Opinions vary on promotion
Some say money will bring in fans, but the support will be superficial
By Jessica Sanders
Staff Reporter

Some students and players say a new promotion giving $500 to the most spirited student group at men’s basketball games may only reward superficial fans, but officials argue it will boost attendance and improve atmosphere.

Tim George, director of marketing for athletics, said the promotion will last until Feb. 22 and is funded by a donor who wanted to promote spirit for the men’s basketball team.

But some basketball players said the promotion was not a good idea.

“If you’ve got to pay students to come to the game, then they are interested more in the money than the actual game,” said Junior Blount, a senior guard.

Sophomore guard Corey Santee said genuine support from fans makes a big difference in the team’s performance.

“I hope they’re not coming just for the money,” Santee said. “I hope they’re coming to see us play.”

Assistant basketball coach Jai Steadman said an energetic audience helps the team play and also helps bring in new recruits.

“We have a lot of talented recruits coming to the games,” Steadman said. “We need the TCU students and fans to help us be energetic.”

Senior chemistry major Jamie Riggs, who said she regularly attends basketball games, said she the promotion doesn’t help spirit.

“They are just here to get money for their club,” Riggs said. “They don’t care about basketball.”

However, Joel Gardner, a junior marketing and management major, said the promotion will help attendance and morale in the long run.

“When people come to games, they’ll see how much fun it is,” said Gardner, part of the participating Pi Kappa Phi group. “Once you get in the door it’s a lot more fun.”

Two student groups participated in the promotion during Wednesday’s game against Southern Miss.

Hyperfrogs, whose members where holding signs and waving purple balloons, won Wednesday’s contest.

Hyperfrog member Matthew Perry, a sophomore management major, said the Hyperfrogs are working harder at spirit to give them an edge in the contest.

“We’re trying to win some money,” Perry said. “ Normally we would paint our faces, but we didn’t have money for paint.”

Delta Tau Delta won the contest Saturday with close competition from Pi Kappa Phi and Brothers Under Christ, George said.

Delta Tau Delta President Adam Brown said his group brought signs, wore purple and had painted faces.

“We had seats right on the floor under the basket and this allowed us to interact with the players themselves,” said Brown, a sophomore finance and accounting major.

Brown said Delta Tau Delta plans to use the money to help renovate their chapter room.

“The money is a good incentive,” Brown said. “But I don’t think you can fake school spirit.”

Delta Sigma Phi President Philene Molz said the groups were coming to see if they could win the money.

“I think that word got out that they really were giving out $500 each night,” said Molz, a senior finance and e-business major. “By the second (game), there was a big difference. There were more students, more purple in the crowd, it was more rowdy. I think the team felt it too.”

Any group of at least 20 students will be awarded points for painting their faces, bringing signs and wearing purple, George said.

“The biggest point value is if you were the ones that we deem the loudest, the craziest at the game,” George said. “We hope the students will use their imagination with that to help them get noticed.”

George said he hopes the contest will inspire a tradition of rowdy basketball fans.

“I hope in the future that it won’t necessarily be about the money,” George said. “In a way it conditions our students to come out and helps build spirit, to get it started.”

Jessica Sanders