Must have set a record for student attendance at the Pete

[braves2121]

tonight. They let hundreds of additional students sit outside of the normal student sections. I have been to 80-90% of the games in the Pete's history and I've never seen that before. They took up the majority of the upper deck sections behind the basket which have been 90% empty this year. It's a move long overdue.

When I arrived 10 minutes before tipoff and there were hundreds of students in line down the street I knew something unusual was going on.

 

[MajorMajors]

tonight. They let hundreds of additional students sit outside of the normal student sections. I have been to 80-90% of the games in the Pete's history and I've never seen that before. They took up the majority of the upper deck sections behind the basket which have been 90% empty this year. It's a move long overdue.

When I arrived 10 minutes before tipoff and there were hundreds of students in line down the street I knew something unusual was going on.

Perhaps the AD bumped into the Logic 101 Professor...

Go Pitt.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

They let hundreds of additional students sit outside of the normal student sections.

That was kind of odd, because the actual upper level student sections had no students sitting in them at all.

 

[braves2121]

That was kind of odd, because the actual upper level student sections had no students sitting in them at all.

That's not true at all. The normal upper deck student section (217) filled up within the first 10 minutes. Once that filled up they started sending students to sections 201-203

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

That's not true at all. The normal upper deck student section (217) filled up within the first 10 minutes. Once that filled up they started sending students to sections 201-203

I looked up there at some point in the first half and there was literally not one person sitting in section 217.

The other thing is that section 218 used to also be student overflow seating but those seats got "taken away" from the students a couple years ago because they only used them two or three times a season.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

tonight. They let hundreds of additional students sit outside of the normal student sections. I have been to 80-90% of the games in the Pete's history and I've never seen that before. They took up the majority of the upper deck sections behind the basket which have been 90% empty this year. It's a move long overdue.

When I arrived 10 minutes before tipoff and there were hundreds of students in line down the street I knew something unusual was going on.

Yea. WTF was up with that? I have missed very few games at the Pete and I would guess that if you take out the big-time matchups (Duke, UNC, WVU, Syr, UConn), the overflow student section has had students in it, maybe 20 times.....TOTAL. Maybe. You rarely see students up there. Yet, a ho-hum GT team comes to town on a Wednesday night, first day of semester and they pack them? Honestly, I thought they'd have trouble filling the Zoo.

And were those students in the unsold upper deck endzone seats? I was surprised to see people in those seats.

The student turnout may have been the best ever considering the circumstances. It was just weird, but in a good way.

Another first, first time I've ever seen football players in the Zoo. Maddox, Whitehead, and another player were sitting in the Zoo, though not with Zoo shirts and not jumping around acting silly. Football players are usually too cool to sit in the Zoo.

 

[NTOP]

Yea. WTF was up with that? I have missed very few games at the Pete and I would guess that if you take out the big-time matchups (Duke, UNC, WVU, Syr, UConn), the overflow student section has had students in it, maybe 20 times.....TOTAL. Maybe. You rarely see students up there. Yet, a ho-hum GT team comes to town on a Wednesday night, first day of semester and they pack them? Honestly, I thought they'd have trouble filling the Zoo.

And were those students in the unsold upper deck endzone seats? I was surprised to see people in those seats.

The student turnout may have been the best ever considering the circumstances. It was just weird, but in a good way.

Another first, first time I've ever seen football players in the Zoo. Maddox, Whitehead, and another player were sitting in the Zoo, though not with Zoo shirts and not jumping around acting silly. Football players are usually too cool to sit in the Zoo.

If those seats were unsold, why were people there?? Not exactly prime seats.
The line for students to get in, which generally is accomodated by the area to the left of the HOF/store, was out the door and down the steps to the street. Kids seemed to have some paper with them. Did the AD release seats??

 

[Saboteur]

It is worth noting that we have lived for so long with an incredibly poor, dour athletic director that we are astonished when we see bright people doing great work.

 

[NTOP]

It is worth noting that we have lived for so long with an incredibly poor, dour athletic director that we are astonished when we see bright people doing great work.

It is very refreshing. And it sure seems like Dixon is in good spirits. Some big games left at the Pete this year.....pack the house with students, everywhere. Their enthusiasm is contagious. In my section, most of the guys look like they sprinkle talcum powder in their hair. Admission: I'm one of them. But I'd love to have some more kids get into the games.

 

[TheMadStork]

Perhaps the AD bumped into the Logic 101 Professor...

Go Pitt.

I had Mickey Perloff for Intro to Logic when I was at Pitt...what a great guy he was.

 

[pitt-girl]

I looked up there at some point in the first half and there was literally not one person sitting in section 217.

The other thing is that section 218 used to also be student overflow seating but those seats got "taken away" from the students a couple years ago because they only used them two or three times a season.

Joe that is patently untrue and I know that because my son and a friend were up there. It wasn't completely full, but pretty close.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Joe that is patently untrue and I know that because my son and a friend were up there. It wasn't completely full, but pretty close.

What's untrue? That early in the first half there wasn't anyone sitting there? No, it's most certainly not. Or that they took away section 218 from the students? Because that's true too.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

It is very refreshing. And it sure seems like Dixon is in good spirits. Some big games left at the Pete this year.....pack the house with students, everywhere. Their enthusiasm is contagious. In my section, most of the guys look like they sprinkle talcum powder in their hair. Admission: I'm one of them. But I'd love to have some more kids get into the games.

Yea. We have about 2000 unsold (on a season ticket basis) and it would be great if we can give those tickets to students but student demand generally equals demand from the gen pop. So, it would be unusual for Pitt to only sell 100 regular tickets but have 1000 extra students banging at the door for them.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

This attendance good news in addition to more winning.
In the past a packed Pete and winning at the Pete was not only a good basketball recruiting tool but it helped the football program when Wanny invited football recruits to big games.
If a football recruit shows up to a half full Pete and the basketball team loses that doesn't work as well.
This is a win win!

 

[pitt-girl]

What's untrue? That early in the first half there wasn't anyone sitting there? No, it's most certainly not. Or that they took away section 218 from the students? Because that's true too.

Well what you said was "some point in the first half" it was empty and I know that's untrue because my son was up there almost from tip-off. I had no comment about 218.

 

[QuitCallingMeWanny]

It is very refreshing. And it sure seems like Dixon is in good spirits. Some big games left at the Pete this year.....pack the house with students, everywhere. Their enthusiasm is contagious. In my section, most of the guys look like they sprinkle talcum powder in their hair. Admission: I'm one of them. But I'd love to have some more kids get into the games.

I've always pegged you as a Soul-Glo guy

 

[braves2121]

And were those students in the unsold upper deck endzone seats? I was surprised to see people in those seats.

Yes. They were students. and the ushers were directing them to fill in as general admission, just like the regular student overflow in section 217.

 

[braves2121]

What's untrue? That early in the first half there wasn't anyone sitting there? No, it's most certainly not. Or that they took away section 218 from the students? Because that's true too.

at tip-off section 217 was empty. Five minutes later it was almost full. Once the zoo section downstairs fills up, they direct the students to 217. For the first time ever, once 217 filled up they sent hundreds more students to sections 201-203.

 

[burnie1105]

This is conjecture on my part, but I would bet that one of the reasons student attendance is better is because the Zoo is more fun. When I was there from 2009-2012, it was kind of weak; there were no 'scouting' reports on the other team (whereas now I believe each opposing player gets a mini-bio), there were never really giveaways (I only remember getting a red lei, whereas now they seem to give out more stuff), and no offense to the Zoo leaders at the time (since I think one or two read the boards), but the leadership was kind of sterile (more concerned about etiquette). From what I've seen, this Zoo is a bit nastier (in a fun way, not a vulgar one).

 

[9nationalchampionships]

The mini bios are a nice touch & yes the Zoo is back!

 

[levance2]

at tip-off section 217 was empty. Five minutes later it was almost full. Once the zoo section downstairs fills up, they direct the students to 217. For the first time ever, once 217 filled up they sent hundreds more students to sections 201-203.

There's usually a bit of delay between the bottom filling up and people actually sitting in the top. Students mill around the bottom, hoping to find some magically open seats that everyone else has missed. Eventually the ushers hunt them down and tell them to go up. Most students have never even been in the top level, so they either take a while or go sit in some other place (or stand at the end as in OP).

One interesting note about 218: At one point, I had season tickets in the front of 218. I think it was 2010. They sold the first several rows of that section, and would seat the students behind that. So, even then, they didn't have the entire section, which seems like a really dumb idea.

As a student, I had suggested to the athletic department that they just abandon the top sections completely and sell them to the public. The reason that you rarely see that section filled is because it doesn't have any of the energy that the bottom does (barring a few exceptions) and is basically just like sitting anywhere else in the building outside of the Zoo. Some students just leave if they get told the bottom is full. Regardless, the AD people said they were fully behind getting as many students into the games and didn't want to sell them (although obviously they ended up selling 218 anyway).

Hopefully they just take the ceiling off of student tickets, considering overall attendance is down. In the top remaining games, sell 2,000 student tickets. Tell the fire marshall to pound salt.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Yes. They were students. and the ushers were directing them to fill in as general admission, just like the regular student overflow in section 217.

Awesome. Just surprised that students filledn the overflow section PLUS regular seats that Pitt couldn't sell. And on a Wednesday night vs a non-marquee opponent. Where did that demand come from?