Sad

[NorthKCHawk]

The schedule is an issue not talked about enough when considering fan indifference. Just by adding games with UNI and Drake, and maybe some teams above the mid-200s in ranking, would give the program a lift. The current formula is doing the team no favors performance or ranking wise.
I do like their neutral site games like in Sioux Falls and KC, remember they sold out their game in Moline.

Agreed. The noncon has been an issue. That said, even conference games had poor attendance.

Your point is a good one. There is a need for a comprehensive review of every aspect of the program.

 

[Gander Hawk]

Agreed. The noncon has been an issue. That said, even conference games had poor attendance.

Your point is a good one. There is a need for a comprehensive review of every aspect of the program.

If they can build some excitement early, maybe attendance at conference games would pick up, worth a try.

 

[PCHawk]

Iowa is a long way from being a top half of the conference team, regardless of who comes back next season and I would say chances are high that MOST of it won't return even if Fran is back. I mean, a lot of us expected Iowa to be pretty good this year, they aren't, and they aren't really close. So, the question arises in my mind, what is the upside of keeping Fran other than to NOT pay his buy out?

A long way from top half? I don't know about that. A long way from top third tho.

Once Fran started making the tournament, he made three in a row, missed two in a row, made five in a row (once got cancelled) and now missed two in a row. Only twice since his first two years has he missed the tournament badly. The last time, we missed the sweet 16 by a point the very next year. This year we missed the tourney less bad than we did last time and we had injuries for an excuse and also have the best recruit of the Fran era coming in. If Beth gets rid of him it better be because attendance or because he has a great coach lined up already.

 

[CP87]

Iowa averaged just over 5k in scanned tickets a game this season. It's not even a minority anymore. Iowa fans are voting with their pocket book.

https://hawkeyeswire.usatoday.com/s...ed-data-displays-fan-disinterest/82287020007/

You can also judge fan interest by NIL and healthy donor money is for the program. It is also considered to be at the bottom of the B1G

https://hawkfanatic.com/2025/03/07/...ange-wouldnt-fix-iowas-most-glaring-weakness/

I love Fran, he's a great coach IMO, but he's fostered this, he's had a huge hand in things being the way they are and Iowa needs to stop the bleeding at all costs....again, unless they are not committed to Iowa basketball's future. Beth is currently trying to raise 65 million dollars for a Carver Renovation... and as you can imagine, they aren't doing well with that.

This is exactly what Dochterman and Leistikow said on their podcast last week...they both think the guy can coach, but there is just too much Fran-fatigue to ignore. The constant end-of-year disappointment, the unwillingness/inability to change up defensive philosophy, and the unwillingness to serve as a hype-man for the program. I get that he just wants to coach BB, but in this day and age, you absolutely have to be a salesman at the same time. Apparently he is not well liked by most of the media (he is prickly, unlike the affable Ferentz), and he acts like the NIL situation is just an unfortunate headwind, not something he can actually impact positively.

They suggested that he could come back with guarantees to hire a new defensive assistant and to get out of their way, as well as a guarantee to do more glad-handing around the state. At this point, those do not seem like terms he would agree to.

Fran has put together lots of good teams here (final season results not withstanding), and he has had some very entertaining teams. But we are not trying to replace Dean Smith or Mike Krzyzewski, here. There is a big bucket of guys that can replicate these results while increasing the excitement around the program.

 

[Westernhawk]

the loud minority can ruin a lot of things. Not just in this instance. Fran shouldn’t go anywhere. To those saying we don’t have players for next season, check out the recruiting rankings.

Yeah, that's the interesting thing for me. I see that they have young talent on this team, and arguably better talent coming in next year. I'm of two minds about all of this. I wouldn't be shattered if Fran left, but maybe they have the makings a good team in the next couple of years.

Last year's Freshman of the Year (and our best player) has been out as well.

 

[Gander Hawk]

This is exactly what Dochterman and Leistikow said on their podcast last week...they both think the guy can coach, but there is just too much Fran-fatigue to ignore. The constant end-of-year disappointment, the unwillingness/inability to change up defensive philosophy, and the unwillingness to serve as a hype-man for the program. I get that he just wants to coach BB, but in this day and age, you absolutely have to be a salesman at the same time. Apparently he is not well liked by most of the media (he is prickly, unlike the affable Ferentz), and he acts like the NIL situation is just an unfortunate headwind, not something he can actually impact positively.

They suggested that he could come back with guarantees to hire a new defensive assistant and to get out of their way, as well as a guarantee to do more glad-handing around the state. At this point, those do not seem like terms he would agree to.

Fran has put together lots of good teams here (final season results not withstanding), and he has had some very entertaining teams. But we are not trying to replace Dean Smith or Mike Krzyzewski, here. There is a big bucket of guys that can replicate these results while increasing the excitement around the program.

Is he unwilling to be a hype man or is the university just bad at marketing? He has a role in promoting the program but there are a lot of people being paid to do only that, how are they doing?

 

[CP87]

Is he unwilling to be a hype man or is the university just bad at marketing? He has a role in promoting the program but there are a lot of people being paid to do only that, how are they doing?

Well, wrestling, FB, and WBB are pretty popular, for what it is worth. On the flip side, Iowa soccer and FH should probably be more popular, based upon recent success.