A loaded recruiting class. A top-15 national ranking (#14 AP, #12 Coaches). A respectable non-con schedule. The solid hiring of a well-regarded coach in the offseason. Yet, Texas A&M can't pack their arena.
"I want to say this the right way," Turgeon said. "I can't believe we don't have more people coming out to watch this team play after what they did in New York in the NIT."
Texas A&M completely destroyed Ohio State to win the NIT Tip-Off Challenge. Somehow, they are only averaging 9,098 in their 12,500 seat arena.
The Aggies Athletic Director, Bill Byrnes had enough and gave his opinion of the poor attendance on the athletic department website.
Aggies, we are good. And our attendance at non-conference games is not where it should be especially when you compare us to some of our opponents in similar communities like Manhattan, Kan., Lincoln, Neb., Ames, Iowa and Stillwater, Okla. They are outdrawing us in men's basketball and some of them are doing it in women's basketball too. Our two teams are among the leaders in the Big 12 in terms of wins, but in the lower half in league attendance.
It is embarrassing that the Aggies aren't drawing despite the performance. Football may be king at College Station, but poor support for the basketball team will only result in less money being put into the program and backsliding in the long run.
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Byrnes goes on to note that they are selling tickets for games over the holiday break at " about the same cost as a draft beer." Now that's just knowing your fanbase.
