[chimera]

GoStanford.com has a new feature called GameDay, which was referenced on the FBC today. It is a welcomed addition to the Cardboard, FBC, and the usual WBB coverage on GoStanford. GameDay provides a comprehensive set of game-day scheduling, player profiles, video clips of key plays, and a host of other team and game references. It is professionally done and clearly a result of considerable labor. Let’s hope that this service can continue throughout the season. Someone is directing serious resources to provide this service.
https://admin.gostanford.com/gameday/wom...ball/1198/

I find myself wondering if the dreadful attendance for a spectacular team is somehow linked to the drop-off in coach/player involvement with fans as well as the what, for me, is the deterioration in the Stanford women's BB site. This trend to go to a packaged product and adopt it, with its totally non-intuitive way to get information is not a good thing. We used to have a media guide. Then it went to on-line version only, but at least it was there and available. Now we don't even have that, with all the history easily available. Who's making these decisions to drop so much? Or is there something out there that's available that I've not found? If so, it's hard to find on the Stanford info sites, since I search pretty diligently. My solution has been to create my own history stats, update it from what I can unearth, and take it to the game with me. As for "Gameday," I'm not a fan of that.

And for me, another decision that Stanford has made that is a mistake -- not to have printed rosters available at games. Yes, it saves paper, and that's the reason given. You can just get it on your phone, they say. True, but I don't want to look at a tiny screen while I'm trying to watch a game. So I wind up printing out rosters and opponent stats at home before the game and taking them with me. Does this save paper? Nope. It just saves Stanford's paper. Stanford should be working to make the games welcoming, easy to come to an enjoy, rather than taking the easy way out for themselves.

I also still long for the days decades ago when the Fast Break Club was a real thing, with after game meetings after every game, players came out and talked to, with, fans, pre-season events with fans. . . And so on. The team that's doing the FBC website is doing a terrific job, but it can't replace the live interaction we used to have, that made fans feel really involved and encouraged to bring in new fans. I felt a part of things then, don't now, though I still love the team and never miss a game. I suspect that both Oregon and Oregon State have an approach to fans that is more like what we used to have, though I really don't know if that's the case -- they certainly have better attendance.  For me, there's just a different atmosphere now than there was in the late 80s, early 90s, and it makes a difference. Those were the days when the stands were often full. Certainly no the case today.

I've been thinking the same about the lack of fan interaction in recent years.  I get why they do much less of it.  Time is valuable for the coaches.  I do think it has hurt the program.  For many years I never left a game right after the final whistle.  There was always some event to go to.  Now, I chug on out to beat the traffic.  I never, ever used to miss a game.  Now I occasionally do.  Still love the team, still appreciate the players and coaches.  But I definitely don't feel part of anything, like I used to in a small way.  Perhaps we fans have no right to hope for that feeling.  I don't know.  I just know that it matters.  It's too easy to stay home and watch on TV or just stay home because it is easier to stay home when your emotional investment is not quite what it used to be.  Then the game habit gets broken and attendance suffers.  

Open Practice early on a weekday.  Chalk Talks feel like they have to do them, not that they really want to.  Behind the Bench post-games few and far between, and seem to get fewer every year.  Hard to hear sometimes and even harder to yell out questions in Maples too.  I do miss hearing from the coaches in a more quiet and private setting.  That will probably never come back.  They probably could do it over in the practice facility maybe, but it costs money to cover a court floor so won't happen.  The sad truth is all the fun stuff happened mostly because they needed our money.  Now Buck/Cardinal is the money source, and they don't need us, so events for us go bye bye.  It is what it is.

This team is fun to watch and deserves to have a great atmosphere at Maples.  I hope attendance picks up with better opponents and fewer other sporting events that pull our time and attention.

Edited to add that I barely post on fan boards anymore, whereas I used to post a lot. Just don't feel the urge anymore. It is all of a piece really. I am a fan still, a fairly devoted one I think, but am I as crazed as I used to be when I would plan my vacations around games, never missed a home game for like 10 years or more? Nope.

[chimera]

GoStanford.com has a new feature called GameDay, which was referenced on the FBC today. It is a welcomed addition to the Cardboard, FBC, and the usual WBB coverage on GoStanford. GameDay provides a comprehensive set of game-day scheduling, player profiles, video clips of key plays, and a host of other team and game references. It is professionally done and clearly a result of considerable labor. Let’s hope that this service can continue throughout the season. Someone is directing serious resources to provide this service.
https://admin.gostanford.com/gameday/wom...ball/1198/

I find myself wondering if the dreadful attendance for a spectacular team is somehow linked to the drop-off in coach/player involvement with fans as well as the what, for me, is the deterioration in the Stanford women's BB site. This trend to go to a packaged product and adopt it, with its totally non-intuitive way to get information is not a good thing. We used to have a media guide. Then it went to on-line version only, but at least it was there and available. Now we don't even have that, with all the history easily available. Who's making these decisions to drop so much? Or is there something out there that's available that I've not found? If so, it's hard to find on the Stanford info sites, since I search pretty diligently. My solution has been to create my own history stats, update it from what I can unearth, and take it to the game with me. As for "Gameday," I'm not a fan of that.

And for me, another decision that Stanford has made that is a mistake -- not to have printed rosters available at games. Yes, it saves paper, and that's the reason given. You can just get it on your phone, they say. True, but I don't want to look at a tiny screen while I'm trying to watch a game. So I wind up printing out rosters and opponent stats at home before the game and taking them with me. Does this save paper? Nope. It just saves Stanford's paper. Stanford should be working to make the games welcoming, easy to come to an enjoy, rather than taking the easy way out for themselves.

I also still long for the days decades ago when the Fast Break Club was a real thing, with after game meetings after every game, players came out and talked to, with, fans, pre-season events with fans. . . And so on. The team that's doing the FBC website is doing a terrific job, but it can't replace the live interaction we used to have, that made fans feel really involved and encouraged to bring in new fans. I felt a part of things then, don't now, though I still love the team and never miss a game. I suspect that both Oregon and Oregon State have an approach to fans that is more like what we used to have, though I really don't know if that's the case -- they certainly have better attendance.  For me, there's just a different atmosphere now than there was in the late 80s, early 90s, and it makes a difference. Those were the days when the stands were often full. Certainly no the case today.

I've been thinking the same about the lack of fan interaction in recent years.  I get why they do much less of it.  Time is valuable for the coaches.  I do think it has hurt the program.  For many years I never left a game right after the final whistle.  There was always some event to go to.  Now, I chug on out to beat the traffic.  I never, ever used to miss a game.  Now I occasionally do.  Still love the team, still appreciate the players and coaches.  But I definitely don't feel part of anything, like I used to in a small way.  Perhaps we fans have no right to hope for that feeling.  I don't know.  I just know that it matters.  It's too easy to stay home and watch on TV or just stay home because it is easier to stay home when your emotional investment is not quite what it used to be.  Then the game habit gets broken and attendance suffers.  

Open Practice early on a weekday.  Chalk Talks feel like they have to do them, not that they really want to.  Behind the Bench post-games few and far between, and seem to get fewer every year.  Hard to hear sometimes and even harder to yell out questions in Maples too.  I do miss hearing from the coaches in a more quiet and private setting.  That will probably never come back.  They probably could do it over in the practice facility maybe, but it costs money to cover a court floor so won't happen.  The sad truth is all the fun stuff happened mostly because they needed our money.  Now Buck/Cardinal is the money source, and they don't need us, so events for us go bye bye.  It is what it is.

This team is fun to watch and deserves to have a great atmosphere at Maples.  I hope attendance picks up with better opponents and fewer other sporting events that pull our time and attention.

Edited to add that I barely post on fan boards anymore, whereas I used to post a lot. Just don't feel the urge anymore. It is all of a piece really. I am a fan still, a fairly devoted one I think, but am I as crazed as I used to be when I would plan my vacations around games, never missed a home game for like 10 years or more? Nope.