Homefield advantage means nothing when students do not attend spring sporting events.

I would expect Jordan Hall or the library to be empty on the weekend.

However, I wouldn’t expect this at one of the many athletic competitions that go on every weekend.

Student attendance at sports games this spring has been very low.

At the girls softball game v. the University of Illinois-Chicago the stands were half full and an overwhelming majority of the fans were parents.

The baseball team took their efforts to new levels when they played Wright State.

The Bulldogs provided the most popular drink at every college—beer—in an attempt to attract more fans.

Although the teams traded wins and losses, the extra fans that the booze attracted, boosted the offense as the team scored a combined 19 runs on the day.

Fan turnout influences success and the basketball team will get more fans than any other sport. Combine that with being in the Hoosier state, I wouldn’t expect anything less.

The exhaustion from the long basketball season might be a reason for the low turnout for spring sports, but it is not an excuse.

For all the love there is for the men’s basketball team, some could be shared among all sports.

The baseball, softball and track teams are all having decent seasons, and with a little fan support, the tennis team could improve upon its record.

Teams perform better across the board because of the positive atmosphere generated by the fans.

As a football player, I know that in football the 12th man is almost as important as anyone on the field.

The noise and atmosphere generated can mentally crack even some of the most experienced and skilled teams.

Since Butler is a small school, it is important that each group support each other. This applies to all sports in every season.

If the volleyball team or women’s basketball team got one-fourth of the fans that fill up Hinkle Fieldhouse for a men’s basketball games, they would appreciate it.

I want students to mob  games like they do going to the bars or parties on the weekend.

With the home stretch of the spring season approaching, everyone should make an effort to attend at least one game.

If you’re just not a fan of spring sports, the football team’s spring game is on Saturday and men’s and women’s soccer is in action for their spring exhibition games as well.

There are plenty of opportunities for students to come out and show their support.

Photo by Rachel Anderson

Men’s basketball and football dominate the athletics scene not only at Butler but also at universities across the nation.

Because of this, spring sports often take a back seat to these fall and winter sports no matter how well teams might be doing, and attendance statistics reflect this.

Junior first baseman Pat Gelwicks, a member of the Butler baseball team, said he thinks revenue is a big factor in the turnouts for spring sporting events.

“Football and basketball are the sports that are the moneymakers for the athletic(s) department, and they have bigger facilities because of the number of people who go to their games,” Gelwicks said. “I also think that sports like basketball and football are more publicized, and that’s how it is in other places too.”

According to the NCAA, an average of 7,178 people attended each Butler men’s basketball game at Hinkle Fieldhouse during the 2010-2011 season, the most recent season with available statistics.

The Butler football team saw an average of 2,619 people walk through the gates of the Butler Bowl per game during its 2011 season.

Attendance figures for spring sports such as baseball, softball, golf, tennis and track and field are not available on the NCAA website.

Of Butler’s spring sports, only baseball and softball have attendance figures included in their box scores on www.butlersports.com.

The largest home crowd of the ongoing season for the baseball team was 277 for a doubleheader against Wright State on March 24.

In a game against Loyola of Chicago on March 31, the softball team drew a season-high 187 fans.

Senior first baseman Erin Falkenberry said she thinks softball does not get as much exposure as other sports and cited the location of the softball field as a reason why.

“I don’t think there’s that much publicity or promotion for softball games, so that could be why,” Falkenberry said. “I don’t think a lot of students know about us, and with our location so far away from campus, I don’t think, unless you’ve been out there, that you’d know there’s a softball field out there.”

Baseball junior infielder Bob Akin said the numerous games that baseball and softball teams play during their seasons could factor into why few people attend games.

Collegian file photo

“We play four or five games a week and play the same team for several games in a row,” Akin said. “With basketball, there’s one big rivalry game to go to, so I think that has something to do with it.”

Gelwicks also said the number of games that are played in a season, as well as Butler’s small enrollment, could have something to do with the lower attendance.

“The fact that we play so many games means there’s a bit of a spread-out crowd,” Gelwicks said. “Plus, Butler’s a smaller school. Most schools that get large crowds are bigger public schools.”

Unpredictable spring weather could also play a role in the low number of fans at sporting events, considering that the majority are contested outdoors.

“It’s usually colder during our season, and people don’t want to sit in the cold for three hours,” Gelwicks said.

While Falkenberry said having more fans at home games would be appreciated, the low attendance does not bother her.

“It doesn’t bother us,” Falkenberry said. “But we would love to get the support that other teams on campus get.”

Butler athletic team members with spring seasons are familiar with hitting the road for long trips to warmer locales.

The number of miles racked up by some squads may be surprising though.

Graph by Rachel Anderson

Seven of Butler’s athletic teams have made or will make at least two trips more than 600 miles from Butler during the 2011-12 school year.

Men’s and women’s golf coach Bill Mattingly said the Midwestern climate of Indianapolis makes scheduling far-off events necessary.

“In the spring, we go down south, and we try to do more [long trips] because of the better weather,” Mattingly said.

Both golf teams will head to Jacksonville, Fla., over spring break, where the Bulldogs will face non-conference opponents.

Mattingly said this helps the teams prepare for Horizon League play.

“We like to play against different teams in other conferences to help us get ready for our conference,” Mattingly said. “Playing better teams on tougher courses can get us ready for that.”

The Butler softball team is also accustomed to starting off the first month of the season in the South or on the West Coast.

The team is making a trip to Fresno, Calif., for this weekend’s 2012 Bayer CropScience Classic.

The Bulldogs will then travel from Fresno State to Pacific University in Oregon for two contests on March 14.

Senior outfielder Lauren McNulty said that while the trips may sometimes involve driving long distances, it is worth it to be able to leave the cold weather behind.

“I think I speak for all of my teammates when I say that we would take a 10-hour bus ride every weekend to play in nice weather,” McNulty said.

While the Butler football team plays its games in the fall, it is a member of the far-reaching Pioneer Football League.

While the longest trip made from Butler to another Horizon League member’s location is 349 miles for Youngstown State, annual cross-country flights are required in the PFL.

Teams from North Carolina, California, Florida and New York are currently part of the league.

Senior quarterback Andrew Huck said that while the trips offer some players a chance to see a new part of the country, they have to focus on the competition ahead.

“We had a lot of players who hadn’t been to California or on a plane before,” Huck said. “We have to keep in mind that we’re going on a business trip rather than a spring break vacation.”

Huck said the time change between Indiana and California can be difficult to cope with.

“We’ve had games start at 7 or 8 [p.m.] their time, which is 11 here, and we only have one day to overcome jet lag,” Huck said.

McNulty said that flying to games does not affect her play.

“I’ve never experienced jet lag or exhaustion after flying to a tournament,” McNulty said. “The most tiring trip is usually the trip home because we are physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted after a weekend of games.”

According to Huck, the long road trips that teams embark on are useful for improving the chemistry and camaraderie of a team’s members.

“I would say it brings you closer,” Huck said. “You’re removed from campus, and you’re really bonding with each other.”