Game day wouldn't happen with the thousands who attend Northwestern basketball games

When Northwestern beat Michigan on Tuesday night to cap off the 2014-15 home campaign, the crowd’s presence throughout the game was unmistakable. The official attendance – 7,673 – nearly filled Welsh-Ryan Arena’s capacity of 8,117 seats. Each of Tre Demps’ late game-tying three-pointers prompted an eruption from the crowd. The arena buzzed from start to finish.

That isn’t always the case at Wildcat basketball games, a challenge Northwestern Wildside, the “Official Student Section of Northwestern Athletics,” recognizes and works to improve on throughout the year. Wildside’s mission, according to its website, is “promoting student attendance at Northwestern athletic events” to “create a top-notch atmosphere” during games.

On Tuesday night? Mission accomplished.

“Part of it is reminding the overall student body that the athletes and coaches are a part of the Northwestern community, no matter their sport or level of success,” said Evan Frost, incoming Wildside co-president, in an email.

Wildside also collaborates with the University to make life easier for students on game days.

“We work hand in hand with the athletic department to combat the issue of less than stellar fan attendance,” Frost said.

Specifically, Wildside added a program during Winter Quarter that allows students to use meal plans to buy food at Welsh-Ryan. The thinking, Frost said, is that game times can conflict with dinner, dissuading students from attending games.

They also focus on getting the word out as much as possible, which means constant promotion online and through organizations on campus.

“Our social media and campus outreach committees are always promoting sporting events through our Twitter and Facebook pages, as well as communicating with various student groups such as Greek Life organizations and multicultural groups,” Frost said.

On game days, Wildside’s work begins well before tip-off and even prior to the time when fans start to trickle into the arena.

“The typical game day experience varies from sport to sport,” Frost said. “During football season, most of the day is spent setting up, running, and taking down Fitzerland. Usually, our operations team and a few executive board members show up about 4 hours before kickoff to set up tables and grills in the tailgating area. Student groups then arrive as game time approaches and we risk-manage.”

Basketball is similar, Frost said, though Wildside sometimes has to deal with setting up promotions in time for the fans’ arrival.

“If we have a promotion (free shirts, food, hats, etc.), Wildside members arrive at the game an hour-and-a-half before tipoff, set up, and hand out the goods,” Frost said. “Take down usually occurs about ten minutes after the game has started.”

During the game, the mission is simple: being loud, supportive and “Wild,” according to the Wildside website. On Tuesday night, the crowd seemed to accomplish each of those three goals, and the fans were rewarded with a game for the ages.

“Northwestern fans are unlike any other,” Frost said. “They posses sarcastic irreverence of all the traditional norms usually displayed by Big Ten fans. They’re clever in a quirky, intellectual way, seen in chants, signs, and jeers…Being able to build the atmosphere for these fans is something I wouldn’t trade for the world.”

Then Frost amends his statement.

“Well, maybe for a Rose Bowl or NCAA Tournament berth.”