Buffs Look to Boost Attendance with Student Incentives as Season Winds Down
With the final stretch of the regular season underway, Colorado men’s basketball is looking to do more than just tighten up its on-court execution - it’s also trying to fill some of the empty seats at the CU Events Center.
Attendance has been a lingering issue all season, and while the Buffs have had their ups and downs on the hardwood, the student section in particular has struggled to bring the energy and numbers you’d expect in a power-conference building. Now, the program is rolling out a series of student-focused incentives aimed at reigniting some of that home-court fire.
Let’s be clear: the Buffs’ student section - located at the south end of the arena - hasn’t been at full strength for much of the year. And the last two home games made that even more obvious.
In a Jan. 24 loss to Central Florida and a win over TCU this past Sunday, the empty rows were hard to miss. Both games tipped off in the early afternoon on weekends - typically a sweet spot for student turnout - but the UCF game pulled just 6,528 fans.
That’s nearly 700 fewer than CU drew for the same matchup last year, and that team was winless in Big 12 play at the time. The TCU game wasn’t much better, drawing 6,719.
To give the student section a jolt, Colorado is launching a set of new promotions starting with Saturday night’s home game against Arizona State (7:30 p.m. MT, ESPN2).
Among the highlights: 10 students at each remaining men’s and women’s home game will win an Eldora Mountain Resort lift ticket, with winners announced postgame. One lucky student per game will also take home a pair of Blenders goggles - a nod to Boulder’s outdoor culture and a nice bonus for those who brave the cold to support the Buffs.
But the most ambitious part of the plan is the “skip the line” challenge. Students who attend all four remaining men’s home games and all four women’s games will earn priority access to purchase a student Sports Pass for the 2026 fall semester - a big deal for those looking to lock in game-day access next year. On top of that, 100 of those students will be selected to receive a free Sports Pass.
There’s more. At each of the remaining women’s games - and the Feb. 21 men’s matchup against Oklahoma State - five students will be randomly selected for free Sports Passes. It’s a layered approach, but the goal is simple: get more students in the building and bring back the kind of atmosphere that gives the Buffs a real home-court edge.
“Our students can be a difference-maker for this program,” said head coach Tad Boyle. “The only way there’s a home court advantage is if they show up, show their Buff pride, be loud and into it.
No reason we can’t have the best home court advantage in the Big 12. They’re the heartbeat.
And the rest of our fans feed off the students. They really do.”
Through 14 home games, Colorado is averaging 5,937 fans per game - a number that would mark the lowest average in Boyle’s 16 seasons in Boulder. That figure includes the Dec. 17 game against Portland State, which was played in front of just 101 fans due to widespread power outages. Even if you remove that anomaly, the average bumps up to just 6,386 - still below the previous low of 6,752 set in 2022-23.
Freshman Ian Inman Starting to Find His Groove
On the court, one of the recent bright spots has been freshman wing Ian Inman, who’s starting to carve out a role in a rotation that’s seen more movement since mid-January.
Inman made the most of his minutes in Wednesday’s loss at Baylor, going 4-for-6 from the field for 10 points - all career highs - while logging 11 minutes and 18 seconds, his most extended action of the season. That topped his previous high of 11:05, set just two games earlier at Iowa State. After spending a stretch where he didn’t appear in eight of nine games, Inman has now played in four straight.
“He’s been practicing consistently hard,” Boyle said. “He stayed engaged.
He stayed in tune. He’s very coachable.
Ian Inman’s going to be a good player. He’s a little bit further behind, at least from a physicality standpoint, probably Josiah (Sanders) and Jalin (Holland).
But he can shoot the ball and he’s getting better on defense. He’s competing.
I’ve got a lot of confidence in him.”
Inman’s development comes at a key time for the Buffs, who are looking to tighten their rotation and find reliable depth as they push toward the postseason.
Around the Rim
As of Saturday, Colorado sat at No. 76 in both the NCAA’s NET rankings and KenPom.com - metrics that will be crucial as the Buffs try to work their way into the NCAA Tournament conversation. Arizona State, their Saturday night opponent, was just ahead at No. 73 in the NET and No. 72 at KenPom.
The Sun Devils were without 6-foot-11 forward Santiago Trouet in their win at Utah on Wednesday. Trouet, who averages 7.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, was listed as questionable on ASU’s availability report heading into the weekend. He also missed CU’s win in Tempe earlier this season.
Saturday’s game will be broadcast on ESPN2 with John Schriffen and Chris Spatola on the call.
Bottom line: Colorado’s got work to do - on the court and in the stands. But with some fresh energy from the student section and continued growth from young players like Inman, there’s still time to shift the momentum in Boulder.