news-record.com

GREENSBORO — When the UNCG men's basketball schedule at the Greensboro Coliseum was made for this season, ACC games were promoted as the money makers.

They didn't sell quite as expected.

The ACC games were first estimated to bring about $320,000 ($80,000 per game), but for the four played this season $173,476 was collected.

And now that the Spartans are into their Southern Conference games, the hot ticket-selling opportunities are mostly done.

Overall revenue is expected to be about $9,000 short of the break-even point for the season, but coliseum director Matt Brown said he is "thrilled" with the early results from the games.

His sign of hope? Season-ticket sales for UNCG increased from 90 at the university's Fleming Gym to more than 800 with the move to the coliseum.

And more conference wins could draw more paying fans.

"We need to get to where fans want to cheer for a winner, and not cheer for a T-shirt," Brown said.

There are few pauses in the action once fans enter the arena.

A standard $10 ticket buys UNCG fans a basketball game with a big show.

Swish, a version of the Greensboro Grasshoppers' emcee, Spaz, leads audience participation during game breaks (Spaz and Swish are the same guy, actually).

Cheerleaders lob enough T-shirts into the crowd to clothe an extended family. Entertainment is further provided by the UNCG dance team and band and a halftime show.

The coliseum even caters to the tailgating crowd by blocking off aisles in the parking lot for grilling food and for guzzling drinks.

David Klein, a 21-year-old UNCG senior, enjoys the tailgate section.

On Dec. 7, he met with friends for the home game against College of Charleston.

Excited as he is for the big stage of the coliseum, Klein understands the importance of a successful program.

"You're not going to get people out here to a losing team," he said, beer in one hand and tongs for a grill in the other. "But the move to the coliseum will allow more groups of people to come out."

As UNCG moves from the nonconference schedule, there may be more chances for wins, though ACC games bring far more money.

The season's top-selling game was against N.C. State on Dec. 31, with $54,309 in ticket sales and more than 5,000 in attendance. By comparison, Southern Conference games bring about $6,000 in sales and about 2,000 fans per game.

A game against Duke or North Carolina typically is worth more than $200,000 to the coliseum. Next season's game against Duke is expected to cover the shortfall from the current season, Brown said.

There's another benefit to tough nonconference opponents: the chance to grow stronger.

"The opportunity to host nonconference teams like the ACC is also a recruiting tool," said Kim Record, UNCG's athletics director. "Young men want the opportunity to play the best. We can offer that."

The Spartans sure have gotten a taste of the best in losses to Clemson, Wake Forest, N.C. State and Maryland.

UNCG hasn't won a home game this season, and fans like to see the hometown team win. Both UNCG and the coliseum staff hope to galvanize fans over the coming seasons by doing just that.

"We are Greensboro's 'hometown team,' so playing at the coliseum brings us closer to the community and gives the community an opportunity to see outstanding college basketball," Record said.

Brown would like 3,000 season-ticket holders to sign on for that "outstanding college basketball" as the program develops in the next four years.

The goal seems possible with 60,000 UNCG alumni in the Triad, he said.

And despite a 2-12 record, this season isn't a complete loss.

There are promising freshmen to develop, such as guards Korey Van Dussen and Kyle Randall, who continue to play tough even through losses to bigger, stronger ACC schools. And experience from senior Ben Stywall -- who has four straight double-doubles -- and second-leading scorer/rebounder Brandon Evans.

Contact Gerald Witt at 373-7008 or gerald.witt@news-record.com