THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 18, 1997 TAG: 9702180497
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VICKI L. FRIEDMAN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 95 lines
A handful of fliers advertising the Lady Monarchs' game against James Madison are scattered next to Old Dominion freshmen Susan Hill and Keisha Howard, who are finishing lunch at Webb Center, the cafeteria where students eat, study and socialize.
``I don't even know where the field house is,'' Hill says when asked if she has attended an ODU women's game. ``Are they good?''
When told the Lady Monarchs are No. 2 in the nation, Hill looks amazed and nudges Howard: ``Did you know they were two?''
Howard says she knew, but still isn't all that interested in going to games.
Student apathy toward women's hoops isn't anything new on campuses across the country, and ODU, with a student body of 17,000, reflects that. The Lady Monarchs sold out the two subregional games they hosted in last year's NCAA tournament - but the 9,000-plus fans included just 900 student tickets for the two games. This year's sellout against then-top-ranked Stanford included 853 student tickets, the most ever for an ODU women's game.
The Stanford game was one of three regular-season sellouts this season, including a standing-room only crowd of more than 5,000 against defending national champ Tennessee last month. This year's average attendance of 2,792 - which ranks 28th nationally behind schools such as Drake, Montana and Maine - is larger than the single-biggest regular season crowd of last season; in 12 regular-season games last year, ODU averaged 1,661 fans.
ODU's continued success helps increase attendance, says athletic marketing director Debbie Byrne. But she admits it is still tough to draw students.
``When it's for all the money, as in the tournament, people feel a real need to be there,'' she says. ``But students are not major players in women's basketball attendance figures.''
Why? A sampling of responses from ODU students offers some insight.
``The sports at this school aren't the big sports people care about,'' says senior Jason Miller. ``If we had a football team that was 0-16, there'd be more people at those games than at a women's basketball game.''
``I would rather watch guys,'' says freshman Amy Ludwick. ``I know we are really good, but the girls don't dunk. It's more fun to watch men play.''
Junior Rich Farrell says he goes to 75 percent of the games but says others stay away because ``no one want to see 'em play AU, where the point of the game is whether they score 100 points.''
Like many of the students attending the urban school, senior Dawn Carson is a commuter: ``I'm just here to get my education.''
Jack McGovern, president of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, says the university could increase student attendance by offering more incentives and promotions. He'd like to see tailgate parties in the parking lot or a free meal at the concession stand for the first 200 students admitted.
``The university tends to pander to the older crowd,'' he says. McGovern says there's not enough to do before or during games; he prefers the zany atmosphere at Midnight Madness, which offers carnival-like booths and blaring rap music.
A student, McGovern says, can go to a Lady Monarchs game on Friday night or ``get into happy hour where they have 10-cent beers. What do you think college students are going to choose?''
That type of response frustrates ODU coach Wendy Larry.
``We're obviously a reflection of this institution,'' she says, ``and it's mind-boggling to me that sometimes the student body isn't supportive of that reflection.''
Signs advertising sporting events are placed on 12 outside sign boards and in 150 classrooms. While there is no traditional student booster club, a group called the Monarch Maniacs sits behind one basket in the field house. The Maniacs collect points for each game they attend; at the end of the season, the points winners receive prizes.
The players themselves will often bang the drum as well. Junior center Nyree Roberts is among the more outspoken.
``If I'm ever giving a speech in class,'' she says, ``the last thing I'll say is, `And one more thing. We have a game tomorrow night so come out.' ''
Byrne says the university is finding success with more and more young families prevalent in the stands.
``The free-throw contest that we've had after the games, men and women, has been a big success,'' she says. ``It's brought families to the games because kids compete. We're full every night we have that contest; we take 40 children.''
ODU offers several promotional gimmicks before and during games. The Girl Scouts and the military are treated to discount nights once a season. Cheerleaders slingshot T-shirts into the stands during timeouts, and every time an ODU player hits a 3-pointer, a local fast food restaurant sends plastic cups loaded with sandwich coupons flying into the crowd.
Whether the activity is studying, watching TV, partying or something else, Larry says, it's obvious that for the majority of students watching women's basketball is not a priority. Byrne acknowledges that while ODU has made strides this season in ticket sales, the work is far from over.
``Until we're sold out every night,'' she says, ``we won't be satisfied.'' ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
Chart
Women's Basketball 1996-97 Avg. Home Attendance Through Feb. 10
[For complete copy, see microfilm]