DURHAM – Mike Krzyzewski, the longest tenured of ACC basketball coaches, sounded an alarm about the conference Sunday night after directing No. 5-ranked Duke to a 79-57 defeat of Georgia Tech.
There were thousands of empty seats for some sessions at the ACC tournament last year, and there may be more of the same next month in Greensboro. Teams from N.C. State, Boston College, Miami and some other ACC schools should be used to that, because they often play in front of arenas that aren’t close to being full.
After Duke played a Sunday game – and Krzyzewski despises Sunday games – he wondered aloud whether playing on Saturdays would be better for the ACC’s sagging attendance figures.
“You know, we have three straight games starting at 3:30 [Sunday] in the ACC,” Krzyzewski said. “Those would have been better on Saturday from 3:30 on. That’s when fans want to be out. Then we wonder why attendance is dipping. Have you noticed attendance has been dipping? Everywhere, not so much here, but we’ve got to figure that whole thing out.”
Krzyzewski indicated that decisions at the upcoming ACC spring meetings will be critical for the future of the conference. The ACC will debut a new TV contract with ESPN and partner Raycom in 2011-12, and Krzyzewski wants the structure for basketball studied carefully.
“I think this is a very important spring for our league to really concentrate on basketball and the future of basketball in our league, and just how all these things are positioned,” Krzyzewski said. “We’ve taken for granted the golden goose for a long time. You have to look at the old goose and see if it’s still golden, and if not, how to get it there, because this is still the best conference. It’s a classy, classy conference, and people love basketball in this conference. We just have to make sure it’s done properly.”
The coach’s comments on basketball in the ACC came after he was asked about scheduling. Krzyzewski said Sunday games are bad for everybody.
A prominent Sunday package televised nationally on Fox Sports Net gets ACC teams exposure from coast to coast. But Krzyzewski, playing Sundays creates problems. This week, the Blue Devils will play three games in seven days.
“It’s not a good thing,” Krzyzewski said. “We shouldn’t have ‘em. And it puts us in a position this week to play three games in six days without really a day off. But again, we’re not the only team that goes through it. It’s just our turn. But I’m not complaining. I would not want that for anybody in our league. I don’t think it helps our league.”
Comments
LetsGoPitt
Tue, 02/22/2011 - 10:20 — gvillegatrYou must be a young guy. I recall watching all those late games ten yrs ago, but I cannot do it anymore. Only during the tournament now. Too many responsibilities.
Totally agree
Mon, 02/21/2011 - 13:16 — gvillegatrAnd I've said it in the past. Nobody likes Sunday night ball. Not to mention Fox Sports hasthe "worse" HD picture in the business. Your weekend is already well into gearig up for a bleeping Monday. Same with the teams who play. But, I understand why they are scheduled when they are.
Not trying to be mean to the first poster, but the ACC has never ran in good/bad cycles at the rate of any of the other conferences in bball. But it is true that the ACC is in a major slump and schools like nc state, GT and UVa needed to do something about it yesterday. Once very proud basketball schools, they are nothing but an embarrassment to the ACC now.
DON'T AGREE
Mon, 02/21/2011 - 16:59 — JPDOhioFor selfish reasons, I like Sunday Night hoops. If you're an ACC fan that doesn't live in South, it gives us more games to see in HD on television. HD presentation on FoxSports Pittsburgh is pretty good on our cable system.
I see your point
Mon, 02/21/2011 - 17:28 — gvillegatrAnd understand it. But the feel of Sunday night hoops isn't there. Crowds aren't as raucous and it simply doesn't feel right. Selfish on my part as well, but I'm simply not interested in a Sunday night game. My focus is on the new week unfortunately. Somehow, I'm getting through this one ... :)
I See Your Point, Too
Tue, 02/22/2011 - 05:43 — LetsGoPittSaturday evening def brings out the most excitement from the fans, and also will get the largest crowds at the local sports bars. The Sunday evening/nite games will get the at-home viewers. And yes, I realized Coach K wasn't wanting Duke to get all the Saturday games, but sounded like he wanted all the ACC games on Saturdays.
What do you guys think of Saturday games that start at noon? Man, I hardly ever watch any of those, usually not home. But I will spend an evening switching channels to watch some of every game that is on and usually stay up late on Saturdays to watch the Mtn or WCC games. By the way, that Sunday nite crowd at Cal was rockin' when they played UCLA. I think if you have a rivalry game you could play Tuesday morning and the crowd will be stoked!
Also, glad to hear that Coach K has spoken out against 9pm games but, seriously, I don't ever recall reading that. Media probably trying to cover that one up.
Later....
Coach K's Alarm
Mon, 02/21/2011 - 12:03 — eclemen2Coach has always been against 9:00 PM games. He truly believes that the game is worse off because of the way TV dictates to the leagues. I think he probably would have the support of the majority of the coaches in the league concerning having to play three games in seven days. Coach never said that he wanted only Duke to play on Saturday, he wants the ACC to work toward that goal. If the ACC is so worried about attendance at the Tournament, maybe they should make tickets available at a price that the average guy could afford. Most folks have to contribute a large amount to the school just for the right to by the tickets at what is already an inflated charge. I'm a Duke fan, but Duke and UNC are probably the two schools who cause this problem.
Coach K's alarm
Mon, 02/21/2011 - 11:38 — mboyerToyally disagree with K on Sunday games. Fans from coast to coast get to see games that used to be missed. Sunday is the most popular day for TV sports and TV in general. K finds it inconvenient, but is missing the big picture, IMO. I do think, however, that the plethora of TV games is hurting attendance.
coach k
Mon, 02/21/2011 - 16:59 — JPDOhioNot above biting off the hand that feeds him.
Excellent comments: I can
Mon, 02/21/2011 - 09:45 — unc098Excellent comments: I can understand why K doesn't like Sunday games for the players but your point is well taken that a Sunday aft. game is good for local folks who want to come to the games with their families. From a business person's perspective I would rather see Sat . games because it brings the folks who live further away to town for the weekend and that boosts the local economy. But you can't have your cake etc. College athletics is big business and certainly the coaches wouldn't want to take a 85% cut in pay to return it to the "good ole days" I have to give credit to Duke for not spending the money to make a monster BB arena or destroying the wonderful charm of Wallace Wade thus maintaining some semblence of a true college atmosphere. One only has to look down the road in CH at the Dean Dome to see the difference. Now I am Carolina born and bred and I have seen all the incarnations of the facilities in CH. Are we better off? Juries out. The thrilling atmosphere in Carmichael was replayed this past year in the NIT game with W&M and it was great.....Are the teams any better now than they were then. No! Should the teams and the games be returned to the students ie: they get the choice seats etc... I think so.
I agree also with
Mon, 02/21/2011 - 14:09 — duke_blueI agree also with the stadium size comment. I hope that they never expand Cameron. The atmosphere is definitely more electric in close quarters. No matter where you are sitting, you feel like a part of the crazyness and your yelling and support matters and can be heard. State should go back to Reynolds and Carolina should go back to Carmichael. My very first college basketball experience was with my dad at Reynolds and I enjoyed it every minute of it.
One thing about Cameron, there isn't that much room around there for expansion, except for up. So that's a plus for supporters of the smaller stadiums.
Coach K's Alarm
Mon, 02/21/2011 - 01:55 — LetsGoPittThese things go in cycles, just look at the PAC-10: once strong with Cal, AZ, Stanford, Oregon, etc. and they've been down the last few years but are all improving and on the rebound. The Big East has been flying high but they will hit a slump, too. And the ACC will boune back.
Coach K is correct to "sound the alarm", but his motives seem, perhaps, a little selfish. For example, wanting Saurday afternoon/evening games. Nice, but you have to spread the wealth around to all teams and all conferences. Duke can't play every Sat at 3:30. And Sunday afternoon sounds like the perfect time to take the family out to a game. (If you have kids in sports, you know your kids play their games on Saturday's so you can't have a family outing on Saturday.) I enjoy watching the Sunday evening ACC/Pac-10 doubler headers on Fox - just watched Cal beat UCLA in OT! Certainly, three games in 7 games is a bit much, but that depends on how many days off you had before that first game.
If Coach K is concerned about Student-Athletes, or students in general, he should be against 9:00pm weekday games. Kids have homework, kids have morning classes, so 9pm games are too late, as well as not a family friendly time.
Finally, if GaTech and Maryland were going to post 20-win seasons, along with UNC, Duke and FSU, there would be a lot more excitement for the tourney. Although, if everyone loves basketball so much in Carolina, shouldn't the ACC tournament sell-out no matter who's playing??? Of course, no one care about Boston College, who belongs in the Big East, but that's a topic for another thread.....
(for more debate, tweet me @coachanthony79)