2024-2025 Schedule Thread

[GMUgemini]

Mason had a 332 SOS even with playing at Duke and Marquette? They only played like 2 sub 300 teams in the net so how the hell is this even possible?

Those are Kenpom rankings, as per Warren Nolan (who uses NET), we are 245

We played 2 Q1 games, 0 Q2 games, 2 Q3 games, and 8 Q4 games. That’s probably how.

UMass: 1 games, 3 games, 2 games, 6 games

Dayton (gold standard): 5, 1, 1, 5

We need 3 fewer Q4 games and put them anywhere else.

It’s a bit out of Mason’s control until they get into the postseason (3 of Dayton’s Q1 opportunities were in their MTE, while ours gave us Marquette it also gave us CMU (Q4) and Stony Brook (Q4). As a mid-major you’d want at least 1 Q1 (top 50) and 1 Q2 (top 100), opportunity in a good MTE.

 

[GMU1983]

A 10 is not mid-major 7th out of 32 conferences - cannot be lopped in with the other 25 conferences.

 

[jessej]

Since you are talking attendance, I'll assume you are referring to home games. Assuming it does negatively impact attendance, what is your suggestion to improve the SOS of our home games?

go to the top 25 teams
offer them 1000 free decent seats
have them invite
1) all 4 star and 5 star prospects within a 120 mile radius
2) HS coaches in the DMV that have produced 4 star and 5 star players
3) have them sell the tix to their DMV alumni or alumni clubs

====

advertise on the Metro
get a bus service from the end of the Orange line to Campus
starts 2 hours before tip time
dropoff at the Mall so some could have lunch/dinner before the game
(maybe the mall would partially subsidize the cost)
bus service ends an hour after end of game

=================

Best OOC home games are scheduled on Saturdays to maximize attendance

====-===
Coaches who have local roots

Schedule Harvard and have a Tommy Amaker Day
reserve all seats behind visitor bench for purchase by his family, friends, and his High School

same for UNC

 

[Mason2006Patriot]

If you have ideas to increase attendance, email Mason Athletics about it here:

Staff Directory - George Mason University Athletics

The official Roster for the George Mason University Patriots

gomason.com

 

[mkaufman1]

Those are Kenpom rankings, as per Warren Nolan (who uses NET), we are 245

We played 2 Q1 games, 0 Q2 games, 2 Q3 games, and 8 Q4 games. That’s probably how.

UMass: 1 games, 3 games, 2 games, 6 games

Dayton (gold standard): 5, 1, 1, 5

We need 3 fewer Q4 games and put them anywhere else.

It’s a bit out of Mason’s control until they get into the postseason (3 of Dayton’s Q1 opportunities were in their MTE, while ours gave us Marquette it also gave us CMU (Q4) and Stony Brook (Q4). As a mid-major you’d want at least 1 Q1 (top 50) and 1 Q2 (top 100), opportunity in a good MTE.

Okay 245 sounds more reasonable or realistic. I know we played mostly q4 games and our h/h’s weren’t great. But it didn’t make any sense that we’d be sub 300 with the two power 5 games.

Agreed on scheduling but I’ll save that drum for June 2025.

go to the top 25 teams
offer them 1000 free decent seats
have them invite
1) all 4 star and 5 star prospects within a 120 mile radius
2) HS coaches in the DMV that have produces 4 star and 5 star coaches
3) have them sell the tix to their DMV alumni or alumni clubs

====

advertise on the Metro
get a bus service from the end of the Orange line to Campus
starts 2 hours before tip time
dropoff at the Mall so some could have lunch/dinner before the game
(maybe the mall would partially subsidize the cost)
bus service ends an hour after end of game

=================

Best OOC home games are scheduled on Saturdays to maximize attendance

====-===
Coaches who have local roots

Schedule Harvard and have a Tommy Amaker Day
reserve all seats behind visitor bench for purchase by his family, friends, and his High School

same for UNC

I’m gonna be the buzzkill here -

Both 1 and 2 are ncaa violations. A visiting team cannot leave tickets for recruits on a road game. Alumni groups are always invited except vcu because their alumni smell bad.

We don’t honor our own, and we are going to honor Tommy Amaker?

 

[EXpatriot13]

If you have ideas to increase attendance, email Mason Athletics about it here:

Staff Directory - George Mason University Athletics

The official Roster for the George Mason University Patriots

gomason.com

At this rate, I'll have the staff directory memorized by end of season.

 

[mkaufman1]

At this rate, I'll have the staff directory memorized by end of season.

Everyone in the AD will have our email addresses blocked

 

[Patriot8]

Consider this a home game that anyone can attend.

Tonight @ 7:30pm

x.com

x.com

 

[NewPatriot]

George Mason Patriots Scores, Stats and Highlights - ESPN

Visit ESPN for George Mason Patriots live scores, video highlights, and latest news. Find standings and the full 2024-25 season schedule.

www.espn.com

I just looked at the gamecast of every ESPN conference game.....wait for it...

We are the heavy favorite in win every conference game EXCEPT Dayton and vcu!

So we're looking at ESPN predicting 25-6(16-2) entering the A10 tournament here in DC at Capital one Arena...

 

[DRK331]

Here is the recording of the By George Twitter spaces:

x.com

x.com

Katie Pate from the Athletic Department talks at the end

 

[FreeGunston12]

If you have ideas to increase attendance, email Mason Athletics about it here:

Staff Directory - George Mason University Athletics

The official Roster for the George Mason University Patriots

gomason.com

Lower prices. It’s not that complicated. I contemplated shelling out the $150 to bring my modest family of three to a couple of games so far this season, but couldn’t justify it. We could’ve sat in bad seats for less, but looking down at all the empty seats in lower sections is just insulting. I’ll get a better view and atmosphere from my couch. It’s a ridiculous price tag for a stadium that’s a third full.

 

[psyclone]

Lower prices. It’s not that complicated. I contemplated shelling out the $150 to bring my modest family of three to a couple of games so far this season, but couldn’t justify it. We could’ve sat in bad seats for less, but looking down at all the empty seats in lower sections is just insulting. I’ll get a better view and atmosphere from my couch. It’s a ridiculous price tag for a stadium that’s a third full.

Lower bowl for $10 for some games are a good deal. Those are listed along with other giveaways (posted earlier in this thread)

x.com

x.com

 

[mkaufman1]

These are the net rankings from last season for the teams mason plays this year. AVG net ranking is 174. Almost 100 points higher than last year. This is probably helped by doing the 2 power 5 road games within the top 15.

Now obviously it'll be interesting to see where some of these schools end up. I don't expect JMU to be a top 75 NET, but if they are then all the better. The intent is to have a much improved schedule, and I can't help but think our NET will reflect the improvement once the nonconf is done.

nc central	272​
marquette	14​
stony brook	174​
central michigan	265​
ecu	189​
coppin state	361​
jmu	52​
unc asheville	163​
tulane	138​
duke	10​
penn	212​
mount st mary	242​

AVG from above: 174

From https://bballnet.com/- NET ranking updates as of 12/30

AVG for the below: 211

It appears that the average NET opponent is much lower this year than last year. Several teams have dropped below the 200 NET threshold (CMU, ECU, UNC Ash, Tulane) and Penn is closer to Coppin State in NET.

Hopefully ECU, Central Michigan, Tulane can improve and get closer to top 175 with conference play.

nc central	298​
marquette	12​
stony brook	320​
central michigan	209​
ecu	205​
coppin state	360​
jmu	151​
unc asheville	208​
tulane	219​
duke	3​
penn	342​
mount	210 ​

 

[psyclone]

George Mason Patriots Scores, Stats and Highlights - ESPN

Visit ESPN for George Mason Patriots live scores, video highlights, and latest news. Find standings and the full 2024-25 season schedule.

www.espn.com

I just looked at the gamecast of every ESPN conference game.....wait for it...

We are the heavy favorite in win every conference game EXCEPT Dayton and vcu!

So we're looking at ESPN predicting 25-6(16-2) entering the A10 tournament here in DC at Capital one Arena...

Going game-by-game, Kenpom has us losing 3 other A10 games--away games at URI, Bonnies, and Davidson. And given that some of our projected "wins" are close, Kenpom predicts that we'll wind up with an 11-7 record, tied with St. Joe's and URI, and behind Dayton, vcu, and the Bonnies.

I think that's much closer to how it will end up than the 16-2 that you're reporting from ESPN.

 

[NewPatriot]

Going game-by-game, Kenpom has us losing 3 other A10 games--away games at URI, Bonnies, and Davidson. And given that some of our projected "wins" are close, Kenpom predicts that we'll wind up with an 11-7 record, tied with St. Joe's and URI, and behind Dayton, vcu, and the Bonnies.

I think that's much closer to how it will end up than the 16-2 that you're reporting from ESPN.

I watched the bonnies, uri and Davidson. I think Mason will take 2 of those 3. St. Bonnie for me is the only one in question.

 

[gmubrian]

Lower prices. It’s not that complicated. I contemplated shelling out the $150 to bring my modest family of three to a couple of games so far this season, but couldn’t justify it. We could’ve sat in bad seats for less, but looking down at all the empty seats in lower sections is just insulting. I’ll get a better view and atmosphere from my couch. It’s a ridiculous price tag for a stadium that’s a third full.

I hear you, but, you also have to look at it from the AD side. If they offer tickets that require a seat donation to purchase season tickets for significantly cheaper on a regular basis, then there is little incentive for the season ticket holders to pay the seat donation. That could erode one of the biggest sources of revenue to the program.

 

[Patriot8]

I hear you, but, you also have to look at it from the AD side. If they offer tickets that require a seat donation to purchase season tickets for significantly cheaper on a regular basis, then there is little incentive for the season ticket holders to pay the seat donation. That could erode one of the biggest sources of revenue to the program.

Additionally, for simplicity’s sake let’s say there are 1000 walk ups that are paying $25 a ticket. Would lowering the price to $12.50 drive 2000 walk ups to make up for the lost revenue?

 

[hoopsjunkie75]

Additionally, for simplicity’s sake let’s say there are 1000 walk ups that are paying $25 a ticket. Would lowering the price to $12.50 drive 2000 walk ups to make up for the lost revenue?

If marketed correctly, maybe. It certainly hasn't been tried before.

Regarding other prices that keep people away, look at in-arena vending again. Mercedes Stadium, for example, is always at the top of fan experience charts due to their SANE pricing structure.

A beer at a Falcons or United FC game it $5. Hot Dog $3. Popcorn and Soda $2 (FREE REFILLS).

Our popcorn is $10 per bag. A water is $8.

Again, it keeps away families with idle curiosity. Can't grow attendance that way.

Atlanta did it right in their stadium and that is why they have high attendance numbers across all sporting events. They have the highest average league attendance (almost 50k fans per game) for their soccer club and over the past six years have grown in attendance at a much faster pace than anywhere else.

Coincidence, maybe but it makes sense. If it is affordable, more are likely to try it out, and that's how you hook new fans. Well, that and putting an exciting product on the floor once the fans are in the door.

 

[Masonfan3]

Additionally, for simplicity’s sake let’s say there are 1000 walk ups that are paying $25 a ticket. Would lowering the price to $12.50 drive 2000 walk ups to make up for the lost revenue?

It may not initially but the point is we need to get more butts in seats. Otherwise you are going to start losing players and coaches. There are other ways that you can make up the lost revenue (if needed) like increasing tuition by $5 or something. The players and staff are starting to get frustrated with the lack of attendance. As a former student athlete, I can tell you that one of the biggest frustrations for the players around 2004-08 was they never knew what kind of crowd they were going to get. I will never forget sitting next to Liz Larranaga when we played Hofstra in 2011. They had Charles Jenkins and it was a big/important game. Halfway through the game, she turned to me and said "Jim is going to be pissed with the size of this crowd" She went on to tell me how frustrating it was getting for him that we can barely fill half of the arena and didn't know what else they needed to do. We ended up beating the sh$*$ out of Hofstra, which is good, but I will go to my grave saying that the lack of buy in from the community/attendance issues had a lot to do with L's departure.

 

[Patriot8]

It may not initially but the point is we need to get more butts in seats. Otherwise you are going to start losing players and coaches. There are other ways that you can make up the lost revenue (if needed) like increasing tuition by $5 or something. The players and staff are starting to get frustrated with the lack of attendance. As a former student athlete, I can tell you that one of the biggest frustrations for the players around 2004-08 was they never knew what kind of crowd they were going to get. I will never forget sitting next to Liz Larranaga when we played Hofstra in 2011. They had Charles Jenkins and it was a big/important game. Halfway through the game, she turned to me and said "Jim is going to be pissed with the size of this crowd" She went on to tell me how frustrating it was getting for him that we can barely fill half of the arena and didn't know what else they needed to do. We ended up beating the sh$*$ out of Hofstra, which is good, but I will go to my grave saying that the lack of buy in from the community/attendance issues had a lot to do with L's departure.

I sat beside John Paxson at that game. He was there to scout Jenkins.