Every week, Ohio’s basketball teams are subject to a roaring, raucous crowd of fans filling The Convo. The Ohio fandom, consisting of OU students and Athens locals of all different backgrounds, come together to cheer on their team.
Sports have always been a unifier within a community. In Athens, the sport that has brought people together the most is basketball.
Although the sport has taken place in several venues and hosted hundreds of players since its inaugural season at OU in 1907-08, basketball has always been something fans can rally around.
During the 2024-25 season, fans have had the opportunity to rally around the preseason No. 1 team for the men and a coach that has surpassed 200 career wins for the women. Through all 118 years of basketball at Ohio, there’s always been a story that Athens residents get to be a part of.
In the last handful of years, that culture has only strengthened, as winning has become part of it. In the past decade, both men’s and women’s teams have made the NCAA Tournament, with the men’s team forcing a historic upset over Virginia in 2021.
Ohio fans have been witness to incredible moments in The Convo, and regardless of the world outside its walls, will happily put everything aside to cheer on their teams. With two historically successful programs with inspiring student-athletes on each roster, fans have all the more reason to cheer even louder.
For young people, basketball is a uniquely accessible entrance into the community through sports. With public, free-to-access courts in most neighborhoods, a ball is the only required purchase. Especially with girls, given the recent surge in popularity for women’s basketball, involvement in youth sports is increasing.
Since the turn of the century, attending sporting events has come to be about so much more than just the game. Whether you care about the result of what’s happening on the court or not, has become less important as athletic programs turn their focus to fan engagement.
Attending an Ohio basketball game at The Convo brings fans a unique opportunity to engage with other community members, interact with local businesses and so much more. When basketball season is at its peak, the games become a celebration of Athens.
Whether it's bringing the community of Athens together to cheer on its teams or inspiring young fans to get involved in a sport themselves, basketball has been an integral part of fostering a feeling of togetherness at OU and the surrounding area.
