With Louisiana Tech coming to town for Thursday's WAC women's basketball opener, it's time to ask: Where have all the Bulldogs fans gone?
Fresno State women's basketball coaches and players made a point of crediting fan support after beating Louisiana Tech at home the past two seasons.
But the Bulldogs might not have that advantage this time. So far, only about 500-800 fans have attended games this season. Sometimes the loudest cheers are for the free pizzas the cheerleaders hand out to the noisiest sections during timeouts.
Fresno State will need every edge it can get this season. The Bulldogs are 5-8 and haven't beaten a quality team yet. Louisiana Tech has won or shared five straight WAC regular-season titles, so a win Thursday would count as the first.
Thlis weekend also will determine if the Bulldogs have a legitimate shot at finishing in the top three in WAC. After La. Tech, WAC favorite Boise State comes to Save Mart Center for a 1 p.m. game on Sunday.
Fresno State attendance has been dwindling for years, and it started in Stacy Johnson-Klein's last year before her firing. Even Steve Cleveland's men aren't drawing like in the Tark and Grant eras.
There are probably a lot of reasons for this -- all the bad publicity surrounding the athletic department just one example -- but what I see are mass fair-weather fans in this town, those who only hop on the bandwagon when things are going good.
I've been a Chicago Cubs fan for 45 years, and I've stuck by them all this time, so I know a little something about dedication to a team. Wait 'til next year.
