ESPN Article on Home Court Advantage

[Blue Man]

As it stands right now - the only stands that make noise are the metal ones at the 100 level. The only people that make noise are students. You have the students on top of concrete and further away from the floor...and you have people in the last minute of play in a close game that need to be told they should be standing, on top of the metal. This needs to change.

I agree with most of what you said, however I don't think the students are even making any noise. I have never seen a student section with such a lack of energy, sitting down the entire time with hardly any cheering or chanting. There was actually a good amount of students at last nights game which I guess is a start but a part of me wanted to go over there and try and teach them how to be a student at a basketball game...

but that's the problem. we're in a minority of schools where the students are so far away from the basket. If you put all the kids on top of the floor, together, i bet you'd see a much more engaged fan base than the one in the 200 level.

[gorhody89]

I agree that is part of the problem and hope that they move the students to the 100 levels and use 1 endzone...However in the past the student sections in both 200 level endzones were much more engaged in the game then they have been this year. I know winning helps, but last night was a good competative game but yet the only time they make noise is to catch an old blue out tshirt from 2008. Its like they dont see other students getting into the game and dont want to stick out by acting like an actual student...All it would take is a group of 15 kids to not care about sticking out and the rest of the students would hopefully follow...Any takers??

[ATPTourFan]

What of the "official" AD sanctioned student group "The Mob"? Where were they all? There were maybe 12 keaney blue t-shirts down there and they weren't all packed together with organized chants and noise. Just horrible for a A10 game during classes.

[RhodeIslandBred]

I agree that is part of the problem and hope that they move the students to the 100 levels and use 1 endzone...However in the past the student sections in both 200 level endzones were much more engaged in the game then they have been this year. I know winning helps, but last night was a good competative game but yet the only time they make noise is to catch an old blue out tshirt from 2008. Its like they dont see other students getting into the game and dont want to stick out by acting like an actual student...All it would take is a group of 15 kids to not care about sticking out and the rest of the students would hopefully follow...Any takers??

I dont care about sticking out I volunteer, but what I can say from my experience in the RC is that if that 100s section isnt rocking everyone else seems like they are afraid to cheer, LOUDLY. Some of it will come from winning but that place should be LOUD we've been close in a lot of games. I do hope they move the student section back because I think its easier for everyone to see the students reactions and react as well when they're courtside rather than behind one basket. I did like that the BOOs were finally audible on tv for the horrible refs we had last night. Hope they've reffed their last RC game... I don't know if it affected the outcome because most calls went both ways by the end of the night but the calls were very inconsistent throughout the game and thats hard to play through.

[URIGONZO]

URI just posted this video on Facebook, trying to get students more involved:

[Rhodymob05]

so for the GW game, my side of the student section (above the band and the mob) was pretty packed actually. The cold weather, although a short walk from the dorms, certainly kept students from going to the game. But its a start.

Im using every social media avaliable to me to advertise the VCU game and by word of mouth around campus to family and friends. I think the students need to see wins and at worst, a good game vs a good team win or lose, in order to come to more games. Im doing my part

[ATPTourFan]

The Mob must understand that it is a REQUIREMENT for them to make some kind of noise on every offensive and defensive possession. Showing up in a keaney blue shirt and standing the whole game silently is NOT what we're looking for in our student section.

[gorhody89]

The Mob must understand that it is a REQUIREMENT for them to make some kind of noise on every offensive and defensive possession. Showing up in a keaney blue shirt and standing the whole game silently is NOT what we're looking for in our student section.

Amen ATP...There were a good amount of students at the GW game and it was a close back and forth game. They should have been standing, chanting, and making plenty of noise like every student section in the country does. Just having students show up and being at the game is not close to good enough. When the only students chanting are the cheerleaders there is a very serious problem...

[BH06]

The Mob must understand that it is a REQUIREMENT for them to make some kind of noise on every offensive and defensive possession. Showing up in a keaney blue shirt and standing the whole game silently is NOT what we're looking for in our student section.

Agreed, while I was surprised by the amount of students that made it out to the game, they were all texting on their phones until the last minute of play. They didn’t even waive their hands during foul shots early in the second half.

The Mob was not much better either. We shouldn’t need that idiot announcer that throws T-shirts like a girl to be leading Rhody Rhody Rhody chants and pumping the crowd up at the end of the game. That’s what the Mob should be doing!!!!

[ATPTourFan]

We shouldn’t need that idiot announcer that throws T-shirts like a girl to be leading Rhody Rhody Rhody chants and pumping the crowd up at the end of the game. That’s what the Mob should be doing!!!!

Whoa, the on-court PA guy, John Vanner Jr., is an active member here (EZ Buckets), and a lifelong Rhody Hoops fan.

[twisted3829]

He's just doing what he's told, and to be honest there wouldn't be much noise otherwise. The mob hasn't been what it used to be since it moved from behind the visitor's bench and a new group of students took it over. They are not that organized or passionate as they once were.

[ATPTourFan]

I really don't blame their positioning for their lack of organized noise. It's really a disgrace compared to the first 4 or 5 seasons in the building.

[twisted3829]

I wasn't blaming the position just that it shows their lack of passion, when myself and my friends ran it from '09-'11 they often wanted to move us but we fought it every time. We also had a core of 50-60 students that didn't miss a game and were responsible for all the chants, now the core is about 10-20 people. They are too controlled by athletics and are starting to mold into the church the Ryan Center can be at times.

[BH06]

My apologies EZ Buckets, my sarcasm and frustration with the crowd got the better of me. If it wasn’t for the T-shirt Cannon and Cox Ball Blaster, I don’t think the crowd would stay awake the entire game.
Then again, at least they showed-up which is a lot more than can be said about many season ticket holders. I have had season tickets in 211 for four years now, and my jacket has been occupying the seat next to me for almost every game, with plenty of elbow room.