Why John Calipari will have huge success with Arkansas basketball

Arkansas has some of the most passionate fans in the nation

The lifeblood of any program is the fan base. That's one area where Arkansas has an edge over most programs.

For decades, Razorback fans have been some of the best and most loyal fans in the nation. That's regardless of the sport as the folks in and around Fayetteville support the Hogs across the board.

That will only continue with Calipari leading the basketball program. In fact, Arkansas is likely to become a basketball school once again as it was during the Nolan Richardson era.

For proof, we have to look no further than the fact that an estimated 7,000 people showed up to welcome Calipari to Fayetteville at his introductory press conference. That's more than many programs around the nation draw for a conference game.

Many coaches have to build fan support when they take over a new job. They often must win over their constituency by proving that they can win at their new spot.

For Calipari, the fan base is already in place. Last year, every Arkansas home game was listed as a sell-out. Thus, Calipari will already have the fan support he needs before even winning a single game. He won't have to prove anything to anyone or show what he can do before he's fully accepted by Razorbacks around the state. All he has to do is coach. The support is already in place.