Local financial support for games against Kenyon, Oberlin, Geneva, Thiel....etc. Why not play less home games, but play teams that will actually draw 2,000-3,000 people? Then do a better job of promoting/marketing, especially to students, and you might have 3,500-4,000. There was a time in the 80's when students actually went to games. It was a time when there was ONE dorm on campus(Kilcawley), and that dorm was almost all athletes, with one floor of International Students and students in NEOUCOM. Even during my 5 seasons in school, 86-91, when YSU basketball went off the deep end, we still had a decent amount of students attend games. Crowds were not great, but not bad either. Yes, there were non D1 opponents, but part of that was due to YSU being Independent from 88-89 until joining the Mid-Con. YSU also played OU, CMU, CSU, Toledo, Akron and other similar schools at home. One year, Northwestern played to Beeghly. Another year, Air Force.
With the added money games, that would give YSU money to pay a higher guarantee for decent OOC opponents. Or, how about home-home with 3 or 4 teams from the MAC? YSU already does home-home with RMU and KENT. So, add 3-4 other schools into the mix. Schools with alums in the Ytown area and that people consider legitimate D1 programs. Could also try and get home-home with Duquesne, JMU, Delaware, Canisius, EKU, UNI, Marshall, WKU, Hofstra, LaSalle, Richmond
To me, it is about WANTING TOO. For a school in the HL, the OOC schedule ought to be about getting the team ready for the HL, trying to play 3-4 "money games" to help increase the revenue stream, and then focus on getting the best teams possible to play at Beeghly. People will go to see schools with which they are familiar, or that are known for playing quality basketball. And, that means more people seeing the signage and other advertising in Beeghly. More people getting the programs, and other things with adds. Also makes for an all around better experience, which is a positive for the players and fans.
If YSU were finishing in the top 3-4 in the HL on a regular basis, wining 18-20+ games per year, making deep runs in the HL Tournament, that would be one thing. But, for YSU to win ONE game in the HL Tournament is an accomplishment. Having a winning record typically requires counting the wins over non D1 teams. So, the current model is NOT WORKING. And, the excuses get old. People who live close enough to attend games show their disapproval of the way the program is run by staying home from games. And, it's hard to blame them. Tickets are not cheap, parking is $5. The games can be watched live on the internet.
People are tired of EXCUSES. And, the people tired of EXCUSES get tired of hearing they are not "real fans", or "we don't need you" and other things that are said to the people who have gotten to a point of saying ENOUGH. There has to be a WANT to be a quality mid-major program. YSU can me a quality mid-major program. It will take some creativity and doing things differently, but it is possible. Think about this for a minute. Slocum has the same top 2 assistant coaches he had his 1st year. How many schools would allow the HC to keep the same assistant coaches, when having the lack of success YSU has had in basketball? Would that be allowed at YSU in football? The answer is NO. So, why is it allowed in men's basketball?
And, in fairness to Slocum, I do not know that there is 100% commitment from the school as a whole(this goes higher than Ron Strollo) to doing the things it takes to have a quality mid-major program. Ron Strollo needs approval from people higher up than himself to increase the budget for basketball. I know for a fact from talking to Ron that he would like to increase the budget. That he wants men's basketball to be successful. I also know he has run into difficulties when going to the Board of Trustees, and also with Cynthia Anderson. And, this limits his ability to try and attract a new HC. Slocum runs a clean program. Kids graduate. Not a ton of issues of the floor. YSU has had some of their best seasons since Mike Rice with Slocum. The team plays hard. And, at least 3-4 years ago, President Anderson was very happy with Slocum, as were the Board of Trustees. That pretty much ties the hands of the AD.
