Much has been made of the recent attendance at men’s basketball in Matthew Knight Arena.
Just last season, the Ducks advanced to the Pac-12 Championship Game and made an NCAA Tournament appearance for the third straight year – a feat no Oregon coach had accomplished before Dana Altman. But success on the court was inconsistent with fan interest: The 2014-15 season marked the team’s lowest attendance numbers in 23 years, according to The Oregonian.
Whether low attendance numbers were a result of a lack of enthusiasm among fans, high ticket prices or the team’s tainted image in the aftermath of a 2014 sexual assault scandal, it was a noticeable issue based on the success on the court in 2015. A clear disconnect between the fans and the team existed.
This season, however, has been different.
Home attendance numbers increased by an average of more than 1,000 fans per game. Attendance in all but one game (on Super Bowl Sunday) surpassed 2015’s attendance numbers. The Ducks also played rivals Oregon State and Washington before sellout crowds of 12,364.
In part, this attendance spike was a result of Oregon slashing season ticket prices, some by as much as $500. Also, there was reason for excitement with returning players Jordan Bell, Dwayne Benjamin, Casey Benson, Dillon Brooks and Elgin Cook and the arrival of transfers Chris Boucher and Dylan Ennis and freshman Tyler Dorsey, the Ducks appeared like a team with a lot of potential.
Ennis said in October that “people should be excited about Oregon basketball this season.”
Judging by the attendance increase, Ennis’ statement held true at home games throughout the season.
The fan atmosphere impacted Oregon as well. The Ducks pushed their home winning streak to a school record – 25 consecutive games. They also posted a perfect 18-0 home record this season, which was the first undefeated home season since the 2001-02 team that reached the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament.
“It’s hard to go undefeated at home just because you got to keep your focus,” Altman said after the Ducks’ win over Washington on Senior Night. “You see it all across the country, there’s not that many people that have the opportunity to go undefeated at home.”
Winning at home is a necessity in college basketball, but going undefeated remains a rare feat. Although the Ducks have had few teams as talented as this season’s, Altman and his players have repeatedly acknowledged the extra boost the crowd provided.
“The crowd, the energy – a lot of people say it, but I really mean it,” Benjamin said. “When other teams make a run, [the fans] start to chant, the energy that they bring. You just don’t want to disappoint your home fans who are always there for you. We play so hard for them.”
No matter where they finish, the 2015-16 Ducks will go down as having one of the best regular seasons in program history. But beneath the surface of the team, it should be noted that fans, having appeared uninterested one a year ago, came back to Knight Arena in significant numbers.
Follow Will Denner on Twitter @Will_Denner