Texas State Fraternity and Sorority Life were given a challenge: the Greek organization with the highest overall attendance per council for the final five home men’s basketball games was promised $2,500 per council for use in its philanthropy or organization.
The event was put on by Bobcat Spirit, a programming board of students and staff that helps bring fraternity and sorority life closer to Texas State and its community. The board does this by implementing new and interactive ways to get the Greek community to show its support for Texas State, especially athletic programs.
Bobcat Spirit is serving the Greek community and Texas State student body for the fifth year on campus, Assistant Dean of Students for Fraternity and Sorority Life Bob Dudolski said.
“Bobcat Spirit is a way for both fraternity and sorority members to mix and mingle together,” Dudolski said. “It’s also to make sure they are connected to the greater university.”
The challenge was spurred by an alumnus’ donation to the Texas State athletics program. The athletics marketing program then sought to find a creative way to put the funds to use and increase fan participation. Marketing then turned to Dudolski and Texas States’ InterFraternity Council.
The Greek attendance challenge helped set record attendance at men’s basketball games: 6,581. Before this season, and before the University Events Center construction at Strahan Arena took place, the record for single-game attendance at Strahan Coliseum was 5,591, a record held since 1998.
Prior to then, the next two records date back to nearly a decade earlier, spanning back to the ’87 and ’88 seasons. This record was held for 21 years until it was broken on the first night of the Greek attendance challenge.
Due to the Greek attendance challenge, Texas State’s 14 home game had a total home attendance of 44,772, shattering the previous home attendance record from the 2016-17 season of 37,576.
This season has also reached an average home attendance of 3,198, another new record for Bobcat basketball. The previous record of average home attendance was 2,286 attendees per game in the 2003-04 season. President of Texas State’s Alpha Sigma Phi chapter Asher Rogers said the challenge brought the chapter together for a good cause.
”To be honest, we never really came out to games, all of us together,” Rogers said. “We were excited to come out and check it out. Not just for the prize, but because we knew the whole Greek community would show out for a rowdy time. The challenge helped bring all of us out to the games which were always exciting. The energy in the arena is magnifying, it makes you feel as if you’re a part of the journey, rooting for the Bobcats.”
Following the last home game for the men’s basketball team, Bobcat basketball head coach Danny Kaspar thanked those in attendance and said that they helped contribute to the win over the University of Louisiana Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns.
“You all are a major reason for our successes,” Kaspar said. “My players and I are very appreciative.”
The challenge concluded on the last home game of the season against the Ragin’ Cajuns on February 23.
The winners of the Greek attendance challenge are as follows:
Multicultural Greek Council – Phi Iota Alpha
National Panhellenic Council – Kappa Alpha Psi
Interfraternity Council – Pi Kappa Phi
Panhellenic Council – Delta Zeta.