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Wednesday, 14 January 2009 |
Davidson game attendance displays fan potential
Monday night the Holmes Convocation Center was literally overflowing with fans trying to catch a glimpse of Appalachian State University’s basketball team taking on the Davidson College Wildcats.
For the first time in almost a decade the arena that holds an 8,325-seat capacity sold out with a record-breaking audience of 8,350.
Whether the black and gold faithful were hoping to see the Mountaineers
overthrow conference-rival Davidson, or see Stephen Curry, the revered
Wildcat guard, is unknown.
But regardless of motive, the people packing the Convocation Center
almost doubled the total attendance for home games on the season.
Entering the game, the men’s basketball team had a total attendance of 10,378 over the span of six home games.
The last time the men’s team played at home in front of record crowd
was nine years ago against the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill at the Holmes Center grand opening.
Under tutelage of then-coach Buzz Peterson, the Mountaineers were
pursuing their third consecutive conference division title in the four
years.
Today’s situation is similar as Appalachian has won the conference
division title the past two years and hopes to extend their reign over
the Southern Conference North Division.
All of the achievements in the past three seasons have come with only part of the seating filled in the Convocation Center.
The record-breaking attendance was only a fraction of the audience
visible at Kidd Brewer Stadium throughout the past season on any given
Saturday.
Now that the Appalachian football national championship dynasty has
come to an end, fans can show their allegiance to Mountaineer athletics
by attending other sporting events hosted in Boone.
While many events are held on weekdays, making it more difficult for
students and alumni to attend, basketball games are also played on
Saturday – including the next men’s home game against Western Carolina
University Jan. 24.
The atmosphere present Monday night could be in the arena every game if
fans would turn out to see the Mountaineers with the same enthusiasm
they displayed in attempts of seeing Curry.
As demonstrated with the football team, athletics prosper when strong
support is evident and the potential of the numbers basketball can draw
were shown Monday. Now all that is needed is follow-through for the
rest of the season.
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