Attendance at University of Memphis home basketball games was a highly-discussed topic all the way up until the final regular season home game at FedExForum.
The University was in jeopardy of receiving no payment from the Memphis Grizzlies if the Tigers average home actual attendance – or turnstile count – fell below 6,000.
The crowd showed up for the team’s final two home games – against nationally ranked SMU and senior day against Tulsa – which earned Memphis roughly $480,000 of the possible $800,000 from the Grizzlies.
However, coach Josh Pastner expressed his displeasure for the lack of attendance at home games from one specific demographic of the fan base.
“We have one of the worst student-attended arenas in the United States of America,” Pastner said at his post-season press conference. “When we go to Cincinnati, the place is full of students. When we go to Connecticut, the place is full of students. If we got 2,000 students a game, or even 1,500 students a game, like most school do at the level that we’re at, we’re not sitting here talking about the (attendance) issue. That’s a big, big area we’ve struggled with is student attendance. It’s mind-boggling.”
Later that same day, Pastner put out of statement via the Memphis Basketball Twitter account clarifying his comments.
“In regards to my student section comments; we are so thankful, grateful and appreciative to those students that attend our games,” Pastner said in the tweet. “The noise you make in the arena gives us a home court advantage. Our disappointment is at the students that don’t show up and attend the games.”
U of M President David Rudd later tweeted out his support of Memphis students when asked about Pastner’s comments on Twitter.
“(We) have the hardest working students in the land, second to none,” Rudd said. “They’re the reason the U of M is a very special place!”
When asked four different times whether he feels supported by the U of M administration at his post-season press conference, Pastner refused to answer the question.
“You need to talk to Tom Bowen and president Rudd on how they feel,” Pastner responded. “I’m always going to be in support of my bosses.”
Student attendance at Memphis home basketball games, or lack thereof, is not a new issue.
As early as 2011, The Daily Helmsman was running columns chastising students for their lack of attendance at home basketball games.
Memphis does have several factors working against it when it comes to getting students to the games.
One, the FedExForum is not on campus like many college basketball arenas, and the U of M does not offer a shuttle service to basketball games like it does for home football games – meaning that students will have to find parking in downtown Memphis.
To make parking easier for students, the Student Government Association leases a parking lot adjacent to the FedExFoum exclusively for U of M students on a first-come, first serve basis. All full-time students get into the games for free with a valid ID, and they have the option to purchase one guest ticket for $10.
In addition, the Tigers are not the only major basketball team in Memphis.
The Grizzlies play 41 regular season home games plus preseason and the possibility for playoff games.
“We’re competing against the Grizzlies,” Pastner said. “Yes, we can both coexist, but the dollar can only go so far.”
Memphis students have over 60 basketball games played in their city between the Tigers and the Grizzlies, and with everything it takes to be a full-time student, one can only carve out a defined amount of to attend games.
The advantage the Tigers have is the cost. The advantage the Grizzlies have is quality of opponents.
Memphis played five home game against teams in the NCAA Tournament – Tulsa, Temple, Cincinnati, UConn and Oklahoma – plus a home game against nationally-ranked SMU, who didn’t make the tournament because of a post-season ban.
The other 14 opponents the Tigers played at home finished a combined 68 games under .500.
Pastner, however, insists that the lack of quality opponents in the non-conference schedule is not to blame for the lack of student attendance.
“I don’t think (lack of attendance) has anything to do with the schedule,” Pastner said. “Of course, you’ve got to win – I’m the first to admit that – and win at a high level. We’ve also got to maybe change some things we do with marketing and our marketing strategy. I just think people want to see us winning at a high level.”
University of Memphis men's basketball coach Josh Pastner.
