The Future of the city of Evansville College Basketball

[E-Ville]

Rests with the University of Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles.

Does anybody find it interesting that SIU-E is getting DI status and USI is not? USI's enrollment has cracked 10,000 and is continually growing, UE's enrollment is stagnant at around 2,500. The UE attendance has been on a decline not only due to poor play but also an aging fan base. The newly UE grads aren't typically sports fans and could never compete with the numbers of alumni that USI has graduated recently. The UE campus is limited in what is has to offer today's student athlete. USI's campus is more diverse and I think it would have the advantage of luring potential players.

If UE ever stepped down from DI then USI could gain control of Roberts Stadium. If the Valley is happy with the city of Evansville they could replace UE with USI in the conference. Then, I think it would be easier to go ahead and build the new stadium with USI as the focal point. It would be a fresh beginning for the crowds of Evansville to come back to. The student attendance would rise and the USI alumni would pack the stands-thus bringing in more revenue. It's going to happen anyway and probably much sooner than later, USI will have more fans than UE, might as well do what's best for the city. USI would already have geographical rivals in the valley;
Southern Indiana vs Southern Illinois; Southern Indiana vs. Indiana State. I wonder if the Valley would extend an offer to a very promising program in the University of Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles?!?!

[Bigcityp]

Give me a break.

[MoValley John]

Not having spent much time in Indiana and not knowing all of the demographics, nor following D-2 at all, I really know little about USI. That said, even though I know little about the situation, I would be against it. To me, the arguement of replacing Evansville( a small private school) with USI (a larger public school), makes about as much sense as replacing Creighton (a small private school) with UNO (a larger public school). Afterall, UNO has more than 14,000 students. If you really want to address declining attendance, try winning. With the exception of pro teams in Atlanta and the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning has a great track record for bring in fans.

[IndyTreeFan]

I wonder if the Valley would extend an offer to a very promising program in the University of Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles?!?!

I don't see Indiana State ever standing by and letting that happen. USI is the former Indiana State University - Evansville, and I doubt that ISU would let their former satillite school into the leage. Can't have them beating the mama campus...

:bounceblue: :sycamores: :bounceblue: :sycamores: :bounceblue:

[Bigcityp]

Not having spent much time in Indiana and not knowing all of the demographics, nor following D-2 at all, I really know little about USI. That said, even though I know little about the situation, I would be against it. To me, the arguement of replacing Evansville( a small private school) with USI (a larger public school), makes about as much sense as replacing Creighton (a small private school) with UNO (a larger public school). Afterall, UNO has more than 14,000 students. If you really want to address declining attendance, try winning. With the exception of pro teams in Atlanta and the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning has a great track record for bring in fans.

I couldn't agree more. With the way the transistion was handled here when Crews left and Merfeld came in, several long time alum were pissed off. Fans continued to stop coming out to watch Merfeld act like a clown and lose the game down the stretch. The continue increase in ticket prices along with the continual lossing seasons, have this program in a bad spot. The first step is to get someone in here that can win at this level and at this conference. We have a guy that didn't even play college basketball for god's sake.

[Shockerman]

USI would be an ideal candidate for the Mid-Con. I know they have had great success in D2 basketball. Perhaps they are waiting to see what ORU is going to do as they are kind of the "last man standing" in the Mid-Con since Valpo is moving on. Why doesn't Evansville want to be in the Horizon leauge. It seems like a perfect fit? What is the possibility that USI and E-ville could split time in a brand new city owned facility like the Lakers/Clippers. Or would that just be a slap in Evansville face?

[BearsCountry]

I was wondering the same thing last week when Drury was playing USI.

[UE-BBALL#1]

USI would be an ideal candidate for the Mid-Con. I know they have had great success in D2 basketball. Perhaps they are waiting to see what ORU is going to do as they are kind of the "last man standing" in the Mid-Con since Valpo is moving on. Why doesn't Evansville want to be in the Horizon leauge. It seems like a perfect fit? What is the possibility that USI and E-ville could split time in a brand new city owned facility like the Lakers/Clippers. Or would that just be a slap in Evansville face?

It wouldnt be a slap in the face. However, if you are USI, how do you justify paying rent to play in a new stadium with upwards of 20,000 seats when you can play for free at your on-campus facility, which holds maybe 3,000 and rarely sells out?

[SalukiSpike]

I have never seen anything like it personally.

This is not a slap in the face, but they are like 4th fiddle in that town. IU, Kentucky, and USI are followed way more it seems like.

I dont advocate shoving Evansville out the door. No way no how. They showed promise this year. If they want to leave, that is their perogative. But no way should they be forced out. And no way should we replace them with USI. If they were to leave, they should be replaced by a Butler, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Murray State, Oral Roberts, established D1 schools.

[ACES..ACES]

USI would be an ideal candidate for the Mid-Con. I know they have had great success in D2 basketball. Perhaps they are waiting to see what ORU is going to do as they are kind of the "last man standing" in the Mid-Con since Valpo is moving on. Why doesn't Evansville want to be in the Horizon leauge. It seems like a perfect fit? What is the possibility that USI and E-ville could split time in a brand new city owned facility like the Lakers/Clippers. Or would that just be a slap in Evansville face?


Evansville has already been in the league that is now called the Horizon League, it started out as the Mid-Western Cities Conference which the Aces were one of the charter members.

[UE-BBALL#1]

I have never seen anything like it personally.

This is not a slap in the face, but they are like 4th fiddle in that town. IU, Kentucky, and USI are followed way more it seems like..

I wouldn't say USI is followed more. Most people just like to bash UE by stating how good USI is. They fail to mention how exciting it is for a team to play the likes of Drury, Lewis, and Missouri-Rolla. To say USI is followed more is a misstatement.

[btisu22]

It wouldnt be a slap in the face. However, if you are USI, how do you justify paying rent to play in a new stadium with upwards of 20,000 seats when you can play for free at your on-campus facility, which holds maybe 3,000 and rarely sells out?
20,000 seat arena? since when? I thought it held around 11,500. Are you getting a new arena? Thanks.

[SalukiSpike]

I dont know man. Aside from a few UE billboards, I dont really see much promotion of the Aces at all.

Yet, there are a ton of USI alums and students walking around and I have personally interacted with many more of them than UE fans/students/alumni. A 3-1 ration and thats being generous.

Maybe those "primed and ready" commercials turned people off haha.

[Bigcityp]

USI grad in 99.. UE fan since 1980..

[AcePurple]

I dont know man. Aside from a few UE billboards, I dont really see much promotion of the Aces at all.

Yet, there are a ton of USI alums and students walking around and I have personally interacted with many more of them than UE fans/students/alumni. A 3-1 ration and thats being generous.

Maybe those "primed and ready" commercials turned people off haha.

Look at attendance figures. UE's is dropping, but they still draw more than USI. Look at evansville courier comments on the game articles. Way more dialogue on the UE articles.

Of course there are more students and alum, USI's a much bigger school. But there's definitely not more interest in USI basketball than UE.

[XjimmyfunkX]

[QUOTE=SalukiSpike]

This is not a slap in the face, but they are like 4th fiddle in that town. IU, Kentucky, and USI are followed way more it seems like.
[QUOTE]

That couldn't be farther from the truth. Our program is essentially at an all-time low over the last five years...and it could be argued that USI has been as good the last 5 years as they've ever been. But yet, UE always out-draws USI...and will continue to do so. This community has a great affinity for their Aces, they just need to win. It's easy to be down on the program right now... but college basketball is very cyclical.

[XjimmyfunkX]

Look at attendance figures. UE's is dropping, but they still draw more than USI. Look at evansville courier comments on the game articles. Way more dialogue on the UE articles.

Of course there are more students and alum, USI's a much bigger school. But there's definitely not more interest in USI basketball than UE.

Actually there are alot more UE alums than USI alums, I don't remember the exact figures, but it wasn't even close. You have to account for the fact that USI hasn't been around that long...

[ACES..ACES]

I dont know man. Aside from a few UE billboards, I dont really see much promotion of the Aces at all.

Yet, there are a ton of USI alums and students walking around and I have personally interacted with many more of them than UE fans/students/alumni. A 3-1 ration and thats being generous.

Maybe those "primed and ready" commercials turned people off haha.


Sorry but I strongly disagree with your assessment of the fans of the city of Evansville. This is and always will be an Aces town, all this city needs is the right coach to get the fans excited about ACES basketball again.

Even with the UE program at it's worst, which it is right now....it STILLS outdraws USI games.

Hopefully President Jennings will make the right decision and relieve Merfeld of his duties. SOON!

[Drakey]

It never fails to amaze me when people talk about the differences in programs and how this team or that team should drop out of the Valley etc. With ONE more good player Evansville may have been able to win the Valley. If Ben Jacobsen had not gone yo UNI, they may have never finished above ninth place. If Creighton had hired a coach other than Altman, they might still be searching for somebody who could produce a winner. WSU was down for 10 years. Was it by choice? There is a lot of luck in having a winning basketball team. If you wait long enough, that luck will change. Do you seriously think Evansville will never win again in the Valley? Nonsense. Maybe it is in 3 years, or maybe 10, but it will happen.

[Aces101]

The USI argument is ridiculous. Did you see the highlights from their GLVC tourney game last night at Roberts Stadium? I bet there were no more than 1,500-2,000 fans there. It was a conference tourney game in their home town and couldn't draw. What makes people believe USI would start drawing 6,000-8,000 per game against teams in the midcontinent conference?

USI has no other competitive sports, either men's or women's sports, except for Cross Country. A few bad years as a D1 newby may destroy their athletics program. They wouldn't win and wouldn't dra new fans to see a losing team.

People just do not realize why USI usually wins...they live off of D1 transfers. That is the nature of D2 basketball....unhappy D1 players transfer to D2 schools to avoid sitting out a year. That would not continue if they move to D1.

I could easily see Evansville as a smaller version of Milwaukee. UE would be the city's Marquette while USI would struggle for an identity like UW-Milwaukee.