‘Cram the Kohl’ shatters women’s basketball attendance record

The women’s basketball team’s first sellout game at the Kohl Center proved exciting for players and fans, as well as the volunteers and extra workers needed to pull off the big event.

Tickets sold for the “Cram the Kohl” event Jan. 20 against Minnesota totaled 17,142, almost triple the Badgers’ home game attendance average of 6,251 this season. Children and families made up much of the crowd, partly due to marketing promotions and ticket specials aimed at youth basketball teams, scout groups and students.

“We had a lot of younger kids who had never been in the Kohl Center,” says Mike Schmit, event manager for women’s basketball. “That’s always good to see. Hopefully, it will create fans (who) will last a lifetime.”

The Kohl Center needed additional workers to staff the event, Schmit says. For example, about 200 volunteers from local service organizations ran 18 of the Kohl Center’s 19 stands. “With so many more kids, we had to have more concession stands,” Schmit says.

Joe Carney, concessions manager for the athletic department, says the stands remained active throughout the game. “It was definitely a very solid event,” he says.

UW women’s basketball had not seen such large crowds since the Kohl Center opening game against Iowa in 1998. “The place rocked,” recalls Rex Owens, associate director of facilities. “People were on their feet from tip-off to the end.”

Despite the overwhelming fan support, Wisconsin lost 92-85 to Minnesota. “Although the Badgers ended up losing, no one came away with a negative experience,” Schmit says.