Poll Recap: Fans Divided on Reason for Poor GIA Attendance

Oklahoma State will play their seventh and biggest home game of the season this Saturday when they welcome the No. 6 Wichita State Shockers to Stillwater.

Hopefully, there will be enough fans in Gallagher Iba Arena to help boost the team to a big upset victory. But if the first six home games of the season are any indication, it’s not likely to happen.

The answer to the question of “why aren’t OSU fans aren’t showing up,” is one of great debate. I don’t think it’s one simple answer, and based on this week’s poll results, neither do the fans.

#okstate is 7-1 in hoops and receiving votes in the AP Poll, yet GIA is still empty (even by recent GIA standards). Why?

— Pistols Firing (@pistolsguys) December 5, 2017

While “Holder/Underwood fallout” technically won with 36 percent of the vote, it was only a few votes ahead of “no good opponents.”

Combing through the more than 100 comments across Facebook, Twitter, and the PFB site, fans don’t seem to have one answer for the problem either.

“Same reason I have not watched them play on TV. They have so little talent compared to the rest of the Big 12.” – Steve Mehl

“I wasn’t thrilled about the hire. Thought I would give him a chance. Then Lamont Evans. I firmly believe he had knowledge of Lamont Evans actions. If they were like “brothers”… it would be unusual not to AT LEAST have suspicion …” – J.D.

“It was already down from Travis Ford staying about three years too long, then the Underwood fiasco stuck a dagger in it. Holder has been letting the program slip for years.” – Alex Field

“Students haven’t done a good job of showing up, but even in the Sutton days, fans weren’t showing up in droves to watch them play teams like Southwest Central Louisiana Vo-Tech” – Tyler Scott Cable

“The opponents we are playing are on par with every other year’s schedule. You play a few marquee non-conf opponents either on the road or at home, like Wichita St., Texas A&M, Florida State, and Arkansas. The rest of the sked is always filled with mid-majors. Not a good excuse.” – Mason Jones

“I’m surprised ticket prices weren’t an option. It’s much cheaper to attend b-ball at other schools in the Big 12 – between that and the increase in fball tickets people are making choices – and at this point which team would you rather watch?” – Robert Ward

I think the point is that there isn’t a lot of excitement for the team, for multiple reasons. Some aren’t happy with the Boynton hire. Some aren’t happy with Holder. The home schedule so far has been one of the worst in the country. Tickets, especially season tickets, are too expensive. And yeah, football season just wrapped.

And I get it. I’m torn too. It would be easy to rip on fans, especially the ones in Stillwater, for not showing up to support the program no matter who they’re playing. But this Saturday, with a top 10 opponent in town, will be telling. We should hold off judgement until at least then.

This Saturday’s game offers fans everything they could want. A top-10 ranked opponent that’s worth the price of admission. A Saturday afternoon devoid of Oklahoma State football. And a team and coaching staff ready and excited for the opportunity to prove themselves. Not to mention a great ticket deal available.

I think basketball at OSU can best be described as “If you build it, they will come.” If you build excitement fans will come. That can happen as early as this Saturday. Even if the Cowboys don’t win, if their game against Wichita State is fun, exciting and could be a great game. Fans should take notice and return. Hopefully.

Forget the six home games that have come before. This weekend though? Don’t show up and you have no one to blame but yourselves.