is about the same as interest in Duquesne basketball in Pittsburgh.

FWIW, I flipped on UNLV @ SJSU the other night. There weren't 50 people there. The announcer made an excuse that students are virtual right now.

aren’t all indoor crowds not allowed in Cali right now? Isn’t that why Stanford, UCLA, USC etc don’t have crowds?

 

[Fsgolfdr]

Getting to Coral Cables where the university is located is just a mess . A few yrs ago I attended a Pitt game there and it took 3 hrs in heavy traffic to get there from West Palm Beach . ( 1hr ride ) . This is not unusual in season . The roads to get there are so outdated and there’s no space to enlarge them .

Another reason is most people in SFl have moved here and have other allegiances .

If Pitt had a great season next yr I doubt attendance would snap back like in the good old days , it will take several seasons of excellence for people to come see the games in person .

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

Miamis home court seems depressing but at least they're winning. And seems they've set up some crazy cool NIL deal to get players.

miami's home games always did seem depressing for some reason.. when watching it on tv, the stands always seemed darkened so you cant see the crowd. kind of like how watching a pitt game on tv this year, you cant see the crowd like you could in years past.. never remember the crowd section at the Pete being as "shaded" as it is now.

 

[Upg bobcat]

I agree that sports apathy in Miami seems real. A few years back I had to spend a lot of time in Miami for work. This was during the middle of Lebron's 4 year run with the Heat. I went to a middle of the season Heat game and the arena was like half full.

I do think that attendance at sporting events in general is trending in the wrong direction. Not sure if the numbers prove it, but I hear a lot about poor attendance from a number of fanbases, at least at smaller schools.

 

[iMissTheOldDayss]

I strongly encouraged my girlfriend’s daughter to attend the game last night between the Hurricanes and Tar Heels in Miami. She’s a junior and had not attended a single hoops game due to Covid, indifference, etc.
The Canes are very good this year.
UNC is still a blue blood and should be a draw. The Canes blew UNC out of the building.
The Watsco Center holds just under 8,000 fans.
She sent me a photo from her seats down low just before halftime.
The place was half full/empty.
The published attendance was 5,900.
My sense is that the days of full arenas has passed.
Our attendance is poor, no doubt. But I strongly suspect that were we having the same kind of year as the Canes are having and UNC were in town, there would be more than 4000 fannies in the seats.
Better days lie ahead.

It’s Miami, people are outside

 

[Franb]

They've got a great little arena. In retrospect, kind of wish we had an arena that size. Could have fit it on the old Syria Mosque site (I realize that wasn't available back in the late 90s).

It was torn down in 1991, so the site was available.

 

[FrogmoreZeke]

Getting to Coral Cables where the university is located is just a mess . A few yrs ago I attended a Pitt game there and it took 3 hrs in heavy traffic to get there from West Palm Beach . ( 1hr ride ) . This is not unusual in season . The roads to get there are so outdated and there’s no space to enlarge them .

Another reason is most people in SFl have moved here and have other allegiances .

If Pitt had a great season next yr I doubt attendance would snap back like in the good old days , it will take several seasons of excellence for people to come see the games in person .

The roads to get there are so outdated and there’s no space to enlarge them .

Sounds a lot like Oakland.

 

[Saboteur II]

Getting to Coral Cables where the university is located is just a mess . A few yrs ago I attended a Pitt game there and it took 3 hrs in heavy traffic to get there from West Palm Beach . ( 1hr ride ) . This is not unusual in season . The roads to get there are so outdated and there’s no space to enlarge them .

Another reason is most people in SFl have moved here and have other allegiances .

If Pitt had a great season next yr I doubt attendance would snap back like in the good old days , it will take several seasons of excellence for people to come see the games in person .

It is at the dead end of 95 and tons of traffic to be sure.

 

[Saboteur II]

It’s Miami, people are outside

Not as much as you think. They go outside to go indoors somewhere else👌

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I agree that sports apathy in Miami seems real. A few years back I had to spend a lot of time in Miami for work. This was during the middle of Lebron's 4 year run with the Heat. I went to a middle of the season Heat game and the arena was like half full.

I do think that attendance at sporting events in general is trending in the wrong direction. Not sure if the numbers prove it, but I hear a lot about poor attendance from a number of fanbases, at least at smaller schools.

The Dolphins seem to do well, and surprisingly Beckham's new MLS team. I didn't think pro soccer in Miami could work after they lost their team in the 2000s. I don't see how the Marlins and Panthers can last long term. Nobody goes to their games. Just a really bad sports town. Literally the worst in my opinion.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

The Dolphins seem to do well, and surprisingly Beckham's new MLS team. I didn't think pro soccer in Miami could work after they lost their team in the 2000s. I don't see how the Marlins and Panthers can last long term. Nobody goes to their games. Just a really bad sports town. Literally the worst in my opinion.

Tampa Bay is just as bad.

 

[Saboteur II]

Tampa Bay is just as bad.

Worse. I work in Tampa and few people care about sports in general. But I like the town.

 

[CrazyPaco]

Getting to Coral Cables where the university is located is just a mess . A few yrs ago I attended a Pitt game there and it took 3 hrs in heavy traffic to get there from West Palm Beach . ( 1hr ride ) . This is not unusual in season . The roads to get there are so outdated and there’s no space to enlarge them .

Another reason is most people in SFl have moved here and have other allegiances .

If Pitt had a great season next yr I doubt attendance would snap back like in the good old days , it will take several seasons of excellence for people to come see the games in person .

Which is why this talk of putting a football stadium for the Canes in Tropical Park is not a great idea. I lived essentially in the Design District neighborhood and it was a giant PITA to get to Tropical Park. I don't know how bad it will be from Gables (about 3 mile drive), but I wouldn't expect them to draw great down there, not that they draw well at Hard Rock.

Getting to Gables was ok if you took the metro, which is how I would get there.

When Miami's current arena was first built, the last couple of rows didn't have any seats on them because Coral Gables ordinances restricted the seating capacity. I don't know if that has changed. It's not a big time arena, by any stretch, but was better than them playing in the old downtown arena to empty crowds. No one there cares about college hoops though. Generally, Miami is a really poor sports town.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

It was torn down in 1991, so the site was available.

Yes, but UPMC owned it. I kind of assume the university had inquired about the lot back then and UPMC said no, though who knows. But it always seemed like Pitt should have that land.

 

[hoclaw]

It was torn down in 1991, so the site was available.

I believe UPMC owns the site.

 

[PittPharm2002]

It was torn down in 1991, so the site was available.

Upmc wanted a parking lot instead

 

[CrazyPaco]

Yes, but UPMC owned it. I kind of assume the university had inquired about the lot back then and UPMC said no, though who knows. But it always seemed like Pitt should have that land.

Pitt and UPMC were bidding for the Syria Mosque at the same time, unbeknownst to each other. After that fiasco, they created new procedures to avoid that situation.

UPMC wanted to build an office building, but that was scrapped when they moved into the US Steel building and it just became a parking lot.

Pitt wanted to renovate the Mosque as a non-athletic performing arts/convocation center so, among other things, it could hold graduation ceremonies on campus.

UPMC recently (a couple years ago) sold the lot to Pitt which is going to build a home for the new School of Computing and Information.