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Post by n00b on Nov 22, 2023 9:29:51 GMT -5
People talk a lot on here about how well Nebraska fans travel for Final Fours or for regionals they aren't hosting. But Nebraska's average home attendance would've ranked 7th when compared to women's basketball attendance numbers. Volleyball just doesn't have as many fans or as loyal of fans as women's basketball. I must protest. Women's Basketball has the advantage of playing in a nice men's facility that seats more people. Nebraska has dedicated volleyball arena that it always sells out--but it doesn't seat as much. If they played at Pinnacle Bank arena, I think they could draw as well as the top womens' basketball programs. That’s a choice that volleyball programs make. I’m certain Nebraska would allow the volleyball team to play at Pinnacle if they wanted to. If volleyball programs are choosing to have smaller audiences, that’s still a problem. |
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Post by coahc21 on Nov 22, 2023 9:34:16 GMT -5
Gambling -- make volleyball a bettor's sport.
The poster that suggested the Final 8 plated in Vegas -- brilliant and push the gambling angle
Not many people care about horse racing until it's the big gambling races (Triple Crown)
Make the Elite 8 a big gambling spectacle in Vegas and all of a sudden people want to pay attention more during the regular season, learn the game, root for underdogs, etc...
Sports betting is becoming less stigmatized and most leagues/sports are embracing it. I think the NCAA needs to progress in this area overall. I believe Bally's now has a stake in AVP and offers live betting at AVP events (or maybe that is on the horizon and not in practice yet).
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Post by BeachbytheBay on Nov 22, 2023 10:15:20 GMT -5
what not to do.
remake the NCAA into 1 or 2 superconferences, and marginalize all but 60 teams
oh wait, not an option
kill the Pac-12
oh wait, not an option
then there is:
increase men's volleyball & teams, this should be pretty evident. would increase participants and fan base
oh wait, a difficult option with major schools who have no incentive and with legal/structural barriers to add men's teams. way too slow of progress compared to women's Beach VB explosion. the 'system' essentially is leaving men behind in both education and VB, but the discussion of how boys are increasingly becoming left behind is a 3rd rail of PC discussion
Professional VB in more cities, like Soccer, VB grows thru youth participation.
gambling? one can gamble on VB, sports books will let one bet on anything that has enough interest
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Post by BeachbytheBay on Nov 22, 2023 10:21:42 GMT -5
This. The product on the court is already great. People just need to be introduced to it. i think if people look at the trend lines you are correct about it already happening. Especially this year. I wonder how much the “Volleyball day in Nebraska” has impacted new eyeballs? you know what sport has a pace of play problem, as well as a game length issue? Football (American). There is also a bad youth participation trend line in that sport, likely due to fallout over publicly about long term brain injury. what sport is actually the main competition for NCAA fan eyeballs? Football. Here at South Dakota our best-attended regular season match was scheduled immediately following the home Football game. Not a coincidence. Coaches may dislike night matches on weekends, but it helps with limiting direct competition with the same school’s football team. This applies to TV as much as attendance. JMO Football is kind of a double-edged sword with volleyball, though. Schools that don't get great volleyball attendance will still try to draw from the football audience by scheduling matches right after football games. Nebraska did this all through the 1980's to build their fan base. It's why they drew (and continue to draw) so many old people, who didn't want to go tailgate or to a bar after the football game got over. Plus every football game was a 12:30 or 1:30 kickoff, and the game got over at 3:30 or 4:00. You could squeeze in the volleyball match before dinner. But, ironically, schools that can draw well independently of their football program -- which is still a small minority -- are the ones who want to move the season to the spring because they view football as competition. I guess the big question is what exactly are you trying to "grow"? In-person attendance, TV numbers or youth participation? Those need different strategies, but honestly, the sport's having a boom right now in all three. I don't think you need to change that much. But being able to promote the sport in the U.S. beyond college should be a big focus. which schools are the ones that want to move to Spring? name names. I doubt Big West schools who mostly do not have football would want that, especially with Men's Volleyball in the spring. It allows for VB events to occur almost the entire school year. Most schools already have the most sports sponsored in Spring as it is, if those sparts are not named football. It's indoor and if it moves to Spring, that creates more conflict with MBB & WBB. |
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Post by bbg95 on Nov 22, 2023 10:25:21 GMT -5
This. The product on the court is already great. People just need to be introduced to it. i think if people look at the trend lines you are correct about it already happening. Especially this year. I wonder how much the “Volleyball day in Nebraska” has impacted new eyeballs? you know what sport has a pace of play problem, as well as a game length issue? Football (American). There is also a bad youth participation trend line in that sport, likely due to fallout over publicly about long term brain injury. what sport is actually the main competition for NCAA fan eyeballs? Football. Here at South Dakota our best-attended regular season match was scheduled immediately following the home Football game. Not a coincidence. Coaches may dislike night matches on weekends, but it helps with limiting direct competition with the same school’s football team. This applies to TV as much as attendance. JMO I guess the big question is what exactly are you trying to "grow"? In-person attendance, TV numbers or youth participation? Those need different strategies, but honestly, the sport's having a boom right now in all three. I don't think you need to change that much. But being able to promote the sport in the U.S. beyond college should be a big focus. I think it's all of the above. Volleyball has already passed basketball among girls youth participation. I think that's a leading indicator for the others. And women's volleyball hasn't been able to benefit from drafting off the popularity of men's basketball. It's had to forge its own path. |
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Post by bigjohn043 on Nov 22, 2023 10:38:03 GMT -5
If you want to increase volleyball attendance and viewership, you need to convert more general sports fans. Most of those fans are frankly men.
When you compare volleyball to basketball, volleyball is frankly a better product. It is more graceful. It compares much better to the mens game and is frankly more watchable than the mens game.
The problem is that the average male sports fan understands basketball but doesn't understand volleyball. Even at my daughters club matches, I am amazed at the number of parents who watch a lot of volleyball but doesn't understand the rules.
I think one thing you could do is to align football and volleyball schedules. If UCLA is playing Oregon in football, try to have the volleyball teams follow the same schedule. Have the volleyball game either before or after the football game. Market it to fans of both schools.
The answer has got to be to draft off football rather than avoid it....
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Post by BeachbytheBay on Nov 22, 2023 10:44:11 GMT -5
one thing?
I'd let liberos attack. they still can't play front row. why take away a skill set from a player?
there's nothing to prevent any other player from setting, attacking, digging; but that poor libero has the handcuffs on. they can still wear that other jersey
come to think of it, let's have every position wear a different colored jersey! say the team could OHs wear black, the DS wear gold, the Setter wear white, the MBs grey, and the DS wear a multi-color jersey, and the libero can wear kaleidascope jersey. spice it up.
and many of the coaches can continue to dress like slobs in pajamas
so people new at the games can ask even more questions other than, "why does that one player wear a different color jersey". Now they can ask, "why do all the players wear different jerseys"
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Post by n00b on Nov 22, 2023 10:50:49 GMT -5
which schools are the ones that want to move to Spring? name names. John Cook. |
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Post by BeachbytheBay on Nov 22, 2023 10:52:45 GMT -5
If you want to increase volleyball attendance and viewership, you need to convert more general sports fans. Most of those fans are frankly men. When you compare volleyball to basketball, volleyball is frankly a better product. It is more graceful. It compares much better to the mens game and is frankly more watchable than the mens game. The problem is that the average male sports fan understands basketball but doesn't understand volleyball. Even at my daughters club matches, I am amazed at the number of parents who watch a lot of volleyball but doesn't understand the rules. I think one thing you could do is to align football and volleyball schedules. If UCLA is playing Oregon in football, try to have the volleyball teams follow the same schedule. Have the volleyball game either before or after the football game. Market it to fans of both schools. The answer has got to be to draft off football rather than avoid it.... so UCLA should start playing their VB games in Pasadena? |
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Post by n00b on Nov 22, 2023 10:54:33 GMT -5
and many of the coaches can continue to dress like slobs in pajamas I have to admit, this is a pet peeve of mine. First match EVER on broadcast television and the head coaches were wearing a long sleeve tee and a crew neck sweatshirt. There are at least two Power 5 assistants that wear a hat to every match. Visually, it makes NCAA women’s basketball look like a more serious and professional product. |
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Post by avid 2.0 on Nov 22, 2023 10:55:40 GMT -5
and many of the coaches can continue to dress like slobs in pajamas I have to admit, this is a pet peeve of mine. First match EVER on broadcast television and the head coaches were wearing a long sleeve tee and a crew neck sweatshirt. There are at least two Power 5 assistants that wear a hat to every match. Visually, it makes NCAA women’s basketball look like a more serious and professional product. i mean... (I honestly dont care what they wear, i just want to jab at kim mulkey)  |
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Post by BeachbytheBay on Nov 22, 2023 11:01:39 GMT -5
which schools are the ones that want to move to Spring? name names. John Cook. lol, why is Nebraska even part of a discussion to grow VB. a) they've already grown it b) they don't have a men's team c) they don't have much of a Sand team the idea of referencing everything to football is silly. football has become a degenerate monstrosity. Soccer has developed growth, without some need to tie to football. VB should as well. granted, schools can use the tried and true 'show your football ticket stub and get into VB free' routine, but that's about it. can't even do that one in the spring |
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Post by OHVBKING on Nov 22, 2023 11:01:54 GMT -5
Final 8 is a great idea, I am just a strong believer the Final 8 needs to be somewhere in the Midwest so it is easier for everyone to attend across the country.
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Post by n00b on Nov 22, 2023 11:02:35 GMT -5
I have to admit, this is a pet peeve of mine. First match EVER on broadcast television and the head coaches were wearing a long sleeve tee and a crew neck sweatshirt. There are at least two Power 5 assistants that wear a hat to every match. Visually, it makes NCAA women’s basketball look like a more serious and professional product. i mean... (I honestly dont care what they wear, i just want to jab at kim mulkey) She'll never get accused of dressing too casually. |
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Post by vbkahuna on Nov 22, 2023 11:14:17 GMT -5
My suggestion for growing the sport much larger is to have a rule for the playoffs that would require transfers to wear the uniforms of the schools they transferred FROM. This would have numerous salutary effects:
1) Young players and fans would see where the best coaches for developing great players really are.
2) It would be colorful and entertaining.
3) VT would be on fire.
4) In time, people would completely forget what the uniforms of Wisconsin, Penn State, and Texas even look like. (See # 3.)
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