The San Diego State student section, popularly known as “The Show,” received some national recognition last week when Brian Pederson of Bleacher Report ranked it as the best student section in NCAA basketball.
SDSU topped other college basketball powers such as Duke University, Gonzaga University, the University of Florida and Michigan State University to take the top spot, according to Pederson.
“How big of a deal is ‘The Show’?” Pedersen asked in his article. “While SDSU’s teams have been pretty good as a whole the last four years, it’s really good at home: 64-5 since the beginning of the 2010-11 season.”
This ranking is not too surprising as SDSU has established itself as a powerhouse student section. Thanks in part to the “I Believe” chant, the blown-up faces to distract free-throw shooters and the sheer energy in the arena, Viejas Arena has quickly become an undesirable venue for opposing teams.
“The Show” has become more than a student section at SDSU; It has become its own being. Just search “TheShowSDSU” on Twitter, or “theshowsdsu” on Instagram and you will see the passion that these students have for SDSU athletics.
It’s one thing to be rowdy at games and distract the other team, but it’s the dedication that really sets “The Show” apart.
This new moniker as the nation’s best won’t change much for “The Show,” however.
“We will always do our best to be the most creative, innovative and intimidating student section in the country,” Ryan Boudreau and Thomas Sholan, two dedicated members of “The Show” said via email. “When we make it hard for other teams to play in our arena, when they don’t want to come here, that’s when we know we are doing our job right. As the article pointed out, we do that already.”
Students can be seen lining up hours before tickets go on sale just to make sure they have a seat in the first-ranked student section in the nation. Pictures on its Instagram account document the crowd of people wrapped around Viejas Arena in the wee hours of the morning.
When it comes to game-time there are many sacred pre-game traditions—such as turning around and reading a copy of The Daily Aztec while the opposing lineup is announced, or singing “Uprising” by Muse right before tipoff to the opponent know they are not welcome.
There is never a dull moment while the game is being played, either. You’ll be sure to hear synchronized chants, Hulk Hogan impressions and patronizing remarks to embarrass any player who throws up an air ball.
Pederson’s rankings capped off a solid week for this student section after Sporting News named Viejas Arena the best venue in the Mountain West Conference.
Ever since Steve Fisher took helm of the basketball program in 1999, the Aztecs have been improving their results and recruiting every year. Along with that, “The Show” has been improving every year, coming up with new ways to intimidate opponents.
Just like the Seattle Seahawks have their “12th Man”, SDSU has “The Show,” and they’ll be sure to help propel the Aztecs into another Tournament appearance in 2015.
