OT - Maryland Student Section

[OttoMets]

I'm not a student anymore, but if I can defend them, the students have been pretty great since 09-10. I've heard things have been a bit down this year (couldn't tell you why), but my last three years at SU had consistently huge student sections, sections were added to it to account for overflow, and in 2010-11 the Dome sold more student season tickets than they ever had before. It doesn't hurt that we had two great and one very good teams over that time span, but it was always a great time at the Dome then. Not sure what the deal is this year, I'm sure the lackluster schedule has hurt in terms of game times. The Georgetown student section sold out weeks ago, and they're still selling single game student tickets at a decent pace from what I heard, and we may come close to 35k. I'm bringing a couple of friends from home, so I hope that it is as remarkable a turnout as I expect.

I returned as a season ticket holder in 2010-11 and agree - your section was (on the whole) better than it ever was in the '90s and early-'00s. You did a great job and got a ton of classmates to buy in.

No idea what happened this year. Lousy first semester schedule? More losses --> spoiled by last year's great season? It's fallen off a cliff, though. Other than the Pittsburgh game, the upper deck has been nearly empty and student noise has been way down. The last two years, those things were exceptions, not the norm.

 

[Shotclock]

Couldnt agree more. I have attended hundreds of basketball games in my lifetime at the Dome. Each and every year I find myself less motivated to go up there because it just isnt the same as it was. The atmosphere will be great Saturday but aside from that it is like watching a minor league game.

One of the best atmosphere games I have ever attended was the Butler NIT game in 2002 as crazy as that sounds. No canned sh it, all band and it was loud as hell for only having about 10,000 in the building.

I was at that game as well and thats what prompted me to get season tickets that I have had ever since. And I agree its not the same as it was. Sometimes I feel like part of the problem in that my section is not the most active during a game. Its just not a college atmosphere anymore. Not sure what the solution is but the attention should be on the student experience as opposed to the "locals" experience. Improve the student experience and the dome will be more enjoyable for everyone. Its a domino effect. All the buzz during games starts and ends with the students. Not us.

 

[Eric15]

The Utah State stuff is fantastic, etc....but a bunch of ppl jumping around w/ music, never really seems all that awesome on video.

I literally will watch this video when there's any life situation in which I need to get pumped up.

 

[Marsh01]

I was at that game as well and thats what prompted me to get season tickets that I have had ever since. And I agree its not the same as it was. Sometimes I feel like part of the problem in that my section is not the most active during a game. Its just not a college atmosphere anymore. Not sure what the solution is but the attention should be on the student experience as opposed to the "locals" experience. Improve the student experience and the dome will be more enjoyable for everyone. Its a domino effect. All the buzz during games starts and ends with the students. Not us.

Putting the students around the court still wouldnt change anything because there would still be canned music, constant advertisements and the same crap that goes on right now. They need to stop with all of the sh it, let the students and band run the show and everyone would feed off that.

Hell I remember back 20 years ago when the ENTIRE dome would do a lets go orange chant because there was not something being blared from the jumbo trons.

 

[OrangeDW]

I really don't get the flash mob stuff or choreographed stuff either tbh - it never really looks all that cool to me. I think being there is probably cool, but it never translates for me watching the videos. That video was boring as hell. Well, some of the shots from a distanced were entertaining, but I think that was just the bouncing - seeing the colors in the stands - not because of the music.

The Utah State stuff is fantastic, etc....but a bunch of ppl jumping around w/ music, never really seems all that awesome on video.

Yes, I agree. And playing that European influenced annoying music that nobody actually likes or terrible 80's songs is exactly what's wrong with the Dome atmosphere. Let the band play.

And I agree with others above, that Butler NIT game was a lot of fun and the crowd was way louder than it usually is with 20,000...because it was the real fans who were there, and because the focus was on the basketball game, not on all this stupid sideshow crap. Maybe these sideshow "experiences" are "fun" for the non-fans...the kinds who watch the Super Bowl to see commercials, and who only know the team's star player, and who just like to be a part of something but don't care about the games. But throw us bball fans a fricken bone too!

 

[OttoMets]

Putting the students around the court still wouldnt change anything because there would still be canned music, constant advertisements and the same crap that goes on right now. They need to stop with all of the sh it, let the students and band run the show and everyone would feed off that.

Hell I remember back 20 years ago when the ENTIRE dome would do a lets go orange chant because there was not something being blared from the jumbo trons.

This is something that (Gross? Pete Sala? Someone we've never heard of?) needs to get through his head:

Everyone, even the hand-sitters, wants noise in the Dome. Blaring crap serves as a crutch - when you do it incessantly (incredibly, even while Mr. Excitement is yakking his way through the starting lineups), people figure "What's the point of making noise? The speakers are doing it for me."

Cut out the racket and let 30,000 people supply the noise.

 

[BlackKnight76]

I literally will watch this video when there's any life situation in which I need to get pumped up.

Utah State is incredible. All other student sections should aspire to be them.

 

[OrangeDW]

Well its because they are Uconn

Surprised actually. Sad to hear other fan bases suffer as well.

Last night on TWC they had on the SU/Seton Hall game from 1992 on (late like 11:00). I tuned into it with about 10 minutes left in the game. Great game and we pulled out a big win in the last minute. I noticed however that the band played a ton, especially at the end of the game and the fans were singing the Hey song. No canned music, no ads, just the band and the fans. It made me smile.

I remember being at that game. SH had Terry Dehere and big Luther Wright. And yeah, I remember a great crowd atmosphere. But that's how it usually was back then, so it was nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[skurey]

hahahahahah that's the worst chant ever

 

[Eric15]

And I agree with others above, that Butler NIT game was a lot of fun and the crowd was way louder than it usually is with 20,000...because it was the real fans who were there, and because the focus was on the basketball game, not on all this stupid sideshow crap.

Straight.

(That means I completely agree with this. Well said.)

 

[OrangeDW]

Straight.

(That means I completely agree with this. Well said.)

Haha, well played.

 

[4evaOrange]

Some crazy mother-effers there!!!