Comments on: BREAKING: Not many people attend Milwaukee Bucks games

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 05:47:05 +0000

I completely disagree with this post. As a former Milwaukeean now living in Cali, I unfortunately don’t get to go to any of the games. However, if you follow Wisconsin sports on TV, it should be clear as day what’s going on — Milwaukee is a football and baseball town FIRST. It doesn’t mean it won’t support a WINNING basketball team, but it won’t support a losing one. Other cities that are basketball towns FIRST, will support their team regardless of the product on the court. Just look at other cities that are basketball towns first, but still don’t have great teams or superstar players (such as Portland, Toronto, Orlando, etc.), and their attendance is all in the top 10-15 in the league (especially Portland, which is 4th in attendance despite having a crappy team and crappy players).

This is similar to how the Packers always sell out (regardless of record), and why the Brewers are always in the top 10 of attendance (regardless of record). It’s because those are the top 2 sports that Milwaukee fans go for. It’s a culture issue, plain and simple.

Look, any city will support a winning team, so saying the Bucks need to get good to get fans to come is like saying I’ll go to a restaurant if they serve me prime rib at a hamburger price. The real test of whether your fan base will support a certain team and sport is do they show when things are mediocre or bad. The answer in Milwaukee with regards to basketball is clearly no (and I don’t buy the anecdotal story of people walking around in other teams’ jerseys — people there just don’t care as much about basketball as they do football and baseball).

By: Sillybilly

Sillybilly — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 17:41:27 +0000

Jennings is no Chauncey Billups, and doesn’t belong in the same sentence with CP3. After 3.25 82 game seasons of professional basketball, experience in Europe, and a childhood filled with hoops, Jennings is what he is, he’s not going to improve much.

Larry Sanders is 7 feet tall with 20 foot arms and a 100 inch vertical so all he had to do to vastly improve was gain a sense of how an interior player is supposed to play. He didn’t start playing bball until late highschool so his exponential improvement is an anomaly that you wont see out of someone who’s been playing for 20 years like bj3.

By: Sillybilly

Sillybilly — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 17:34:07 +0000

No Patti, you watch the games and should know better. We need to get rid of Jennings and Ellis. I would rather watch Beno Udrih and Doron Lamb in the backcourt. Im wishing hard.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 08:33:23 +0000

This goes along with the attendance issue, but I just want to throw out there that (perhaps the sad thing about this is) it’s really no fault by BMO Bradley Center (other than being old). Opening night, IF (only IF) you called the ticket office you got 2 upper level seats (my favorite section is 423/422, center court) for $30, 2 retro-Bucks t-shirts, and the other goodies they gave away (lanyard/calendar & rally towel). Another night I went, I called up a day or two before & they gave the same deal, same seats, & threw two Miller Lite Vouchers (no shirts, but still!!!) in my Will Call envelope. 2 beers is like $15!!!! Those folks who work in the sales department TRULY, TRULY are trying to get you to come there. I am co-hosting a bachelor party for my friend in February and you can bet I am calling them!! Hoping they’ll throw in a Guys Night Out like deal! I am willing to bet you they will too!!!

I’m from Madison…but I am an exception, I have been die-hard since I was 8. However, that does reflect the previous comments about people wont come unless you’re putting a good product on the court. Even if they’re practically giving tickets away in goodies/vouchers/a chance to cop-a-feel with an Energee! girl (kidding), etc.

By: Bill

Bill — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:21:08 +0000

Have to agree with Patti. I mean Jennings needs Ersan to survive. Ersan is no Kevin Durant, however, He can atleast shoot with the same efficiency as last year same numbers, hell even 11ppg grabbing boards but same shooting efficiency. Bucks would have 2-3 wins back. Bucks are DEEP. Our mid level playoff run will pay off, when talent has time to develop. Are you expecting Jennings to be CP3 instantly? He is not cp3 but he is like a Chauncey Billups. Give this team time to gain CHEMISTRY, to learn the ins and outs of the nba. Look at sanders past years.. everyone thought he was a bum a waste of a pick, now everyones like HES A BEAST OMG! He still fouls a lot, so did Ben Wallace. He learned his game. Star killing teams are like the Pistons for those 2 years.

By: Bill

Bill — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:18:41 +0000

Sadly, if a few relatives and I lived in in MK we’d gladly go to games, two of us would show to every home game possible. Aww man, it’s corny but like opening up NBA 2k12.

Basketball is my favorite sport
I like the way they dribble up and down the court
Just like I’m the King on the microphone so is Dr. J and Moses Malone
I like Slam dunks take me to the hoop
My favorite play is the alley oop
I like the pick-and-roll, I like the give-and-go,
Cause it’s Basketball, uh, Mister Kurtis Blow,

It’s epic if you love the sport, and well you lay down after a long day kick up the hairy feet, light into some pipe weed, seeing these high flyers, defenses, plays, chemistry. It’s like hours of drama. I never will change my allegiances from the Bucks. We had many let downs, dumb trades in our past. Allowing Ray Ray to go. Even though the Dirk trade was really a dagger in my Bucks loving heart. Letting Glenn Robinson go, Terry Porter was the Bucks coach 5-6 years too late, given Ray Ray, Big Dogg, Vin/Sammy/ yada yada. He would have utilized Ray and Glenn better, much better. George Karl gets a pass because his medical past. But he nearly committed career suicide in Milwaukee. And to THIS day, Ernie Grunfield and George Karls roster mis-handling effects the Bucks today. Mocking Dirk style, Ray Ray style trades. Missing key talents. We will regret letting Joe Alexander go, didn’t he win a d-league award? Idk.. off track…bye

By: Patti

Patti — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 14:55:08 +0000

Age of Bucks:
Jennings 23
Lamb 21
Henson 21
Sanders 24
Udoh 25
Ilyasova 25
Moute 26
Ellis 27

Jennings is still pretty young…just saying.

By: Patti

Patti — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 14:40:59 +0000

We don’t need to get rid of our talented players, we need to add talent. A lot of teams would be happy to have Jennings, Ellis & Ersan. The problem is getting these teams to give up their better player with reasonable contract in a trade. These guys are team players and we have had our share of ‘it’s all about me’ players in the recent past.

I’m just saying be careful what you wish for.

By: Patti

Patti — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 14:19:41 +0000

Shortened schedule would help getting players back on the court after injury. It would help by giving these teams more practice/coaching time instead of always traveling and competing. It would help attendance by creating more demand. It’s difficult to afford season tickets when a season is 40 games…$50…$2,000 per person. The large market teams have enough population to generate sell out crowds all season long, not so in a City like Milwaukee. Maybe they should have the large market teams play 80 games and the small market play 40? I’m being sarcastic.
We criticize the players for bad games and lack of effort, when we expect them to put out a tremendous amount of physical play night after night. What other sport gets as much out of each and every player?

By: Ben

Ben — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 01:00:07 +0000

Another reason why fans may not be showing up to the games is because the Bucks lack a “franchise player”. Everyone thought that was Jennings but he isn’t consistant enough and he really a leader who makes guys better on the court. The Bucks need a franchise player someone who when the team steps on the court you know it’s his team. He doesn’t even have to be a superstar, still needs to be a very good player, but just someone who can be a leader and be the voice for the team. I don’t see anyone like that on the Bucks and the fans want to come out and see that one guy.