Does the attendance record matter?
Lost on some other threads. Now open for this discussion.
UH has led the nation in attendance since the Special Events Arena/Sheriff Center opened in mid 1994.
With the opening of the Nebraska’s expanded Devaney Center for volleyball, Nebraska has sold over 7,000 seaxon tickets. Don’t have the exact numbers for NU or UH season tickets but …
there is major potential for NU (or any school) to pass UH for the first time ever. UH’s attendance has fluctuated between 8300-plus and the low of 5,944 in 1008 (only time below 6,000). The average has risen slightly over the past 3 years. High was 8,376 in 96.
Last year average 6675 for 19 matches.
UH has not helped itself in the first weeks of the season. Saturday match scheduled for an 830 p.m. start. do not understand how that has happened. It’s a triple header that day. they could have easily moved the 6 p.m. match to 5 and UH back to 730. The other 2 weekends have mostly 730 starts for UH, 5 p.m. for other matches. The UH men’s matches for tournaments start at 4 p.m. ensuring the UH match starts at 7. why not the same schedule for the Women? but I digress.
Just asking if the attendance record matters with the fans?
No! Having supportive fans watch the Rainbow Wahine is enough, but we do need enough fans coming to the SSC to finish in the black financially.
Good for Nebraska to have the opportunity to have a larger venue for their women’s volleyball team. We were fortunate that Stan Sheriff had the foresight and the willingness to convince the legislature to build a 10000 seat arena instead of 4000. Well off the subject to congratulate Shane Victorino on a great night of hitting. 3 for 3 with a double and 2 homeruns in Boston tonight. It was his 100 and 101 homers of his major league career. Oh he also had 7 runs batted in. Ok GO RAINBOW WAHINES THIS FRIDAY AGAINST TEXAS.
First of all the volleyball fans are great. I wish the football team had such enthusiastic and vocal fans. That being said, i would rather have a 1,000 fully engaged fans instead of 10,000 fans clapping like they are at a polo match.
I have never understood why the previous matches don’t start at 4 or 3:30 like the men’s matches. I don’t like having to wait until 8 pm plus for the UH matches too start especially when they might go well past 10 pm.
Just asking if the attendance record matters with the fans?
Well considering how prideful UH VBall fans are for me I want that record to remain in Hawaii and not at Nebraska. Nebraska does have the new Devaney Center but what UH has is a Senior Laden team and Dave Shoji in his record-breaking year. Yes the attendance has rose steadily in the past 3 seasons and we need to continue on that maybe a little more “Showcase” on promotions and stuff then what we normally do could help boost the attendance a little more. So speaking for myself I want the season record attendance to stay in Hawaii.
thanks, SB, yes, was just asking if fans thought it mattered.
it was not a judgement on the fan support or anything. Hawaii has the best fans in the country. the most knowledgable, etc. just was wondering if it would matter if the record went to someone else?
3. thanks WF. from a media standpoint. it really stresses the writers to have to do the best job we can to give our readers the best story possible. but it really isn’t about the media.
it is about the fan experience. there would be no way if I had younger kids that I’d bring them to something that may or may not start way past their bedtime.
just throwing it out there to discuss.
Personally, I don’t get it.
Hey Cindy I get what you were saying and I guess you bring up a good question. If it does matter to most of the fans I guess its sort of a challenge for us because if we all want the record to stay in Hawaii we have to do our part in “Showing up” to support the program and not just on “Big” games. One thing for sure though UH fans are very passionate about this program….Interested to see what other fans think.
There was a time that UH men’s basketball originally was set for 7:30 p.m. both papers asked that it go to 7 p.m., to help with deadline and that ended up being accommodated.
I don’t have an answer as to why men’s matches can start at 4 p.m. and women’s don’t start until 5 p.m..
and the Saturday schedule this week is just baffling.
the Texas UTEP match Saturday at 11 a.m. I understand the need to clear the arena for all 300 who might attend but what is the thinking of watching until 6 p.m .to start the Texas USD match?
Really? I’m a season ticket holder. Most game have barely half that amount. This place is the greatest when we do have 6000+ but it doesn’t happen too often during the season. Do you know that most arenas women’s volleyball is free or for a very reasonable price. I believe it’s $8 for UCLA (I looked it up on their website). This is a very sore subject because I’m getting tired of being screw by UH. If they really wanted a full arena….lower the prices. I was a booster and paid dues….I did it because the money went to the volleyball team. Then they raise the price, charge me a premium AND expect me to join the booster for $175….wow Just wondering do you know what the average attendance is? I swear the 8376 back in 96 was attendance and not tickets sold. I remember when all of the concessions were opened…..and lines where long. It seems not too long ago you could choose a volleyball game or a movie for about the same price…
AND having a packed arena was what made Wahine Volleyball special…..they are treated like celebrities…….and they get to live in paradise AND get a good education
Just in case you havent heard ESPN names Hartong as one of the Top Candidates for Player of the Year. They also give their personal insights on other questions…
espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/9604231/ncaa-women-volleyball-five-burning-questions-2013-season
12 thanks for SB. didn’t see that.
10 wondering what you’re asking. are you commenting about prices? well aware what most schools draw for women’s vb, some of which draw in a season less than what UH draws in one night. you can look up attendance on the internet.
no one is requiring you to join the booster club to get premium seating. only put out what the added cost would be if you did.
Many schools charge for premium seating. However If you ever went to many Big West gyms, most for volleyball are no larger than Klum Gym. They aren’t changing premium seats there.
merely putting up, as asked, what UH and Nebraska charged.
UH has long gone by tickets issued, not turnstile, including 96.
agree prices seem a bit high for VB. $12 for adult upper, $17 for adult lower, single game
Move tickets are $10.75 in Honolulu. it is what the market appears willing to bear.
But add $6 for parking … yes, it is expensive.
as for long lines, that was more a function of the inefficiency of the ticket office than anything else. much more efficient these days where you can buy tickets online, print online, pick your seats online. UH has slowly moved to a better system.
the long lines at the ticket windows weren’t completely due to more people wanting to buy tickets. it was because it took longer for people to buy tickets from an antiquated system, under staffed ticket office, and people picky about where they sat.
I had long thought there should have been a line for people which said. Upper level, best available. Instead of people standing there looking at the chart and saying, Oh, not there. how about there. That took forever.
Did you ask Shoji about the late start? My guess is it’s to accommodate one of the visiting teams (wouldn’t be surprised if it was Texas).
lets take into consideration that there are probably over 10k + people from all over the world watching UH online or on oceanic cable which I’m sure nebraska doesn’t televise
14. no, didn’t ask Shoji about it. still no reason that there’s an 11 a.m match and then a break until 6 p.m That’s not how other triple headers run. There should be no difference between doubleheaders set up, which is 30 minute protocol between matches. .
Texas is playing UTEP at 11 a.m. and USD at 6 p.m. UTEP has plenty of time to recoup for UH at 8:30 p.m.. It really makes no sense. If Texas wants to catch the red eye then they would want to be playing at like at 4 p.m.
I see no one being accommodated. I only see a major inconvenience for UH fans.
Tournaments starting this week with 3 matches in one day have a 6 hour gap between the morning and first evening matches, usually 11am and 5pm. UH on Saturday is the only one with a 7 hour gap with Texas playing both. Have to be an agreement between the coaches for the extra hour rest. There must be a logical reason why that was done, maybe Shoji needs to be asked.
Funny, but at the booster meeting after the scrimmage Saturday, who was at the meeting and questioned the 8:30 start time, Marci Greenwood.
You’re right. UH will charge as much as the market will bear. Even if it means that attendance goes down….down….down. I’ve had season tickets since they opened the SSC. It seems to me that attendance back then was closer to tickets sold. The only problem with charging as much as you can….attendance eventually goes to s* then the Wahine’s will end up where the football program is….it’s hard to get season ticket holders back once you give up your tickets. I had lodge seats for football…..received a letter from UH saying that if I wanted to keep my tickets I would have to pay $2K per seat because they magically transformed to “box” seats. How you figure that…they still looked the same to me….I seem to remember Coach Wilton once said that he would rather charge $6 a ticket and have a full arena than charge a premium and have low attendance. As far as the premium pricing….I paid a booster price before that I knew was going to the volleyball team. UH then charged a premium seating charge but the money doesn’t go the volleyball team…if I want the money to go to the volleyball team I need to join the booster club….I didn’t mean to imply that I was force to join the booster club. I wanted the premium seating cost to go directly to the volleyball team.
I hope Texas isn’t being as demanding as they were last time they were here.
I can’t believe the Texas/USD match will start at 6, I think USD can take a set from texas which will mean the UH/Utep match probably will end up starting at 8:30 at the earliest…not happy about that.
It matters. It’s about pride.
The Wahine are the last of the Mohicans. A non BCS program that continues to be a top 15 team year in and year out. To lead the Nation in attendance is a talking point for the coaches on the recruiting trail from which they can segue into the playing enviroment and all the good things that make up Wahine volleyball.
The BCSers are gobbling up the most of the elite recruits. They can offer better facilities and better competition. They can offer access to other BCS sports that have deep traditions which the recruit can become a part of. Texas, Nebraska, Penn State, USC, UCLA….football, basketball.
The attendance record is one leg the Wahine could stand on. Dave Shoji is the other.
Stayed up late to watch the US get slaughtered by Brazil. I still say Hartong and Kanani have a great shot to be playing on the team next year if Logan still takes time off. Hill and Richards are not impressive at all.
No. And for those who thinks it does, well, get your butt out to SSC to avoid the attendance to dwindle down.
Hawaii is known for its die hard fans and its Ohana spirit regardless of how the attendance numbers have flactuated up and down the last few years. Besides the actual numbers which only became a topic since the Devaney opening in Nebraska, how else can anyone compare the Hawaii fans to other D1 program in the nation?
Holding the attendance record has been an awesome demonstration of the love for Wahine Volleyball. For those who normally don’t attend Wahine matches, show up, join us in SSC and keep the record here.
AW! My reaction when I opened the Sports Page of the paper and saw the article on Sarah Palmer. Wondered why a Wahine wasn’t featured.
WOW!! My reaction when I saw the special section on Wahine Volleyball.
Thanks Cindy. Thanks Ann. Thanks Star-Advertiser.
I agree that Hawaii fans are the most knowledgable, but we (based on going off and on from 80’s) can be the most quietest fans. We are so quiet when team are not rolling. I have not seen the Nebreska fans but based on how they support the football, they place must always be noisier than Hawaii (just guessing based on other Hawaii sports). Would be nice to get all games up the 6000+. I would go to all games if I didn’t live on Maui. Too bad plane fares are so expensive these days.
Agree with Ed. If i lived on Oahu i’d go to all of their matches. Guess the only other way to support the team is by donating,and make pledges to the Ace, and Blocks program.I remember i went to one match,and didn’t get to see much of the match. Plane was late,stuck in traffic,stuck in the ticket line,and the visiting team was getting blown out so the second set was already in progress by the time i got to my seat.Matches are more exciting if you’re there though.Would be nice for Hawaii to still hold the record.
How will the HGEA contract dispute over time issue be handled if a late starting match runs to 5 sets? Will we be asked to let ourselves out and last person turn off lights? Don’t like late starts, but make arrangements needed to attend cause I don’t particularly like Leahy (but not McLaughlin {spelling?}) between me and what I see and if I want replays, go home and watch tv. Don’t like the idea of attendance record going to NU especially with Coach Dave’s record and career drawing to close soon, but if fans can’t see the value they’re certainly free to talk with their $$$ or not. Go Wahine! Show face vb lovers!
Have season tickets, will be there. We can watch on TV, but is so much more fun to attend.
27. Grammy, speaking of Jim Leahy there was talk of him retiring from Wahine volley.
27. not sure how they are going to work out that issue with HGEA. Glad they made a stand since they weren’t getting the OT they deserved.
the SIDs are the ones most affected. Thought the ushers, etc. were casual hires. I know they had training for them last Saturday.
not thrilled b the late starts. It will affect our coverage. Saturday night’s Wahine match might not make our edition. Shoji said he hopes that both evening matches will be quick ones so that it’s not that late of a night.
There was talk of Leahey retiring. but both he and McLachlin were in the arena last week (just once over the two weeks that I saw).
17. are you sure it was M.R.C? I did see Virginia Hinshaw, who has long supported the program.
Did ask Shoji today about Saturday times. He said they probably should have moved that second match up at least by 30 minutes. They did it to give both Texas and UTEP rest after their 11 a.m.
Said to him that they could have easily gone 10 a.m. and did their normal 5 & 7:30 p.m. and did mention that it could affect our coverage, getting his match match in before our first deadline
Cindy both MC and VH were at the meeting.