Lack of fan enthusiasm at the UC part of the problem?

[chifan1798]

I love people who complain about the UC crowd while watching it on their TV.

Well, it's unlikely that the sound has changed from the broadcast from year to year, so when it's noticable over the TV, the next logical conclusion is that the crowd is not as enthused. It also gets backed up by the fact that opposing commentators who are actually at the game have pretty much been saying the same thing on their broadcasts that we've been complaining about this year

How do you have any basis to contend that the stadium isn't miked differently from year-to-year? Heck, the level of crowd noise relative to the announcers varies in volume just depending what network is broadcasting the game.

Yeah, the various networks do have differences in sound, but the thing is, the crowd sounds low on all of CSN, NBATV, ESPN, TNT, and WGN, so unless they completely revamped the mic system for the UC alone, and not the other arenas that sound loud, then it's way more likely that it's the crowd, and not the mics. Again, I wouldn't be so strong about this opinion if I didn't hear multiple opposing commentators in the arena actually commenting on how quiet the UC is. I thought that maybe it was just me, but when I hear people at the stadium saying the same thing (sometimes multiple times during the game), then I know it isn't just all in my head. This season is just really noticable

[chifan1798]

I love people who complain about the UC crowd while watching it on their TV.

Well, it's unlikely that the sound has changed from the broadcast from year to year, so when it's noticable over the TV, the next logical conclusion is that the crowd is not as enthused. It also gets backed up by the fact that opposing commentators who are actually at the game have pretty much been saying the same thing on their broadcasts that we've been complaining about this year

Yesterday, the Bulls gave the crowd something to cheer for.

I've been to multiple overtime games where the crowd was deafening. Watching the same game on TV later on, you can see it does not translate well.

Also, in the first few quarters, what are you really going to stand up and yell for outside of a dunk, a block, or a nice hustle play? What do you really get hyped for at home?

Not saying that that it isn't louder in person, but this season is different from seasons past. Yeah, they aren't going to get hype in the first quarter against the Jazz, but some of the better teams, or hated teams like cavs, wiz and knicks, I expect them to be crunk from tipoff.

[Googjob]

Feel free to show up and support the team in person instead of telling others how they should.

[chifan1798]

Feel free to show up and support the team in person instead of telling others how they should.

I would, if I didn't live in Florida

But even with the snide remark, I don't think many people are even "telling others" how they should support the team. People are just illuminating the fact that THIS year, seems like the crowd is worse compared to the others. Didn't know there was a problem expressing opinions on here, especially when not many, if any are "telling others" how to do anything.

[kypitreal]

espn at half just called the fans out saying you can hear pins drop in the arena. I'll probably get burn for this cuz its the wnba, but i've been to chicago sky games and they make their games with only 4,000 fans a blast and wild compared to what the bulls do, and the wnba finals game at the pavilion was a crazy experience. why don't the bulls see what the sky are doing over there and implement some stuff that their doing cuz right now their lack of fan involvement and enthusiasm is translating on the court and on the television.

[Sugarless]

The UC has been lifeless for the best part of the season now. You would say you were at the opera by how quiet it was tonight right from the start of the game. There's been a nice atmosphere in a couple of games, like the one against the Rockets, but that's about it.

[FriedRise]

Was at the game today, my first time attending an NBA game actually. The crowd did start to get going a few times, but got quickly discouraged by bad play after bad play, miss after miss, and block after block. Every mini run they started seemed to have gotten quickly thwarted by a bad foul. Also, never getting that close and the low energy contributed to the dead crowd. Not sure how many kids typically attend, but today was Kids Day at the United Center so there were a lot of children in attendance. There were also quite a bit of Heat fans in attendance as well. They do try to keep you entertained... theres always stuff happening during timeouts, breaks, etc. but overall it was a weirdly quiet crowd.

People started leaving with 3m remaining in the 4th when the game looked out of reach.

[fleet]

Im sure the fans could be better, but the problem is that Reinsdorf built a cavernous sterile monstrosity that swallows sound and probably deflates enthusiasm as a result to some extent. Intimate feeling is not a description of the UC.

[pb-ceo]

they are too busy with their phones. serious.

[Nikola]

I've had season tickets for 9 years now (started as partial and moved to full). I'll give you my take.

1) The crowd isn't great but it's also not bad. I'd put it in the middle of NBA arenas. The opponent plays a big role in this too. The place is dead for games against the Magic but always amped up when Lebron comes to town.

2) The United Center is enormous and crowd noise will not translate well in person or on TV. The arena is actually twice the size of places like OKC yet only seat 3000 more people in it. When judging crowds, take note that the ones who often get labeled the best often play in tiny arenas where the sound has nowhere to go.

3) There is a misconception that it's old rich execs who don't make noise at games. I actually think the old guys who show up care. Many of them have been long time season ticket holders and are big fans. It's the younger crowd that seems the worst to me. So many people showing up and just sitting on their phones the whole time.

4) Maybe this goes back to the early post-Jordan days, but they seem to do everything to make you not focus on the game. There is constant entertainment during timeouts, Benny is throwing t-shirts, no prompts for chants or crowd noise, and so on. Whoever handles the in-game entertainment seems to not want fans to participate. I'd also add that the music selection is terrible and rarely fits the moment in the game. Coming out of a timeout at a big moment and that Carly Rae Jespen song is blaring. I know years ago they got a bit dated with the "Jock Jams" stuff but anything is better than crappy top 40 pop.

5) It's a franchise that has won 6 titles. Fans are just not going to be amped up for a November game against a crappy Jazz team.

Sorry for it being long but I see the crowd thing brought up a lot. I don't think it's a detriment but I also don't think it's a help. I also believe they enter a different level come playoff time (that place was rocking back in 2011).

And for those who don't like it, come to a game and cheer.

I have been a season ticketholder for a similar period of time and your observations are spot-on.

The Bulls have probably a somewhat above average crowd. They sell out every game. Sure, it's not as crazy as OKC, but your post above pretty much points out why.

And the Houston game recently was one of the loudest I've ever attended. When the Bulls play well, and when they play a good opponent, the crowd definitely gets up for it.

Our crowd might be average in terms of sound and enthusiasm but our attendance is tops in the league. The size is clearly a huge factor, but I don't see people cheering or making much noise when i go there. It is sad and there is no way around it.

Last game i went to a game, it was so damn quiet it seemed awkward to even yell anything. At one point in the game I said (closer to just talking than shouting) "WTF is that" after a bad call, not screaming at the ref just talking to myself. A guy 15-20 rows down stands up and yells at me "hey I'm here with my kid". To which I responded "hey kid welcome to a ----ing basketball game." He sat down.

[Mbrahv0528]

Well, it's unlikely that the sound has changed from the broadcast from year to year, so when it's noticable over the TV, the next logical conclusion is that the crowd is not as enthused. It also gets backed up by the fact that opposing commentators who are actually at the game have pretty much been saying the same thing on their broadcasts that we've been complaining about this year

Yesterday, the Bulls gave the crowd something to cheer for.

I've been to multiple overtime games where the crowd was deafening. Watching the same game on TV later on, you can see it does not translate well.

Also, in the first few quarters, what are you really going to stand up and yell for outside of a dunk, a block, or a nice hustle play? What do you really get hyped for at home?

Not saying that that it isn't louder in person, but this season is different from seasons past. Yeah, they aren't going to get hype in the first quarter against the Jazz, but some of the better teams, or hated teams like cavs, wiz and knicks, I expect them to be crunk from tipoff.

It's pretty common knowledge at this point that our home crowd has been piss poor in regards to noise and enthusiasm for years. It's not a first quarter thing, it's a fan demographic thing.

[Keller61]

Maybe they should get a free French fry for every point the Bulls score or something.

[SteelerSpartan]

Seeing shots of people looking at their damm phones pisses me off.

Yeah let's spend a lot money to get in there so you can look at your damm phone and not the game

[Bandit King]

Its a bears town, basketball is the 3rd-4th ranked sport here, and most people are from the suburbs coming in for games.

[Mbrahv0528]

Its a bears town, basketball is the 3rd-4th ranked sport here, and most people are from the suburbs coming in for games.

That's all irrelevant. The Bulls sell out every game so the sports popularity in comparison to football and the "fact" that the fans are largely coming from the suburbs (source??) mean absolutely nothing in regards to the stadiums' crowd being too quiet during games.

[FriedRise]

I'm blaming it on too much sobriety in attendance:

[Googjob]

The Bulls have marketed the in-game experience as "entertainment with basketball on the side". They promote the restaurants, bars, gift shops, and so on. They have areas where kids can get balloons and draw. They have areas where you can take photos with the Luvabulls and listen to a live band. Benny hangs out in various parts of the arena during the game. They promote their app and tell people to snap selfies and share them on social media during the game. They promote a local DJ playing terrible music. Almost every single in-game timeout has entertainment that adds nothing to the on-court product.

Now this is great if you're an owner because you can have a 20 win team and sellout every game. Because your crowd is filled with people who don't care all that much about basketball. It provides a poor atmosphere for basketball, but that's always been secondary to the Reinsdorf family.

When the Bulls organization starts treating games like actual games, maybe the fans will be more interested in showing up for the games. But for now, the organization does everything in their power to distract fans from what is taking place on the court.

[Googjob]

And if you want a couple examples from Sunday.

1) The Luol Deng tribute happened during the first timeout. Instead of going straight to it, they had their cheesy host (yes they now have a host at games to tell you about all the great things not happening on the court) run a minute long promotion for a health insurance company. No better way to kill a crowd than that and have a bunch of people escape to the bathrooms. They then proceeded to put on a terrible tribute video that had no emotional reach and barely covered his biggest moments in Chicago.

2) During the 4th quarter they came out of a timeout to "Let it Go" because they had to promote the upcoming Disney on Ice series. Great way to get your crowd into a game!

3) It was kids day and nothing gets you more into a game than an 8-year old announcing your team during the intros.

4) The music played during timeouts and big moments is akin to what you'd find on a suburban 14-year old boys phone.

It wasn't always this way either. Over the last few years it's just gotten really bad. I mean every game they do this dumb timeout segment where they superimpose a steering wheel on the jumbotron and take shots of the crowd and you're supposed to act like you're driving. It's one of the most embarrassing things I've ever seen at a game.

[reppin_the_847]

Probably the music you'd find on a suburban 14 year old girl's phone hahah. When I was 14 and in the burbs many years ago, I was listening to 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre & some Nirvana dammit. Rebellious music with an edge.

4) The music played during timeouts and big moments is akin to what you'd find on a suburban 14-year old boys phone.

[DRoseCantStop]

they are too busy with their phones. serious.

Muti-task.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfOvjcu7lCM[/youtube]