Can OSU Retrieve the Rowdy?

By John Helsley

jhelsley@opubco.com

Go to the site www.coachtravisford.com and you’ll see James Anderson throwing down, amid the words: “Bring The Rowdy Back.”

As in, bring back the once-renowned, “Rowdiest Arena In The Country.”

Gallagher-Iba Arena hasn’t been the same in recent years.

Smaller crowds.

Quieter crowds.

Less rowdy crowds.

Ford wants to bring it all back.

But we’re interested in why it changed to begin with.

Changes in ticket prices/policy? The coaching changes? The change in playing style? The economy? The impact of the Thunder?

We’ve posted a poll at newsok.com, so go there and weigh in.

But I’d also like to hear from you on your reasons, as well as your thoughts if GIA can get the rowdy back.

So e-mail me at jhelsley@opubco.com and let’s talk.

– John Helsley

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The following comments are archived from the original publication of this post

Harryhangdown on Jan 20, 2010 @ 9:07 pm

I think the ticket prices are the main reason the crowds are down. I sat about 3/4 of the way up the upper level in the corner last year for a game and the face value of the ticket was $50 (I didn't pay that) but I can sit under the goal at a Thunder game for that. They're winning this year and still can't get anyone in there. There's probably still some ill feelings about how Sean Sutton was treated, too.
Chris on Jan 20, 2010 @ 8:02 pm

Zach - not sure you can expect a full court press with Page and Penn at the guard positions. A six foot tall guard could see over the top of both of them in a trap.
Ross--OKC on Jan 20, 2010 @ 7:52 pm

Bought my first season tickets when Jim Killingsworth was the coach. Let them lapse during the Paul Hansen era because my kids were too young. When Leonard Hamilton came in 1986 (I think), I bought season tickets again and held them until last year, when I could no longer justify the expense. I was a loyal fan, but it didn't seem like the loyalty was returned or appreciated by OSU.
Linda Boyd on Jan 20, 2010 @ 3:19 pm

I am not a student and we do have season tickets. How much do the students pay for their tickets? The tickets closer to the top of the arena are they any cheaper (for families)? To bad we don't have the chants of Kansas where the crowd really seems to ROCK and get into the game. Orange/Power just doesn't make anyone that excited. Faithful to the end or Cowboys Forever.
Carla Templeton on Jan 20, 2010 @ 1:11 pm

We had BB tickets for 19 years. We had four mid-court, lower level seats and made it a family activity during our children's growing up years. However, when the powers that be eliminated the legacy option of passing your seats to your children without them having your level of points, while raising the price for tickets and donations, we decided it was time to move on. We could not justify $7000 and rising each year for OSU Basketball! It appears we are not the only loyal fans who said "That's enough!!"
Martha White on Jan 20, 2010 @ 4:31 am

The ticket policies at GIA discriminate against the loyal fans who actually go to the games.

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by John Helsley

OSU Reporter Sr.

John Helsley grew up in Del City, reading all the newspapers and sports magazines he could get his hands on. And Saturday afternoons, when the Major League Game of the Week was on, he'd keep a scorecard for the game. So the sports appeal was was...

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Can OSU Retrieve the Rowdy?

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