Game 8, 2023-24: vs West Virginia (Springfield, 12/16)

[natwam2547]

Quann, it was pretty electric in the Mullins with 9k no?
Just gotta build the program back up and fans will show up, I believe. Even with 6-6500 in there it's pretty loud

This is how I feel about it. I remember going to the game in 2012 against St. Louis and there were about 8300 fans there, so more than your example. But this was before the 2014 tournament run and coming off a 15-15 season. Yes they were 15-5 and going up against a 16-4 team, but people showed up and it was very loud that day. There's no reason we can't get back to a place where we are averaging 6500. People will show up if they have hope, and I think we are trending in that direction. I get why people don't like seeing an arena 1/3 full all the time, but this argument unfortunately is fruitless. Just like the Groundhog Day conversation about playing 1-2 games in the Cage every year. Control what we can control, and that is showing up, and if the team controls what they can control and starts winning more consistently, that will happen.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Get 5k+ into the Mullins regularly and we aren't having a discussion about the size of the building. When it is a third or better full, the place is LOUD. It's sort of crazy how the acoustics in there vary.

[Juice Stand]

It would be nice if there was some press coverage of the team so people can be aware that the team is doing well. We're inside the top 100 in every computer ranking (86 Net, 97 KenPom, 96 EvanMiya, 96 Torvik). It blows my mind that this is the best team we've had in 10 years and there was only 3,500 or so on Saturday. I know it doesn't happen instantly, but if there was a little more press coverage, I think people would start showing up.

[Floyd]

Boston News stations don't even cover scores of college games anymore, nevermind highlights

[natwam2547]

^ A lot of that has to do with the fact that you aren't allowed to bet on in state college athletics. I'm sure we'd be on their radar then.

And agreed about the local coverage. Every time I watch the post game presser, I wonder how many people/students are there and what outlets exactly they are from.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Back in the 13-14 season, it took until we were ranked in the mid-teens for WCVB to finally acknowledge UMass during their 6pm news broadcast. And that was with constant tweets at the station and Mike Lynch each week before they finally did it. It remains ridiculous how bad the coverage is.

[natwam2547]

Well now that the Sox and Pats won't be powerhouses for the foreseeable future, there will be more time to allocate to other sports topics.

JK we know that negative coverage can take up the same airspace.

[UMass'96]

^ A lot of that has to do with the fact that you aren't allowed to bet on in state college athletics. I'm sure we'd be on their radar then.

And agreed about the local coverage. Every time I watch the post game presser, I wonder how many people/students are there and what outlets exactly they are from.

I was actually wondering about this. How does this work with NIL? It would seem that if casino's (not in MA) are making money off of a school / player, then they should have to give an NIL kick-back to the school / player, no? For example, if there is a bet on Cohen achieving a double double or, an over/under on his scoring or rebounds, wouldn't he be entitled to a cut since it is his actual work that is being bet on here? Same for the school / overall team itself.

Maybe an opportunity for the collective to expand it's kick-back to the athlete? Or, would this be another example of how money is actually ruining college sports?

[InnervisionsUMASS]

I was actually wondering about this. How does this work with NIL? It would seem that if casino's (not in MA) are making money off of a school / player, then they should have to give an NIL kick-back to the school / player, no? For example, if there is a bet on Cohen achieving a double double or, an over/under on his scoring or rebounds, wouldn't he be entitled to a cut since it is his actual work that is being bet on here? Same for the school / overall team itself.

Maybe an opportunity for the collective to expand it's kick-back to the athlete? Or, would this be another example of how money is actually ruining college sports?

Do Casinos do that when one bets on Jason Tatum?

[UMass'96]

I was actually wondering about this. How does this work with NIL? It would seem that if casino's (not in MA) are making money off of a school / player, then they should have to give an NIL kick-back to the school / player, no? For example, if there is a bet on Cohen achieving a double double or, an over/under on his scoring or rebounds, wouldn't he be entitled to a cut since it is his actual work that is being bet on here? Same for the school / overall team itself.

Maybe an opportunity for the collective to expand it's kick-back to the athlete? Or, would this be another example of how money is actually ruining college sports?

Do Casinos do that when one bets on Jason Tatum?

No idea, that's why I asked...

[InnervisionsUMASS]

No idea, that's why I asked...

I don't think they do.

[UMass'96]

No idea, that's why I asked...

I don't think they do.

Wasn't sure if there was a distinction between a professional vs "amateur" player.

To be clear, I don't bet. So, I am not at all familiar with the inner workings of casino's and how they function / pay out.

[MikeUMA]

WVU made it official that Josh Eilert won't be retained. https://wvusports.com/news/2024/3/13/me ... coach.aspx

Not too surprising. They screamed Interim when they gave Eilert the job after Hugs was dismissed.