Preferred Walk-Ons Podcast: Controversy!

5 Comments

1. 

   76Hoo February 14, 2023 at 4:22 PM

   I had never listened to a Preferred Walk-Ons Podcast before today and didn’t get very far into this one before turning it off. I am sure Michael Shutt would dismiss what I am about to saying as being the response he would expect from a typical (in his view) defensive UVA fan, but I don’t need to waste my time listening to someone criticize my team’s fans based on the ease with which he got cheap, good seats to the N. C. State game and the fact that Casey Morsell was booed by Virginia students. I will respond to the second criticism first. Pretty early in the conversation, Shutt acknowledged that any fan base would have responded the way UVA’s fan responded, but he later claimed that the crowd’s reaction was brought about in part by UVA’s general defensiveness about criticisms of the program (boring basketball, etc.). Which is it—if any fan base would have reacted the same way in similar circumstances, why place part of the blame elsewhere? I consider this observation to be a potshot rather than reasoned analysis. The criticism directed toward the supposed lack of fan passion as evidenced by the ease with which Shutt was able to get cheap tickets on the secondary market ignored several factors that make it easier, at least in theory, to sell out State’s arena or, at a minimum, create a situation where good seats are more rarely available, and therefore more expensive, for Wolfpack fans. The first of these is the populations of the two metropolitan statistical areas in question: 45,672 for Charlottesville (in 2021) versus 1,547,000 (2022) for the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill MSA. State has a vastly greater number of potential ticket purchasers living close to the game site, a factor that likely had a significant impact on the availability of tickets on the secondary market for the game in question given that it did not start until 9:00 PM and that many people who would have liked to use their tickets may well have chosen not to given how late they would likely have arrived home after the game. I live in the Richmond area and did not get home until a little after 12:30 AM. Were I not retired, I would likely have tried to sell my tickets, too. Another factor is the relative size of the two universities. State currently has 37,873 students, while Virginia’s enrollment is 23,721. Again, State has more potential fans and therefore should be expected to have a more expensive secondary ticket market, other things being equal. State’s arena is larger than JPJ (19,723 capacity versus 14,623), a factor that could counteract partially State’s larger base of potential ticket purchasers. To this point in the season, Virginia has had six sellouts, while State has had one (versus Coppin State, but the game was held in Reynolds Coliseum, State’s former arena, which has a capacity of 5,500). Based on attendance figures posted on ESPN, JPJ’s average attendance has been 14,214 per game, or 97.2% of capacity. State has averaged 12,352 in attendance per game, or 62.6% of capacity. (Note: I do not know whether the two schools use the same methodology for reporting game attendance.) Based on this data, which fan base seems more passionate? I realize that attendance figures do not necessarily and accurately measure fan passion, but the number of tickets available and the cost of good seats on one specific night are likely less reliable indicators in my view. I guess I’ll never know if I would have found his analysis of the game itself any more informative, but his two rants about the UVA fan base “shutt” the door on my willingness to listen to any more of the podcast.
   1. 

      Kris Wright February 14, 2023 at 7:17 PM

      I would suggest listening to more than one segment of one episode. The podcast is supposed to be fun, with banter like that back and forth like fans do. An NC State fan that just lost to UVA is, of course, going to take some jabs. Both hammered UNC earlier this season because A-B-C! It's just fun, ACC banter.
      1. 

         76Hoo February 14, 2023 at 7:29 PM

         I may listen again given what you said, but his comments really turned me off.
   2. 

      SabreBetrics February 15, 2023 at 3:04 PM

      Thanks for giving it a listen and appreciate the thoughtful response. As the UVA fan on the podcast, we definitely like to have fun at each other's expense. I've repeatedly referred NC State fans as "the most delusional fanbase in the ACC". You may not have stuck around for Shutt's admission that "booing UNC players would still be ok" so...while we try to be thoughtful and reasoned, we also definitely play up our allegiances. I do hope you'll give us another listen. I'll keep batting away his UVA misconceptions like Mamadi defending the rim.
   3. 

      PWOShutt February 15, 2023 at 3:24 PM

      How could I dismiss such a sound, data-supported defense? I should've included in my comments how much I hate most of State's fan base...maybe that would ease the blow. The criticism over booing Casey is largely a criticism of college sports fans at large - the shot at UVA defensiveness is all in good fun (as is everything I said). Certainly no one could question your passion, driving from Richmond for a late Tuesday night game. Love to see that. I think you'd enjoy most of the rest of the pod - there's plenty of UVA love to go around. Even if you don't, we appreciate you listening to the segment you did check out!