Crazy Attendance Stat

Marquette recruit Dexter Akanno took an unofficial visit to USC yesterday, so I took a look at their program yesterday.

USC averaged just over 4,000 in home attendance and that included a sellout of over 10,200 for the UCLA rival game. They had over 5,000 in only 2 more home games when they went over 6,000 for Central Florida in the season opener and against California.

This is a program that was in the NIT, won 24 games, has an undergraduate enrollment of 19,000 students, plays on-campus, plays in a high major conference and is in one of the largest population areas in the country..

LA traffic is a b*tch

I lived in San Diego for a time, so I understand the LA traffic and that California is a melting pot of people from colleges all around the country. 4,100 a game is unbelievably low to me.

Many years ago I flew out to the ND vs USC football game in LA. This was when USC was #1 and ND was #2. Tony Rice was the ND QB. Great excitement and packed game. They announced a coliseum record at the time 98,000 plus. At halftime of the game the announcer says “ Hey fans don’t forget that the men’s basketball team kicks off their season tonight ( may have been an exhibition game not sure) ANYONE WITH A TICKET STUB FROM TODAYS GAME GETS IN FREE” I turned to my friend who went to USC and asked how they could offer 98,000 people free tickets to a basketball game? He looked at me and said they never get more than 3000 fans. Big culture shock for a MU grad.

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Originally Posted by WarriorOMalley82

Many years ago I flew out to the ND vs USC football game in LA. This was when USC was #1 and ND was #2. Tony Rice was the ND QB. Great excitement and packed game. They announced a coliseum record at the time 98,000 plus. At halftime of the game the announcer says “ Hey fans don’t forget that the men’s basketball team kicks off their season tonight ( may have been an exhibition game not sure) ANYONE WITH A TICKET STUB FROM TODAYS GAME GETS IN FREE” I turned to my friend who went to USC and asked how they could offer 98,000 people free tickets to a basketball game? He looked at me and said they never get more than 3000 fans. Big culture shock for a MU grad.

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Is LA more of a college football / pro hoop with LA Laker and to a lesser extend Clipper and then UCLA basketball kind of town?

I can understand that USC hoops doesn't have much tradition (like cross town UCLA), and the area is not in the greatest area to say the least, but it just seem a school that size in a major conference would have more of a hoops following.

USC never draws for basketball. I thought the on-campus arena would boost things, but that has not happened.

Traffic is no excuse when the arena is on campus.

It is LA - there is a lot to do. People would rather hang out at the beach or shop than go to a basketball game. People in LA are major bandwagon fans in all sports. Our group that goes to college football games around the country. When I asked somebody years ago about either USC or UCLA he replied - oh, both games are awesome atmospheres, but come early in the season, if either one has 1 or 2 losses midway through the season nobody goes anymore.

I remember listening to an interview a couple of years ago before football national title game. Can't remember who it was, Tebow? Whitehurst? Anyway, he said he went to USC for a visit and was at the game where the receiver (can't remember who) made the most incredible catch he had ever seen in his life. He was amazed - he turned to see the reaction of the crowd and while people were cheering, he could hear one person clapping and he was able to see who it was. He couldn't believe it, said he never wanted to play in a dead atmosphere like that.

So our football group did go out there a couple of years ago for the USC-UCLA game at the Rose Bowl. It was pretty cool, but not sold out. So my question is this...

Michigan - Ohio State
Florida - Florida State
Auburn - Alabama
Iowa - Iowa State
Texas - Oklahoma

Do you ever see any of those game not sold out regardless of record?

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Originally Posted by Goose85

Is LA more of a college football / pro hoop with LA Laker and to a lesser extend Clipper and then UCLA basketball kind of town?

I can understand that USC hoops doesn't have much tradition (like cross town UCLA), and the area is not in the greatest area to say the least, but it just seem a school that size in a major conference would have more of a hoops following.

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Last year UCLA drew 8,600 fans to a 13,000+ seat arena. They aren't even a big draw.

Meanwhile the Lakers and Clippers draw over 17,000 per game and the NHL's Kings draw 18,200.

I have seen the prices for UCLA basketball tickets, not shocked.