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

[DuckIII]

It's hard to imagine finding consensus for the "right" way to be a fan when there are thousands of inputs. The only guidance from the league on being a "real fan" comes in the form of a "Fan Code of Conduct" and it's laughable how few of those items are followed.

The Heat tried to educate attendees on how to be fans as well:

[kyrv]

It's hard to imagine finding consensus for the "right" way to be a fan when there are thousands of inputs. The only guidance from the league on being a "real fan" comes in the form of a "Fan Code of Conduct" and it's laughable how few of those items are followed.

The Heat tried to educate attendees on how to be fans as well:

Probably in the top ten of worst team sports promos ever. Sadly short lived.

Awesome sig btw.

[DuckIII]

But, I have been a die hard since I was 7, so I never needed the McDonalds hype team to get me into the game. And as a previous poster said, it feels akward nowadays to start a chant or stand up and root. It shouldnt be that way. I shouldnt be MORE restrained at a game than at home. And thats what happened with that Lu tribute and countless other times.

I'm not an animated fan. Its just not my public personality (though if I'm home alone I yell at the TV frequently, which I suppose is a strange contrast). But I don't begrudge other fans for being animated. I understand the desire for the home court to be loud. I love it when its loud even though I am not loud myself.

But I think its misplaced to think this is because of families and children. In my experience, not just with my kids but the other kids I see who are sitting near us, kids (I'm not talking about 2 year olds) are typically among the loudest fans there.

[jnrjr79]

The game Sunday was "kids day" and it was **** UNBEARABLE. Its a basketball game, not an event or something. So much focus on the free **** and entertainment. Its like changing the name WWF to WWE because its entertainment now. the Bulls try to appeal to like middle class families with money or single people that have the cash to spend. At least during the Jordan years when people paid a lot for tickets, they were fans that gave a **** about the game, not their kids winning a **** donut.

I basically only travel to Chicago for Bulls games at this point in my life specifically so that my boys get to experience a live NBA basketball game for their favorite team. They are no less fans than you simply by virtue of their young ages and the interests naturally connected to their youth. And as paying fans, its nice that the organization provids additional entertainment during gaps in the game that appeal to them.

They love the Dunkin' Donuts race, for example. And because they love it, I as an adult also love it. So these diversions aren't just for children, they are for families. If you don't like those things, fine. Read something on your phone or go take a dump.

P.S. A professional sporting event is, well, an event. Not merely a game. That's why they are called sporting events. Purists can always go watch high school basketball games instead. Unless cheerleaders and bands are too distracting, in which case the YMCA has basketball courts as well.

well maybe your kids should be more into the game and not need distractions. when i went to the game when I was 9, guess what i did? watched the game. what makes me more of a fan is that I am there FOR BASKETBALL first and foremost. its one thing to expect them to be jumping up and down and going nuts, which i dont, but im not gonna feel bad that kids and people NOW need some quick satisfaction bull **** to have a good time. thats not my problem, and you just proved my point of who is attending games. you come into Chicago only for games, you pay the crazy prices and then you cheer loudest to win a **** bagel lol.

how about taking everyones kids to a high school game and spend the $74.56x4 on bagels donut and coffee for the whole family?

@pftcommenter, is that you?

[reppin_the_847]

Perhaps this discussion is becoming a bit deeper than it has to be, but my comment about the old Chicago Stadium wasn't meant to be classist in any way. On the contrary, I think it is often more fun & interesting to hang out with a lot of "blue collar dudes" compared to many white collar individuals, and I'm supposedly "white collar" myself. At the end of the day, who cares about the "collar". People are people.

Furthermore, when my dad took me to the old Stadium to see the Bulls in the early 90's, I was quite entertained by the hecklers & drunk dudes in the crowd yelling at the players. But then again, maybe I wasn't the most normal kid in the world. And I was about 11 years old, old enough to watch a PG movie (and often watch PG-13 movies) and listen to a lot of rap & alternative music I wasn't supposed to be listening to with Parental Advisory stickers on them. The parents & families getting pissed off are probably the ones that brought their "innocent" little 5 year old to the game.

[Senor Chang]

I think the practice facility being so close to fun-land downtown has more to do with our change in attitude than the crowd at the UC

[reppin_the_847]

I think the practice facility being so close to fun-land downtown has more to do with our change in attitude than the crowd at the UC

This was initially supposed to be touted as an advantage since the players wouldn't have to fight traffic on the Edens & Kennedy to get to games or to reverse commute up to the Berto (for those that lived in the city).

If this is truly the case, then that's a damn shame. J.R. Smith was quoted earlier today as saying that Cleveland is good for him because he was partying too much in NYC. The funny thing is that the Knicks have a far flung practice facility in the northern suburbs of NY (Tarrytown, NY) like the Bulls used to. But I think several of their players still opt to live down in Manhattan including Carmelo Anthony.

[FriedRise]

I think the practice facility being so close to fun-land downtown has more to do with our change in attitude than the crowd at the UC

This was initially supposed to be touted as an advantage since the players wouldn't have to fight traffic on the Edens & Kennedy to get to games or to reverse commute up to the Berto (for those that lived in the city).

If this is truly the case, then that's a damn shame. J.R. Smith was quoted earlier today as saying that Cleveland is good for him because he was partying too much in NYC. The funny thing is that the Knicks have a far flung practice facility in the northern suburbs of NY (Tarrytown, NY) like the Bulls used to. But I think several of their players still opt to live down in Manhattan including Carmelo Anthony.

There's probably a similar element of that happening with us here too, maybe not necessarily with partying but a lot of them have family, friends, etc. which provides plenty of distractions. You can tell with our home / away records that players tend to be a lot more focused, energized, and motivated when we play away games.

[RayClayMatthews]

I basically only travel to Chicago for Bulls games at this point in my life specifically so that my boys get to experience a live NBA basketball game for their favorite team. They are no less fans than you simply by virtue of their young ages and the interests naturally connected to their youth. And as paying fans, its nice that the organization provids additional entertainment during gaps in the game that appeal to them.

They love the Dunkin' Donuts race, for example. And because they love it, I as an adult also love it. So these diversions aren't just for children, they are for families. If you don't like those things, fine. Read something on your phone or go take a dump.

P.S. A professional sporting event is, well, an event. Not merely a game. That's why they are called sporting events. Purists can always go watch high school basketball games instead. Unless cheerleaders and bands are too distracting, in which case the YMCA has basketball courts as well.

well maybe your kids should be more into the game and not need distractions. when i went to the game when I was 9, guess what i did? watched the game. what makes me more of a fan is that I am there FOR BASKETBALL first and foremost. its one thing to expect them to be jumping up and down and going nuts, which i dont, but im not gonna feel bad that kids and people NOW need some quick satisfaction bull **** to have a good time. thats not my problem, and you just proved my point of who is attending games. you come into Chicago only for games, you pay the crazy prices and then you cheer loudest to win a **** bagel lol.

how about taking everyones kids to a high school game and spend the $74.56x4 on bagels donut and coffee for the whole family?

@pftcommenter, is that you?

huh?

[RayClayMatthews]

I think the practice facility being so close to fun-land downtown has more to do with our change in attitude than the crowd at the UC

just for the record, its not THAT close to downtown and most people wouldnt be hanging out downtown anyway. I think its in a pretty good spot if its gonna be in the city at all, but yes, there are more options than living in the burbs if thats what you meant.

[bearadonisdna]

Man pleeze. The fans arent playng the game and unless the fans are rooting for the opposings teams shots to go in there isnt any way they are attributing to loses. Excuses.
Look elsewhere. Opps. There are no excuses.

[reppin_the_847]

When some folks say "downtown", they're not just referring to the Loop area which is primarily a business district. They're usually including River North, the Gold Coast, Streeterville, and sometimes even Lincoln Park. Heck, throw most of the West Loop and South Loop in there as well. From my understanding, many of the Chicago Bulls and many of us on this board do hang out in these areas. In a lot of ways, it's the most NYC/Manhattan-ish feeling portion of Chicago with plenty of nightlife to boot.

I think the practice facility being so close to fun-land downtown has more to do with our change in attitude than the crowd at the UC

just for the record, its not THAT close to downtown and most people wouldnt be hanging out downtown anyway. I think its in a pretty good spot if its gonna be in the city at all, but yes, there are more options than living in the burbs if thats what you meant.

[RayClayMatthews]

When some folks say "downtown", they're not just referring to the Loop area which is primarily a business district. They're usually including River North, the Gold Coast, Streeterville, and sometimes even Lincoln Park. Heck, throw most of the West Loop and South Loop in there as well. From my understanding, many of the Chicago Bulls and many of us on this board do hang out in these areas. In a lot of ways, it's the most NYC/Manhattan-ish feeling portion of Chicago with plenty of nightlife to boot.

I think the practice facility being so close to fun-land downtown has more to do with our change in attitude than the crowd at the UC

just for the record, its not THAT close to downtown and most people wouldnt be hanging out downtown anyway. I think its in a pretty good spot if its gonna be in the city at all, but yes, there are more options than living in the burbs if thats what you meant.

that **** just annoys me. there is downtown and then there is everywhere else. 120 years of family history in this city and I never have anyone from here referring to it the same way that suburbanites or out of towners do. im not saying just the loop, but people considering half of Chicago to be downtown. Just always bugs me. shrug

[Land Rover]

Solution: Cheaper beers

make it so!

[jnrjr79]

When some folks say "downtown", they're not just referring to the Loop area which is primarily a business district. They're usually including River North, the Gold Coast, Streeterville, and sometimes even Lincoln Park. Heck, throw most of the West Loop and South Loop in there as well. From my understanding, many of the Chicago Bulls and many of us on this board do hang out in these areas. In a lot of ways, it's the most NYC/Manhattan-ish feeling portion of Chicago with plenty of nightlife to boot.

I think the practice facility being so close to fun-land downtown has more to do with our change in attitude than the crowd at the UC

just for the record, its not THAT close to downtown and most people wouldnt be hanging out downtown anyway. I think its in a pretty good spot if its gonna be in the city at all, but yes, there are more options than living in the burbs if thats what you meant.

As someone who grew up in a pretty rural town about 70 miles outside of the city, I would say that it wasn't uncommon to hear folks refer to the entire city proper as "downtown." They might refer to "the city" and "downtown" interchangeably, and those terms just distinguished it from the suburbs. Now having been a city dweller for 15 years, I only refer to "downtown" as the Loop and maaaaaybe some of River North.

[RayClayMatthews]

When some folks say "downtown", they're not just referring to the Loop area which is primarily a business district. They're usually including River North, the Gold Coast, Streeterville, and sometimes even Lincoln Park. Heck, throw most of the West Loop and South Loop in there as well. From my understanding, many of the Chicago Bulls and many of us on this board do hang out in these areas. In a lot of ways, it's the most NYC/Manhattan-ish feeling portion of Chicago with plenty of nightlife to boot.

just for the record, its not THAT close to downtown and most people wouldnt be hanging out downtown anyway. I think its in a pretty good spot if its gonna be in the city at all, but yes, there are more options than living in the burbs if thats what you meant.

As someone who grew up in a pretty rural town about 70 miles outside of the city, I would say that it wasn't uncommon to hear folks refer to the entire city proper as "downtown." They might refer to "the city" and "downtown" interchangeably, and those terms just distinguished it from the suburbs. Now having been a city dweller for 15 years, I only refer to "downtown" as the Loop and maaaaaybe some of River North.

I think it IS key to make distinctions when addressing such things as to where players hang and say and in relation to the UC etc


welcome to the dark (proper) side

[reppin_the_847]

When some folks say "downtown", they're not just referring to the Loop area which is primarily a business district. They're usually including River North, the Gold Coast, Streeterville, and sometimes even Lincoln Park. Heck, throw most of the West Loop and South Loop in there as well. From my understanding, many of the Chicago Bulls and many of us on this board do hang out in these areas. In a lot of ways, it's the most NYC/Manhattan-ish feeling portion of Chicago with plenty of nightlife to boot.

As someone who grew up in a pretty rural town about 70 miles outside of the city, I would say that it wasn't uncommon to hear folks refer to the entire city proper as "downtown." They might refer to "the city" and "downtown" interchangeably, and those terms just distinguished it from the suburbs. Now having been a city dweller for 15 years, I only refer to "downtown" as the Loop and maaaaaybe some of River North.

I think it IS key to make distinctions when addressing such things as to where players hang and say and in relation to the UC etc


welcome to the dark (proper) side

True. The bottom line is that the United Center area is a heck of a lot closer to the city's nightlife & restaurant scene than Deerfield.

[RayClayMatthews]

As someone who grew up in a pretty rural town about 70 miles outside of the city, I would say that it wasn't uncommon to hear folks refer to the entire city proper as "downtown." They might refer to "the city" and "downtown" interchangeably, and those terms just distinguished it from the suburbs. Now having been a city dweller for 15 years, I only refer to "downtown" as the Loop and maaaaaybe some of River North.

I think it IS key to make distinctions when addressing such things as to where players hang and say and in relation to the UC etc


welcome to the dark (proper) side

True. The bottom line is that the United Center area is a heck of a lot closer to the city's nightlife & restaurant scene than Deerfield.

Thank god they waited until now to do it.