2024-2025 Schedule Thread

[mkaufman1]

We should definitely set up a home-and-home series with Towson. They’re relatively local, and plenty of Towson graduates live in Northern Virginia. While I’m not eager to see EagleBank Arena filled with Towson fans, a packed stadium is always better than an empty one.

Towson grads care less about athletics than Mason grads. My sister in law went there.

H/h with them is eh, although I’d have to look at the net rankings and see if there’s value there. We have done buy games with them. I’d rather us aim for CofC or Hofstra for h/h in the caa.

 

[jessej]

Season - Avg. Attendance - Home record. Lots of factors to consider.
24-25 - 2,654. 4-1.
23-24 - 3,922. 14-3.
22-23 - 3,584. 14-2.
21-22 - 3,558. 10-4.
20-21 - 2,212. 7-3. Covid year.
19-20 - 4,037. 10-7.
18-19 - 4,335. 11-6.
17-18 - 4,088. 10-7.
16-17 - 4,235. 10-7.
15-16 - 4,300. 7-8.

Capacity of EBA for basketball is between 8000 and 10000 - depending upon the source

a few years ago someone posted the average attendance during the Final Four season and the season afterwards, and i forgot what those numbers were

those numbers may represent the "best" Mason can do, without a superior marketing effort

as a fan of the game i would strongly suggest that filling up the seats be part of the scheduling strategy

 

[tblack33]

Season - Avg. Attendance - Home record. Lots of factors to consider.
24-25 - 2,654. 4-1.
23-24 - 3,922. 14-3.
22-23 - 3,584. 14-2.
21-22 - 3,558. 10-4.
20-21 - 2,212. 7-3. Covid year.
19-20 - 4,037. 10-7.
18-19 - 4,335. 11-6.
17-18 - 4,088. 10-7.
16-17 - 4,235. 10-7.
15-16 - 4,300. 7-8.

This is not great. There’s obviously some early season factors playing into this, but given our crappy A10 home schedule I don’t see this getting anywhere close to last seasons average. We’ll be fighting to get above 3k average this year.

 

[Patriotsince81]

Capacity of EBA for basketball is between 8000 and 10000 - depending upon the source

a few years ago someone posted the average attendance during the Final Four season and the season afterwards, and i forgot what those numbers were

those numbers may represent the "best" Mason can do, without a superior marketing effort

as a fan of the game i would strongly suggest that filling up the seats be part of the scheduling strategy

If memory serves me correctly both were over 6,000.

 

[mkaufman1]

Capacity of EBA for basketball is between 8000 and 10000 - depending upon the source

a few years ago someone posted the average attendance during the Final Four season and the season afterwards, and i forgot what those numbers were

those numbers may represent the "best" Mason can do, without a superior marketing effort

as a fan of the game i would strongly suggest that filling up the seats be part of the scheduling strategy

I'm sure Tony asks the ticket office about what games he should fill so that they can schedule based on selling tickets and not what actually benefits the program.

 

[GMUgemini]

If memory serves me correctly both were over 6,000.

2005: 3,937
2006: 4,533 (Final Four)
2007: 6,834

 

[GMUgemini]

Capacity is just shy of 10,000 (9,850) if you remove the corner tarps. I think it’s 7,800 with the tarps on.

 

[Mason2006Patriot]

If you want attendance to rise, tell all your friends and family, local youth basketball teams, coworkers, highschool/AAU teams etc about George Mason basketball.

It literally takes 2 seconds to send out a text to a group chat about GMU basketball

Post on Instagram about GMU basketball, get the word out etc

 

[GMUgemini]

As for an exciting conference home schedule, do you know what makes those games exciting? When there’s something for the team to play for (like challenging for a top seed).

 

[Falco]

I also loved that Marquette did an only students game in a small venue. Mason should do that in the Rac once a year. Bunch of free swag for the students, get them excited about Mason.

 

[phoenix-arizona]

And make it a retro 70s night. Some roller-skate

dancing as the halftime show.

 

[mkaufman1]

I also loved that Marquette did an only students game in a small venue. Mason should do that in the Rac once a year. Bunch of free swag for the students, get them excited about Mason.

This is actually an awesome idea. I'm not sure if folks are still adverse to games in the RAC considering the experience 10+ years ago, but having a game against Ferrum or some D3 opponent that is students only (or priority point based so those who really want to go, could) might be cool. Perhaps since many athletics folks have changed over, they would be open to it. They at least could try to make it "students only" and focus on a really "fun experience" of some sort.

They did this for Catawba the last year of Hewitt and even though the team stunk, it was still fun. If Mason is going to host a D3 school every year, might as well put it in the RAC.

 

[GMU79]

Win.

 

[tblack33]

This is actually an awesome idea. I'm not sure if folks are still adverse to games in the RAC considering the experience 10+ years ago, but having a game against Ferrum or some D3 opponent that is students only (or priority point based so those who really want to go, could) might be cool. Perhaps since many athletics folks have changed over, they would be open to it. They at least could try to make it "students only" and focus on a really "fun experience" of some sort.

They did this for Catawba the last year of Hewitt and even though the team stunk, it was still fun. If Mason is going to host a D3 school every year, might as well put it in the RAC.

FWIW I actually talked to the AD about this a few weeks ago. It sounded like they are considering some unique options for other sports to test the logistics on things like this, if yall really want to see it for basketball I’d recommend people reach out and express interest because things like this are being discussed.

 

[Falco]

This is actually an awesome idea. I'm not sure if folks are still adverse to games in the RAC considering the experience 10+ years ago, but having a game against Ferrum or some D3 opponent that is students only (or priority point based so those who really want to go, could) might be cool. Perhaps since many athletics folks have changed over, they would be open to it. They at least could try to make it "students only" and focus on a really "fun experience" of some sort.

They did this for Catawba the last year of Hewitt and even though the team stunk, it was still fun. If Mason is going to host a D3 school every year, might as well put it in the RAC.

That’s a great addition, only do it for the games against d3 scrubs, so the season ticket holders don’t get upset.

 

[Mason2006Patriot]

If you want attendance to rise, tell all your friends and family, local youth basketball teams, coworkers, highschool/AAU teams etc about George Mason basketball.

It literally takes 2 seconds to send out a text to a group chat about GMU basketball

Post on Instagram about GMU basketball, get the word out etc

 

[GMUgemini]

As for an exciting conference home schedule, do you know what makes those games exciting? When there’s something for the team to play for (like challenging for a top seed).

I just looked at our conference schedule again and I think URI and Davidson are looking like tougher games now than they did before the season started, Richmond probably a little worse. Loyola will be a top 3 team, possibly top 2, in the conference.

 

[psyclone]

I just looked at our conference schedule again and I think URI and Davidson are looking like tougher games now than they did before the season started, Richmond probably a little worse. Loyola will be a top 3 team, possibly top 2, in the conference.

A10 now has 6 teams in the top 100-- Dayton, vcu, Loyola, URI, Mason, and St. Joe's in descending order.

 

[Pablo]

FWIW I actually talked to the AD about this a few weeks ago. It sounded like they are considering some unique options for other sports to test the logistics on things like this, if yall really want to see it for basketball I’d recommend people reach out and express interest because things like this are being discussed.

I assume that the unique venue options will be tested first for one of my favorite sports (i.e., wrestling) - https://gomason.com/news/2024/11/24/wrestling-defeats-siue-to-improve-to-6-0.aspx

"UP NEXT: The Patriots return home to host MAC Buffalo on Dec. 6 at 5 pm. The dual will be held at a new unique venue on campus, the Johnson Center.

'I'm excited about hosting the match at the Johnson Center to showcase our program to new people on campus,' said Coach Frank Beasley. 'It has the potential for a great atmosphere. If we can pack it, it will be electric!'"

 

[gmubrian]

2005: 3,937
2006: 4,533 (Final Four)
2007: 6,834

These numbers back up a point I try to make to other fans. I know I have had this conversation (preaching to the choir) with other die hards I see all the time. Much like investing, if you jump in after the high, you are going to miss the best part.

If you are waiting for the team to already be great to attend the games, you are going miss the greatest season of all. 50% of our "fans" in 07 missed our greatest season ever. You can't always tell how great the team/season is going to be at the beginning of the season.

Being a fan, especially of a team in Mason's position, is as much about the journey as it is about the outcome. Be there for the journey!