| FTBL College Football Attendance Drops Again. Why do you think it has continued to decrease for seven straight years?

[Davestwin]

College football attendance declines for seventh straight season to lowest average since 1981

I’m getting older so that’s my reason/excuse for not attending as many Bama regular season games and for only attending a few post in the post season.

I’ve not only stopped going to NFL games, I hardly watch any games on TV too. That’s because of the politics they’ve tried to shove down our throats. It’s taken away any desire on my part to enrich those who despise me and my beliefs.

Anyway, why do you think college football attendance continues to drop … and has it affected your attendance at the games?

 

[It Takes Eleven]

I still go to almost all Bama home games. However, I can see a day where I go to fewer home games, and make a point to attend an away game a year. It's true that any game I want to see, I can view on a broadcast or stream. There is a saturation point. NASCAR sold out its short tracks (truly the heart of the circuit for hard core, southern fans) for yankee and corporate dollars, went to a uniform car, and screwed their points and competitive system to maintain even interest throughout the season (they succeeded - interest is now low all season long).

In regard to the article, it's poorly researched and written, with analysis to support the original idea for the article. For example, he only noted "prime time" TV ratings. If you simply look at ratings regardless of time, the NFL still dominates, but nine college football games appear in the top 100.

Sports’ TV dominance at new heights in 2021

Sports in 2021 dominated the most-watched telecasts in the U.S. like never before, accounting for 95 of the top 100 programs.

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

He also notes that there's been an influx of marginal programs and smaller stadiums, but he doesn't measure percentage of capacity which would either support (or potentially refute) his primary theme. His "media expert" sold his network to CBS and is now hawking gambling, probably doing well, not sure he has insight into attendance trends.

RTR,

Tim

 

[OldPlayer]

You can’t tell me attendance decreased from limited attendance in 2020. If you look at the numbers, some schools and conferences, because of the states involved, still had limited attendance in 2021.

 

[Davestwin]

I still go to almost all Bama home games. However, I can see a day where I go to fewer home games, and make a point to attend an away game a year. It's true that any game I want to see, I can view on a broadcast or stream. There is a saturation point. NASCAR sold out its short tracks (truly the heart of the circuit for hard core, southern fans) for yankee and corporate dollars, went to a uniform car, and screwed their points and competitive system to maintain even interest throughout the season (they succeeded - interest is now low all season long).

In regard to the article, it's poorly researched and written, with analysis to support the original idea for the article. For example, he only noted "prime time" TV ratings. If you simply look at ratings regardless of time, the NFL still dominates, but nine college football games appear in the top 100.

Sports’ TV dominance at new heights in 2021

Sports in 2021 dominated the most-watched telecasts in the U.S. like never before, accounting for 95 of the top 100 programs.

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

He also notes that there's been an influx of marginal programs and smaller stadiums, but he doesn't measure percentage of capacity which would either support (or potentially refute) his primary theme. His "media expert" sold his network to CBS and is now hawking gambling, probably doing well, not sure he has insight into attendance trends.

RTR,

Tim

Great points

 

[TerryP]

He also notes that there's been an influx of marginal programs and smaller stadiums, but he doesn't measure percentage of capacity which would either support (or potentially refute) his primary theme. His "media expert" sold his network to CBS and is now hawking gambling, probably doing well, not sure he has insight into attendance trends.

James Madison moves to FBS: a 25K capacity stadium.
Sam Houston State move to FBS: a 14K capacity stadium.
Jacksonville State moves to FBS: a 24K capacity stadium.

No kidding. You add a stadium to the list of FBS schools where the stadium itself seats less than half of the average capacity what do you think was going to happen?
There three schools are ones I could think of that joined FBS football in the last year or so.

---

On somewhat of related note:

Amongst all the vilification for OU and TX moving to the SEC who can blame them when we look at it from a attendance point of view. 7 of 10 have seating capacities of 60K or less: two are still at 45K (both Kansas programs.) Heck, OU seats almost two times as much as TCU.

Can anyone blame them for leaving? Figuratively (no pun intended) eight of those ten aren't in the "same league."

 

[It Takes Eleven]

And looking back at a few recent FBS entrants:

2018 Liberty (19,200)
2017 Coastal Carolina (20,000)
2015 Charlotte (15,314)

 

[TerryP]

Four of the six with 20K or less and average attendance drops.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

TV game coverage has played a large part I am sure. But I am sure much of the Pac 10 interest has gone down since the playoffs started & their teams get consistently throat punched (2014 Oregon exception but that was 8 years ago)

 

[TerryP]

But I am sure much of the Pac 10 interest has gone down since the playoffs started & their teams get consistently throat punched (2014 Oregon exception but that was 8 years ago)

Without getting into the woods here I believe we'll all agree the PAC had some of the most stringent C-19 protocols last fall. It can't be ignored and Dodd does touch on it being "disquieting" for fans (and notable college football writers, but that's a different discussion...we'll stay with fans.)

I've not looked for numbers on the other conferences. I did glance at the PAC after the earlier mention of the NFL thinking about the SB this year.

Capacity versus attendance. The conference numbers are in the middle.

(How did Stanfurd slip by the proofread?)

 

[RollllTide!]

Over analyze and you can't see the Forrest for the trees.
Giant TV screens have made attendance go down. 50cent drinks, hot dogs, tailgating on the back porch while watching from the 50 yard line by a cozy fire. Even RV parking has been moved further away from the stadiums.

ticket prices up?

 

[BamaFan334]

Without getting into the woods here I believe we'll all agree the PAC had some of the most stringent C-19 protocols last fall. It can't be ignored and Dodd does touch on it being "disquieting" for fans (and notable college football writers, but that's a different discussion...we'll stay with fans.)

I've not looked for numbers on the other conferences. I did glance at the PAC after the earlier mention of the NFL thinking about the SB this year.

Capacity versus attendance. The conference numbers are in the middle.

(How did Stanfurd slip by the proofread?)

USC and UCLA fans aren't showing up regardless, though, even before the virus. If they aren't winning, no one in Hollywood cares.

Stanford, Arizona, Washington, Colorado, and Cal are way down. Washington State is in tge middle of nowhere. Arizona State, Oregon, and Utah are about the only signs of life. USC will get an injection this year with Riley, so we'll see how that goes.

You bring up all of those smaller stadiums, but does that really affect an average?0

 

[50+yeartidefan]

No doubt TV and things like SECnetwork forour SEC teams...

I go to all home BAMA games...and what use to be packed...certainly arent anymore..
Not just the SEZ...but seating everywhere has empty seats disguised as fans...
Except ..Auburn game...even LSU seats were unused all around...

Tickets sold...tickets used...

@Davestwin
Good question...
Reason....?
Ticket Cost...
Attendance cost
Crap games ( non conference).
That blasting noise over sound system
Ability to get games on tv and quality and size of TVs ( 65” atWalmartunder 700$)
Traffic

Can list list as many... if not more ...reasons to go!

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Society has changed and it will only get worse moving forward.

 

[TerryP]

USC and UCLA fans aren't showing up regardless, though, even before the virus.

Those two exceeded capacity last season: the only two to do so in the PAC.

You bring up all of those smaller stadiums, but does that really affect an average?0

An average can only go down if you add a smaller number to the total being divided.

 

[1CrimsonTider]

Society has changed and it will only get worse moving forward.

Do you look at everything as a glass half full with gray water?

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Do you look at everything as a glass half full with gray water?

I don't spend my time trying to paint a pretty picture.

 

[BamaFan334]

Those two exceeded capacity last season: the only two to do so in the PAC.

An average can only go down if you add a smaller number to the total being divided.

What is stadium fullness? Are they not expected to fill at max capacity? Are they only expected to sell 50,000 tickets to a USC game? Not sure I follow this graph, so maybe you can further explain. I know the Coliseum holds way more than 50,000 people (upwards of 90,000 roundabout).

An average is an average. It takes into consideration smaller stadiums, which also bring smaller crowds. 70%, the percentage, full, is the same for a 110,000 seat stadium as it is for 25,000 seat stadium. Capacity to me is a percentage of seats available against the seats sat in. Am I missing something in the equation here?

 

[RollllTide!]

I don't view lower attendance as a negative. If you want to see a game live then go and enjoy it. Tailgate away. There is a lot of competition for your attention. TV exposure and money helps with keeping fans loyal and supporting the team. There has to be statistics on jersey, tshirts, and hats. It probably hurts the local gameday vendors, but online sales probably makes it up.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

What is stadium fullness? Are they not expected to fill at max capacity? Are they only expected to sell 50,000 tickets to a USC game? Not sure I follow this graph, so maybe you can further explain. I know the Coliseum holds way more than 50,000 people (upwards of 90,000 roundabout).

An average is an average. It takes into consideration smaller stadiums, which also bring smaller crowds. 70%, the percentage, full, is the same for a 110,000 seat stadium as it is for 25,000 seat stadium. Capacity to me is a percentage of seats available against the seats sat in. Am I missing something in the equation here?

2021 USC Trojans football team - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

USC attendance to each game for 2021

Around 55K for home games with the exception being UCLA at 68K

 

[TerryP]

Am I missing something in the equation here?

SRO to begin.

The highest attendance record in the Rose Bowl stadium is about 20,000 more than capacity and that was 40 years ago (USC vs OSU tilt.) The Bama vs Texas game was around 8000 over capacity (which is the reason I knew of the other game.)

I've never looked at UCLA's attendance numbers / capacity.

A few weeks ago I was talking with some friends about Dallas. Their stadium has six levels of SRO options. How many does that translate to over capacity?