As one who has attended women's basketball games for six years, let me first congratulate our elite eight team and their coaches on a magnificent season! I can also offer some additional explanations for declining attendance at home games. Men's games on some of the same nights have been problematic, and the local media continue to consider women second-class citizens in the sports world.
On the other hand, the Duke Athletic Department also bears some responsibility. After attendance set new records last season, higher priced reserved sections were tripled in size, and now only Iron Dukes are allowed to park in the Cameron parking lot. Many of those reserved seats were empty throughout the season, as was much of the parking lot. These policies may have increased revenue, but they effectively discouraged non-student fans who either could not afford higher ticket prices or easily handle the longer treks--usually uphill--to the games.
Ken Berger
Electronic Resources Librarian
Perkins Library
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