Listen, one of my favorite Mantra T-shirt designs asks coaches and male athletes to embrace the idea that Self Awareness is only available if you combine Self Reflection WITH a healthy dose of Self Interrogation. And I think if Miami coach Travis Steele deployed that on himself after watching his own [postgame rant] (https://x.com/thefieldof68/status/2119270550925197367) about fan attendance, he might want a redo on the entire scene.
I am NOT saying that Coach Steele shouldn't be proud of his team's winning streak. I am NOT saying he shouldn't want to get his guys in front of a packed arena. I AM saying that this entire clip reeks of someone who has not PAUSED to ask himself, "Wait, am I misusing the word NEED when I really mean WANT?"
What do I mean by that?
Coach says numerous times here that "we NEED to get more people here" or "we NEED to sell this thing back out." No, Coach. There is no version of a NEED list for other people that includes attending a basketball game of any kind. Sure, it could be a WANT, a GIFT, a JOY. But nowhere, in the middle of the world we're all living in right now (economic struggles, housing costs, families juggling multiple jobs and competing priorities), does attending a RedHawks game automatically become a NEED for anyone.
And here's something that makes his reaction even harder for me to understand. The announced attendance Saturday was 4,342. That's reportedly DOUBLE what Miami drew for its home opener last season. So people ARE showing up in greater numbers. They're just not showing up at the level Coach wants them to.
That's hard to stomach when you're so wrapped up in the importance of your program (justifiably so, I might add...it's your livelihood, your passion and you love your players) that you forget it isn't necessarily the end-all, be-all for anyone else.
I've lived this. I was a college hoops coach for 22 years. I know the difference between playing a home game in front of a loud fieldhouse and a damn near empty one. I know the vibe your team has when the environment lends itself to a "big moment" versus a "rec league game" feel. I know how badly you want your players to experience that atmosphere, especially when they've worked their tails off to build something worth watching.
But DEMANDING attendance doesn't work. Telling people how awesome you are via statistics doesn't automatically move the needle. And calling people "spoiled" because they haven't made YOUR program a priority certainly isn't going to make them feel more connected to it.
And I'm going to be honest, if you're at a Division I university like he is, you have people in the athletic department whose jobs include marketing, ticket sales, promotions and building community engagement. That's where I'd direct a lot of this frustration. Behind closed doors. Ask what barriers exist to attendance. Ask what the program can do to make people WANT to spend their time and money in your arena. Ask what you can do to help.
Because here's the part I think gets lost in moments like this: You can absolutely believe your program deserves a packed arena without believing the community OWES you one.
And I know Steele acknowledged that his team needs to play better, too. That's fair. But it doesn't erase the larger message of the rant or the way calling fans spoiled turns his disappointment into an indictment of people who may have a hundred other things competing for their attention.
Save the victim and "woe is us" speech.
And maybe, before the next postgame press conference, spend a little time asking whether what you're calling a NEED is actually just something you really, REALLY WANT.
Coach Prompts
When have you treated something you WANT for your program as something other people NEED to provide? What happens when you examine that expectation from their perspective rather than your own?
How do you respond when parents, students or community members don't show up for your team's games or events? Do you become frustrated with their lack of support, or get curious about what might be keeping them away?
When was the last time you watched or listened to yourself after a moment of frustration and genuinely questioned whether your words reflected your values? What did you discover?
Player Prompts
Agree, Disagree or Unsure: If a team is successful, the students and community have a responsibility to attend its games.
What's the difference between wanting someone to support you and believing they owe you that support? How might that distinction apply to friendships, relationships and family?
Think about a time you were disappointed because someone didn't do something you expected of them. Did you ever stop to ask whether you had communicated a request or simply assumed they had an obligation?
