I come from a high school with lots of school spirit, so I was excited when I went to my first sporting event on campus this year — a volleyball match against Big Ten opponent Maryland — and the arena was packed with students for the Bender Blue Out.
Almost a month later, on a Friday night against Bucknell, the leaders of the Patriot League, Bender Arena was nearly void of students.
I have noticed how inconsistent attendance has continued through the winter and spring sports seasons, and I have begun to wonder why.
And yes, I know that some sports perform better than others, but I truly believe that if attendance were to pick up, all the teams would benefit from it greatly.
Back in the fall, I went to many volleyball games. The crowds, beyond the Maryland game, typically filled the main section of the bleachers. Many seats were filled by opposing fans, which I believe was a great thing for the atmosphere. I believe that if the volleyball team had maintained crowds like they did at the beginning of the season, they would not have slipped off at the end of the season.
I also attended many field hockey games, where I saw very consistent and energetic crowds. The team constantly filled the bleachers at Jacobs Field, and it clearly had a positive effect on the team.
Unfortunately, American University’s campus was not able to host soccer games this season, which greatly hindered student attendance. All home games were played at Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Maryland, around a 26 mile drive away from AU’s campus.
Similarly, cross country does not provide a great platform for fans, but this is by no fault of their own. The nature of the sport, being just a short event and typically not close to campus, is simply not enticing to students. American also does not host any cross country meets.
Moving into the winter season, which includes basketball, wrestling, swimming and diving, these teams followed the lopsided crowd trends.
Women’s basketball had very low attendance compared to the men’s team. Their largest attendance at a home game was 923 against Lehigh on Feb. 8. This is at least partially due to the fact that they lost all but one game this season. However, one game that stood out for this team was that first and only win of the season, against conference opponent Lafayette on Play4Kay night. That game only drew a crowd of 477, but with extra motivation gained from playing for a cause, it helped the team win that contest.
As for the men’s basketball team, they had the largest crowds of any team I saw this year. From the first home game, with former President Barack Obama in attendance, to the end of the season, when the team was fighting for a Patriot League title, this team proved why they should have the largest crowds of any team at AU. Based on my math, men’s basketball averaged 1,631 fans at their 16 home games this season, with peaks for the home opener, the first game of the spring semester, and the Patriot League championship.
At wrestling matches, I see more parent and alumni attendance than student attendance. The crowds at these matches are comparable to those at volleyball matches. I do not think American provides a very enticing platform for students to attend wrestling matches. There is not constant action, and it is quiet for longer periods of time.
Swimming is another challenging event for fans to attend, because the Reeves Aquatic Center does not have much of a viewing area for spectators. Fans sit in bleachers or on the floor from Bender Arena above. Nonetheless, inside of the small natatorium are packs of athletes and coaches that create a loud environment when races are going on, which helps make up for the smaller amount of fans.
The Perch, the new setup on the north side of the Bender Arena that sells alcoholic beverages to spectators of age, has been beneficial to drawing larger and more energetic crowds for the winter sports that play inside the stadium. Because it is set up so close to the playing area, it allows fans to be closer to the action and permits more interactivity.
As with the cross country teams, AU’s track and field teams are not set up in a way that attracts fans to watch. This is due to the track not being regulated to host official NCAA events. The track is currently undergoing renovations, and it would be a worthwhile investment for the University to update the track to regulation size in order to host events that could bring in more revenue. Besides the financial side of it, AU Athletics could market the events to students and create a larger fanbase for the teams.
Finally, lacrosse, whose season is currently underway, plays on Jacobs Field just like field hockey does in the fall. This program shares many similarities with field hockey when it comes to fans at the games. The bleachers are typically filled with many home and away fans, creating a fun environment for everybody involved. Jacobs Field is unique because it gives people the chance to watch the game sitting on the bleachers, standing behind the bleachers or even outside of the fence with their pets.
Now, I’ve only been at American for less than a year and I cannot speak to how school spirit was before this year. But, what I can say is that during the men’s basketball season, specifically during the second half of it, I have never seen the school build such a positive environment and a sense of togetherness as we came together to cheer on our team to victory.
If AU Athletics and the University can get students out to sporting events and grow the fanbase of AU Athletics as a whole, it will be beneficial not only to the success of the teams, but to the positive environment that the University should be seeking. They need to continue providing incentives for students to attend, and giving teams the resources they need to be successful.
This article was edited by Jack Stashower, Penelope Jennings and Walker Whalen. Copy editing done by Luna Jinks, Olivia Citarella, Sabine Kanter-Huchting, Nicole Kariuki and Hannah Langenfeld.
