The real Rupp Arena attendance numbers are alarming

There’s been a lot of talk about the crowds at Rupp Arena this season — or rather, lack thereof — but this morning, we got the real attendance numbers and they are startling. According to the Courier-Journal, the average number of tickets scanned during Kentucky’s seven-game homestand was 10,439, FAR below the school’s announced average of 18,615. That’s a decrease of 27.7% from the first eight home games of the 2019-20 season, the last in which full capacity (20,500) was allowed at Rupp.

The most attended game this season was vs. North Florida on Nov. 26, when 12,429 tickets were scanned. Fewer than 9,000 fans attended the Central Michigan game on Nov. 29, which looks about right when you see this picture Dr. Mike snapped:

Several factors have contributed to thin crowds at Rupp this season, none more so than the weak non-conference schedule. Of the seven opponents Kentucky has hosted, only one is in the KenPom Top 250: Ohio at No. 105. The rest are 288 or lower. Three weeks ago, John Calipari attributed low attendance to COVID.

“I think it mostly is COVID,” Calipari said in a press conference. “That’s what I think it is. One of the things, a friend of mine–they only have two entrances into the building. You got an older crowd and you have to wait 25 minutes to get into the building, I think you’re going to think, ‘maybe next time I might not come.’

“But I think most of it is COVID-driven, but we sold a bunch of new season tickets, got a bunch of fundraising. I think the positive in this is: one, we needed our fans; and two, we’re still going to be one of the teams that lead the country in attendance. This COVID knocked everyone for a loop around the country, so you could have two guys say it’s this, two guys say it’s that; it doesn’t mean it’s what the majority of people think.”

Yeah, it’s not just COVID.

Frustrations with “tune-up” games realized

This season, Calipari has preached the importance of these “tune-up games,” insisting that his team needs them early on to form chemistry. Even so, fans are frustrated. Longtime fan Tony Thomas wrote an op-ed in the Herald-Leader yesterday begging Calipari to schedule more marquee games at Rupp. He specifically referenced Calipari’s defense of tune-up games during the postgame show following the win over Ohio.

What I heard was an unsolicited and condescending rant on defending the home schedule. The longer I listened, the more I became frustrated AND convinced that I am spending thousands of dollars for the K-Fund and season tickets for what was described as “tune-up” games. I have been attending games since sitting in the Crow’s Nest at Memorial Coliseum. I am a second-generation UK grad and fan, but the more I listened, the more I felt like I must be “old” and not a “real” fan. I quickly turned the radio OFF.

My family has lost interest in coming to games with me. When I ask them to go, they ask “who we are playing?” When I tell them the opponent, they say “Who?!?!” and then say “No.”

Attendance at Rupp should improve moving forward as Kentucky honors Tubby Smith at the High Point game and enters SEC play; however, these numbers are proof the days of sellouts being the norm are over.