Attendance decline is a common conversation every offseason for college football fans. Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald has an interesting theory behind the decline, and his statements quickly went viral out of Big Ten Media Days in Chicago.
With some level of irony based on how many people likely watched the commentary from their phones, Fitzgerald’s two-minute-long social commentary had millions of views by Monday.
Don’t have time to watch? Here is what Fitzgerald said during his podium session in Chicago.
“I think phones, I think technology has been the decline in attendance, No. 1,” Fitzgerald said. “Watching young people today live like this (with their heads in their phones) instead of like that (with their eyes upfront). Stacey and I were out on a date last night. There were two groups of couples sitting next to two us. I’m like ‘oh my gosh I’m old.’ Not one of the two couples were talking to each other. They were all on their phones. It just drove me up the wall. I literally wanted to be like a dad. Give me your phone. Talk to each other. This is pathetic. It was really pathetic.
“It’s changed the way a lot of young people and younger fans intake, it’s all through technology. You watch a concert and everybody is holding the phone up. Listen, watch, take it in, create a memory. They don’t come back and watch the videos. They just want to post it on their social media, which is pathetic. It creates a society of, ‘look at me, isn’t my life great.’ … I think it’s a big cause. I think it’s the root cause, No. 1. I think the fans that grew up tailgating and going to the stadiums four hours before games are getting a little older. I think the next, and younger, generations of fans are more reliant on technology. They’d rather have 12 TVs set up in their TV-watching cave than go to a game and experience the pageantry and the tailgating. I think it’s definitely things we need to look at as a brand, college football, on how we can create that type of environment and experiences while respecting our communities and our neighborhoods to make sure the experiences that are happening don’t impede on those neighborhoods.”
In conclusion, he ain't wrong. But you can't help but think it's not just that simple.
With some level of irony based on how many people likely watched the commentary from their phones, Fitzgerald’s two-minute-long social commentary had millions of views by Monday.
Don’t have time to watch? Here is what Fitzgerald said during his podium session in Chicago.
“I think phones, I think technology has been the decline in attendance, No. 1,” Fitzgerald said. “Watching young people today live like this (with their heads in their phones) instead of like that (with their eyes upfront). Stacey and I were out on a date last night. There were two groups of couples sitting next to two us. I’m like ‘oh my gosh I’m old.’ Not one of the two couples were talking to each other. They were all on their phones. It just drove me up the wall. I literally wanted to be like a dad. Give me your phone. Talk to each other. This is pathetic. It was really pathetic.
“It’s changed the way a lot of young people and younger fans intake, it’s all through technology. You watch a concert and everybody is holding the phone up. Listen, watch, take it in, create a memory. They don’t come back and watch the videos. They just want to post it on their social media, which is pathetic. It creates a society of, ‘look at me, isn’t my life great.’ … I think it’s a big cause. I think it’s the root cause, No. 1. I think the fans that grew up tailgating and going to the stadiums four hours before games are getting a little older. I think the next, and younger, generations of fans are more reliant on technology. They’d rather have 12 TVs set up in their TV-watching cave than go to a game and experience the pageantry and the tailgating. I think it’s definitely things we need to look at as a brand, college football, on how we can create that type of environment and experiences while respecting our communities and our neighborhoods to make sure the experiences that are happening don’t impede on those neighborhoods.”
In conclusion, he ain't wrong. But you can't help but think it's not just that simple.
