College football must innovate as FBS attendance dips for sixth straight year to lowest since 1996

[Waquoit]

Not to you. Not to me. But this isn't about people like you and me.

I know. I'm just stunned by all the people I know in person and online that just don't go out.

 

[Husky25]

One other factor I think is that historically attendance wasn’t a sellout for most schools and most games. It became a thing of sorts in the 80s and 90s and many places expanded stadiums to accommodate the new normal. Today we have returned to more traditional levels and all those extra seats are going unused as the 20 year boom came to an end within a few years of the new seats coming on line. So I read of having 30000 in a 45000 seat stadium someplace like North Carolina puts 30000 in a 65000 seat stadium which they “ “needed” in the 1990s built in the early 2000s but no longer need. Or BC who had 35000 seats but “needed” 45000 post Flutie. Now they average about what they had but the number can get inflated by a big home game like Notre Dame. Typical attendance is less. That happened across college football in the late 90s early 2000

BC Increased their stadium size when they upset ND in the early-mid 90's. Glenn Foley/ Chuckie Dukes era.

 

[billybud]

The 90's were a period when the Boomers were coming on line with their careers....

Like a large bulge in a hose...the Boomers were a force moving through the culture. New houses, more cars, more restaurants, more cruise lines. And their rise coincided with "The American Century".

With discretional income to spend on entertainment, the Boomers bulged out the venues for sports.

With so many now retiring or retired, the Boomer factor, is not what it was. The generations behind them have not yet been a substitute.

 

[huskypantz]

It isn't CR that is causing attendance to drop...although some fans may want to cast blame in that direction. It is societal change.

NFL attendance just hit a 15 year low...CR didn't affect that.

More people are watching the NFL on TV. Fewer people are watching the NFL in person.

It's societal change, but it's $$$ as well. Another problem is introducing young fans to games. Example - Patriots. I live 10 miles from Gillette. If I want to bring my family to a game, let's say it will be $100 per ticket, $40 parking plus food. Almost $500 for 3 hours. Crappy seats for $100. Now we may or may not know someone who is tailgating, so that could add some time. Why do I want to spend $500 to be in a stadium with an 8 and 6 year old who might want to go home after halftime? Who might want to play on my phone because they don't know what's going on? Who want to leave because it's freezing cold or raining etc etc.

I can stay home and enjoy the game in the comfort of my living room with cheaper beer and food, DVR to pause for bathroom breaks and no wasted time for traffic jams when I leave. Don't get me wrong, it's a lot of fun (for me) going to games, but there are a ton of other factors.

 

[billybud]

Huskypantz....exactly.

For me and college ball...the same....I spend falls in our mountain home.....800 mile round trip per game...hotels jacked up to $400 per night (two night minimum) on game weekends, booster fee and ticket fees, parking, etc.

The at-game experience to watch wasn't worth $7000 more than watching on TV...plus the investment of large chunks of my time.

And, here in Western NC, we have retired fans from my school all around...we hang and party and watch the game in a detail that you can't get in person.

I think that is the way America is moving...Millenials, like our son, are social...they hang out together, message back and forth, and he also watches sports with friends.

 

[BlueDogs]

The simple lesson learned over and over- excessive money eventually ruins everything. ESPN and CR destroyed rivalries, the P5 created a cartel, the NCAA takes dollars over ensuring competitive parity, the playoff system has disenfranchised 95% of the teams, underdogs are systematically excluded, coaches are making obscene amounts of money. It’s all warped by greed.

 

[billybud]

Competive parity...it has always been an illusion....no more so than in the basketball NCAA's.

 

[gars44]

First - the stadium needs a massive upgrade to its wifi and cell coverage. People want to upload and download buckets of data during games scoreboard watching and goofing on social media.

Next, this wont really turn the tide, but I would like to see a mega dose of live in game highlights from other games all around FBS shown on the jumbo tron during TV time outs. Celebrate college football everywhere with more than a basic out of town score board. For teams in a conference the obvious choice would be to show other conference mates and how they are faring with clips. For independents like us I would like to see what other teams on our schedule are doing. I know this would eat into their promo time which they sell to Mo's and other local companies. I'm just looking for a simple way to further integrate the opponents on the schedule with the fans, plus I love watching anything on that screen, especially highlights.

Yeah, this is a silly idea - not something that will really impact the turnstile.

Absolutely true. Everyone is multi-tasking, all the time. At Uconn football, they force you to sit and listen to the loudspeaker. Not working.

 

[gars44]

The simple lesson learned over and over- excessive money eventually ruins everything. ESPN and CR destroyed rivalries, the P5 created a cartel, the NCAA takes dollars over ensuring competitive parity, the playoff system has disenfranchised 95% of the teams, underdogs are systematically excluded, coaches are making obscene amounts of money. It’s all warped by greed.

Agree. Too much of a good thing is too much. And too much is too much.

 

[gars44]

The game needs to move faster, fewer delays, cheaper food, better sound systems to stay engaged (the sound at home is much better than in the stadium - re: on-field action). Tickets need to be cheap. Timing of games - thurs night is tough for people with jobs. And don’t play a game at the same time as the pats - both at home. The antiquated things like the “kiss cam” and throwing uncomfortable, ugly t shirts into the crowd just don’t work anymore.

stadiums should have more “boxes” so a group of friends can go, with comfortable chairs and good views, get a box, have1$ pitchers or other deals, etc.should make it more like Watching the game at a bar with your buddies.

It can't move faster because of the incessant television commercials that pay the freight. Like someone above said, it's all about greed.

 

[gars44]

I agree, personally; however, the average consumer obviously doesn’t.

This isn’t a hypothesis; they talk to the people in the article and they say as much.

I guess I must be the average consumer, because I don't agree. Much prefer watching at home, it at all.