Your story resonates with me, I've seen much of the same from my boys over the years. My now 8 year old was truly obsessed with DJ Cooper for his whole career. My kids pay attention and get into the game about 100 times more in Bobcat basketball than football. Maybe it is just my kids, but I think the Convo and everything being a bit more "intimate" helps, as well as the ability to recognize/remember/identify with the players better. I hope these trips to the Convo will help build an affection for Athens that helps them avoid the evil empire and make the right choice.
I think your assessment about it being more intimate resonates for almost everyone, not just your kids. I also think that the simple fact that people can identify with the 7-10 players they see on the floor more easily than the 30+ they see on the field has a little bearing as well.
We brought one of my longest time friends, and his two boys to the Akron game Saturday. To say that they were really engaged in the game would be an understatement. The youngest, about 5 1/2, kept saying "we need another three!".