MACtion on the hardwood!
I went to see the Bobcats Saturday at Kent. It was a very nice size crowd.
A problem I noticed was that at action stops the show producers took over and honored some group. Or the dance team came out to there own dance music and not supplied by the Kent Pep band. The band seemed to only have a chance to play at three action stops the whole game! Compare that to the old days when a timeout or overtime occurred the band would be blowing and banging so loudly that it was deafening! All you could do was stand up and cheer.
Get rid of all productions after the 10 minute mark of the second half and let the bands do there thing and see if it doesn’t raise the participation/enthusiasm in exciting games.
I apologize for the length but here is a section of the letter that I sent to Schaus last year when he called for suggestions on improving the fan experience.
Game flow is a problematic area when we are trying to create spirit and enthusiasm and a home court advantage. Thank you for getting rid of “stand for defense.” As a former athlete and coach, that practice would have served as great motivation for my team and me to score as quickly as possible to “sit those folks down” or to deliver a common 70’s statement – “in your face.” I’m afraid “Roar to 1804” is as equally ineffective except for those wanting a cheap hot dog.
Having subbed as a volleyball announcer, I’m aware of the requirements of the game script/log especially as it pertains to promotions and advertisements which are a large part of the necessary revenue stream for your department. There have been many times though when adherence to the script has actually killed the spirit and enthusiasm and home court advantage that we are trying to build.
I didn’t take notes of the specific games or times in the games this year, but on more than one occasion, the Bobcats battled back to make a game close, tie the game or go ahead and the other team was forced to call a time out or a dead ball and the resulting media time out resulted in a stoppage in play. Either a pre-scheduled promotion was trotted out, a scripted announcement was made, or a recorded song was played when a blaring tune by the 110 or a more appropriate recorded song could have been played thus building on crowd noise and enthusiasm as opposed to fans returning to their seated position in their seats. A well-trained technical director who understands the ebb and flow of the game would be a huge step in improving the in-game experience. There were too many occasions where the 110 and the DJ/sound board operator were in conflict.
Speaking of music, the promo of guessing the bands that have played in the Convo in the first 50 years was a very good one. There’s a reason it’s called Classic music. It’s stood the test of time and appeals to many audience demographics. It also helped this year that the new sound system is far better than the previous one. Even at decibel levels in excess of 95 dB, the music was crisp and clear.