View The Collegian’s video “Fans attend men’s games more than women’s“

The next time you are leaving the ballpark, stadium or arena at the conclusion of a Fresno State athletic event, ask yourself what mattered to you the most.

Was it that third quarter fast break dunk?

How about the fourth inning diving double play?

Personally, I take the most pride in leaving a Fresno State athletic event knowing the players that represent me and wear the Bulldog red were able to pull out a win.

That being said, my personal opinion probably doesn’t matter to you much, as the numbers speak for themselves.

The average attendance inside the Save Mart Center for a men’s home game is more than 7,584. Although the ‘Dogs sport a respectable 5-2 Western Athletic Conference home record this season, they also can’t seem to buy a win on the road these days and have slumped to an under .500 record for the third straight season.

Compare those numbers to the Fresno State women on the hardwood. The ‘Dogs basketball have lost just one home game this season at the hands of the Associated Press Top 25 second-ranked Stanford Cardinals. The women have also won the WAC Tournament two years in a row and are poised to pull a three-peat as they currently ride a school record 16-game win streak. But again, the numbers don’t lie, as head coach Adrian Wiggins’ squad only sees an average of 2,791 fans fill the Save Mart Center seats.

Then again, there isn’t a woman on the Fresno State basketball team that can hit her head on the backboard like Paul George can, is there? No, there won’t be any alley-oop dunks by junior phenom Jaleesa Ross, but chances are at the end of the game the women will put a W in the “Win-Loss” column.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Nothing excites me more during the game than a good baseline jam or an angry 6-foot-10-inch center on the block. However, the fact of the matter is a win matters more to Fresno State athletics, and should matter more to the student body as well.

The trend spills over onto the baseball and softball diamonds as well. Although it’s hard to argue against the loyal attendance at Bulldog baseball games, as they are only a few years removed from a national championship. It’s easy to argue for the softball squad, who is in no way a slouch to the men.

On baseball’s opening night, it was nearly a standing room only crowd as 3,280 Bulldog faithfully packed Beiden Field to witness Fresno State’s ninth-inning comeback.

On softball’s opening night, I was able to point out more than one completely empty row and as the host ‘Dogs smashed Santa Clara 10-1. The problem was only family members or a smattering of die-hard Bulldog alums could be found inside the gates of a game that you couldn’t give away tickets to.

Despite the numerous accolades the ‘Dogs boast, including 30 consecutive winning seasons, 27 NCAA postseason appearances, and a .817 all-time home winning percentage, it’s nearly impossible to arouse any interest in one of Fresno State’s most dominant sports.

Maybe men’s sports are simply more entertaining to watch, despite how bad or often the ‘Dogs may fall short.

But my question for you is, when it’s all said and done at the end of a game, what is more entertaining for you, as a Fresno State Bulldog fan?

Obviously, it’s not winning, or else Bulldog Diamond and the Save Mart Center wouldn’t look like a graveyard.