Where are the Mavericks?
Colorado Mesa University takes pride in their Division II athletics, the school offers 23 NCAA and over 30 club sports. CMU features high-ranking teams in football, baseball and softball. Along with national champions in swimming and diving. Despite this, athletic events often have dismal student support.
With so many empty seats, it leaves people questioning, where are the fans?
Undoubtedly, higher attendance at athletic competitions fuels school pride and feeds into immense energy that sports team feed off of. When students suddenly fail to make an appearance at events, that energy is well…lost.
So what can be done about this at CMU?
“We would like to see more students involved and in attendance that are loud and proud to be Mavericks and help create a competitive atmosphere,” CMU co-athletic director Kris Mort said.
As the co-athletic director and advisor for the Student Athletic Advisory Council (SAAC), Mort has watched the culture of student involvement at sporting events change and develop over her 24 years at CMU.
Colorado Mesa currently has over 10,500 students in attendance, yet stands are consistently empty at volleyball tournaments, track meets, even opening day for baseball season last spring held only a handful of student supporters. If students wish to attend a school with school pride and successful sports teams, the culture of this student fanbase needs to change.
“Really we would like to have 2,000 plus students at every contest making CMU the most difficult place to play,” Mort said. “There is a reason the saying is root for the home team. If students really want to Rumble Mavs, it’s time to make the stadiums rumble.”
Yes, Division II schools should not expect Division I numbers at sporting events. But, even though CMU is a Division II university, it still has some of the lowest attendance rates in the entire RMAC. So where does the problem lie?
One concern that arose last year regarding attendance at student events, be it athletic or theatre or music, is the lack of communication and announcing when these events are.
Student life has recently coordinated a campus calendar of events happening at CMU during the entire school year. It is easy to access and has a filter in which students can select to see what sporting events are coming up.
There is no one particular to blame for the low attendance. School spirit is not controlled by the university or the students alone. It is a cohesive effort to take pride in the school and portray a sense of pride at events, games, etc.
The amazing thing is, is that it doesn’t take much to add some school spirit to sporting events. The biggest commitment students can make is to attend the games and support their successful athletic teams.
“Join the HERD… attend events and create a student section that is rowdy and having a good time,” Kris Mort said.
The time is now. It’s not gonna happen next semester or next year. A change in school spirit and student support can happen right now, this fall and during this sports season.
