Once Young’s talent became apparent and the team started winning, the floodgates openedGETTY IMAGES
Oklahoma men's basketball attendance is up this season with leading player of the year candidate Trae Young, and the school has "come close" to selling out every Big 12 home game, including last night's contest against West Virginia, according to Cody Stavenhagen of the TULSA WORLD. Young is "bringing energy to a basketball program at a football school like it seems only a true superstar can." OU last season finished 11-20, as average attendance at Lloyd Noble Center was 9,297 and "dwindled as the season went along." But this season OU "averages an estimated attendance of 9,801" with Young. Former players Blake Griffin and Buddy Hield had "similar effects" while playing at the school. In '08-09, Griffin’s final year, OU "averaged an estimated 11,490 fans per game," but by '12, that number had dropped 26% to 8,470. By the '15-16 season, Hield’s final year, average attendance was "back at 10,000." OU tries to "market its program as a whole, but the numbers make it obvious: Fans will come to see winning teams." But the attendance boost Young has brought "wasn’t a boon from the start." OU "didn’t draw 10,000 people to a home game until Northwestern on Dec. 22, the game after Young tied an NCAA record with 22 assists." Once Young’s talent "became apparent and the team started winning, the floodgates opened." OU announced mini ticketing plans to "allow fans to see remaining conference games." But now every game for the rest of the season is "sold out" (TULSA WORLD, 2/5).
