Really good article on falling college football attendance

[IthacaMatt]

I just read this article on Sports Illustrated and thought it was very informative. I hope you enjoy it.

Why Is College Football Attendance Tanking?

To get to the heart of the problem, we set out on a journey across the sport's landscape.

www.si.com

 

[NKR1978]

These big schools have to stop these early season neutral site games and do home-home series. When a Florida fan sees the same teams every year along with whatever sacrificial lambs they schedule to pad their record, attendance is going to suffer.

 

[Trueblue25]

CNY should be proud of the loyalty and support it’s shown throughout the past two decades despite the repetitive haymakers to the yobbles

 

[HtownOrange]

The ridiculous ticket prices (SU is very reasonable compared to what my friends and associates pay) and concession prices combined with more viewing options and far better TVs than when I was young probably factor into the mix on a significant level, too.

 

[Cheriehoop]

The video/twitter/cellphone generation in particular doesn‘t want to spend the time nor do they have the attention span to sit for 3 and a half hours to wait for one hour of action and I don’t blame them.

Movie execs learned the lesson that the optimum length of a film is between 90 and at the very most 210 minutes. The old time epic movies with intermissions are too long realizing that 3 hours even if it’s action packed is too long for most families to sit. Rock concerts are usually around 2 hours long. It’s not a mistake that movies, concerts etc have morphed into 2 hour events over the years. Soccer, football games are about 2 hours. Baseball is also having serious issues with the length of games they are trying to address. College Football has yet to do enough to shorten the lengthening of games from the current 3 and a half hours +, to keep their current fan base loyal less attract new fans to the sport.

 

[Cusefan95]

Part of it is that there’s about 12-15 programs that have a chance to win a national championship - ever. Everyone else is playing for a conference championship at best. In a time where National championships matter more than ever, having the least parity the sport have ever seen is not ideal.

Another observation - 25 years ago I loved sporting events - Mets/Yankees/Devils/Orange/etc. I can’t put my finger on specific reasons, but going to games transitioned from something I looked forward to for months to at best something I’ll get mild enjoyment from (but need a reminder in my phone to remember to go sometimes). I can’t remember the last game in any sport I went to that I was fully invested in - probably Syracuse - Georgetown in the last real Big East tournament (2013).

 

[Eric15]

having the least parity the sport have ever seen is not ideal.

Not being argumentative, but is there actually data behind that claim? Like how do you know the sport has less parity today than the 1930s or 1960s or 1990s?

 

[OttoMets]

...

Another observation - 25 years ago I loved sporting events - Mets/Yankees/Devils/Orange/etc. I can’t put my finger on specific reasons, but going to games transitioned from something I looked forward to for months to at best something I’ll get mild enjoyment from (but need a reminder in my phone to remember to go sometimes). I can’t remember the last game in any sport I went to that I was fully invested in - probably Syracuse - Georgetown in the last real Big East tournament (2013).

I'm right there with you.

I don't know if this is just a normal part of aging or it has to do with the fact that what used to be purely a sporting event is now a drawn-out pop culture spectacle. I hate that. I want to watch a Met game or an SU game (maybe with a college pep band or, in the case of baseball, some background organ clips) and only that; I don't want to hear canned pop music, I don't want some boozed up turb who stinks of cologne and tobacco climbing over me three times to get a tray of Bud Lights, I don't want to watch commercials, I absolutely don't want to see some amped-up kid hyping promotions, and I want to hear the voice of the PA guy as little as possible (unless, of course, he's conducting a "where does Joe Girard's free throw percentage rank nationally?" trivia contest...then common sense would dictate that he should most definitely use three more words to tell us what the kid's free throw percentage is, FFS).

Now get off my lawn.

But seriously, all those things, plus the length of contest, make me enjoy going to games much less than ever before.

 

[Trueblue25]

The ridiculous ticket prices (SU is very reasonable compared to what my friends and associates pay) and concession prices combined with more viewing options and far better TVs than when I was young probably factor into the mix on a significant level, too.

This, no one wants to pay > $100 for an average seat + >$50 for concessions and that’s not even looking at parking.

I can’t imagine what family’s pay in some scenarios

 

[PAcuse]

This, no one wants to pay > $100 for an average seat + >$50 for concessions and that’s not even looking at parking.

I can’t imagine what family’s pay in some scenarios

Yeah it's not easy bringing a family of 5 to games, the big help is the Fine Mess tailgates and the kids know to eat and eat some more before going in lol.

 

[Atlcuse44]

I'm right there with you.

I don't know if this is just a normal part of aging or it has to do with the fact that what used to be purely a sporting event is now a drawn-out pop culture spectacle. I hate that. I want to watch a Met game or an SU game (maybe with a college pep band or, in the case of baseball, some background organ clips) and only that; I don't want to hear canned pop music, I don't want some boozed up turb who stinks of cologne and tobacco climbing over me three times to get a tray of Bud Lights, I don't want to watch commercials, I absolutely don't want to see some amped-up kid hyping promotions, and I want to hear the voice of the PA guy as little as possible (unless, of course, he's conducting a "where does Joe Girard's free throw percentage rank nationally?" trivia contest...then common sense would dictate that he should most definitely use three more words to tell us what the kid's free throw percentage is, FFS).

Now get off my lawn.

But seriously, all those things, plus the length of contest, make me enjoy going to games much less than ever before.

I am much more willing to go to a college event than a pro one. I went to check out a Falcons game at their new stadium here in Atlanta and I have no desire to go back. The stadium was impressive but the experience was annoying. They blast music in between plays and have videos of some celebrity cheering the team on. My ears hurt it was so loud. Major sensory overload.
But, they are trying to appeal to a different demographic - younger and more urban. They are making it an entertainment experience. I just want to watch a football game - which I am happy to do from my couch.

 

[Ringostar57]

Not being argumentative, but is there actually data behind that claim? Like how do you know the sport has less parity today than the 1930s or 1960s or 1990s?

The old days football was more of a regional thing.....Perceptions started to change with TV and air travel...and then with cable the final nail in the coffin it became national. You had teams joining conferences in the 40s and 50s ..that for some time preserved the old regional outlook...but that accelerated the view of interconference/regional rivalry aided by the ease of travel and tv. The conference champs year after year seemed to be populated by 2 or three teams with those teams becoming national brands until some conferences became national brands, like the SEC.

 

[IthacaMatt]

This, no one wants to pay > $100 for an average seat + >$50 for concessions and that’s not even looking at parking.

I can’t imagine what family’s pay in some scenarios

Yeah, it's freaking nuts. I brought a group of 5 to a Louisville game a few years ago for my daughter's birthday. We had dinner down in the Armory, and wanted to get the (supposed) shuttle bus to the game, but couldn't find it, so we had to drive up there at the last minute, pay another $20 for parking, and then the individual tickets for six people including myself was over $300, plus the dinner, parking and concessions for the kids while they were at the game. Must have cost me $500 total to bring a group of kids and their mom to a game.

And yes, that is cheap compared to going to games in a big city. But it ain't nothing. It's like the only way it makes sense economically is to be a season ticket holder. But for hoops in particular, there are so many dreadful boring home games in November and December. It's like there are 2 games a week at home for 2 months, and then you hit January - February and it's once a week, and there's even a week in there without a home game, most seasons.

 

[Millhouse]

Games take too long and even people on welfare can buy tvs that would've been inconceivable for the wealthiest when I was a kid. people are reluctant to admit how much they love tv but there are so many great shows and the TVs are just amazing now. I want to buy a new house so I can put bigger tvs in it - can go to walmart and get a tv twice as big as our house allows for 200 bucks it's unreal.

this will hurt other schools worse than it will hurt us so stadiums turning into really nice tv studios for the diehards to enjoy in person and the rest of us to watch on our great tvs works in our favor

 

[NineOneSeven]

Games take too long and even people on welfare can buy tvs that would've been inconceivable for the wealthiest when I was a kid. people are reluctant to admit how much they love tv but there are so many great shows and the TVs are just amazing now. I want to buy a new house so I can put bigger tvs in it - can go to walmart and get a tv twice as big as our house allows for 200 bucks it's unreal.

this will hurt other schools worse than it will hurt us so stadiums turning into really nice tv studios for the diehards to enjoy in person and the rest of us to watch on our great tvs works in our favor

The man the myth... thoughts on our hires this weekend? Been expecting you to provide some crazy stats for us to chew on.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

I'm right there with you.

I don't know if this is just a normal part of aging or it has to do with the fact that what used to be purely a sporting event is now a drawn-out pop culture spectacle. I hate that. I want to watch a Met game or an SU game (maybe with a college pep band or, in the case of baseball, some background organ clips) and only that; I don't want to hear canned pop music, I don't want some boozed up turb who stinks of cologne and tobacco climbing over me three times to get a tray of Bud Lights, I don't want to watch commercials, I absolutely don't want to see some amped-up kid hyping promotions, and I want to hear the voice of the PA guy as little as possible (unless, of course, he's conducting a "where does Joe Girard's free throw percentage rank nationally?" trivia contest...then common sense would dictate that he should most definitely use three more words to tell us what the kid's free throw percentage is, FFS).

Now get off my lawn.

But seriously, all those things, plus the length of contest, make me enjoy going to games much less than ever before.

That's a fantastic point. A few years ago, under Michigan's last AD (the Domino's guy), he straight up said he wanted every game to feel like the Super Bowl in terms of fan experience. Fans did not like that - too intrusive, too much of a break from tradition.

There's another key thing here. If universities want attendance to stop falling, they need to construct the game for the people in-house instead of TV. TV timeouts are straight agony, especially when play goes on for a snap or two before another timeout. It honestly makes me so angry, I'd rather just stay home and do something else instead of just wait.

 

[chugg21]

Weird, I just ran into this article and was coming here to post about it. I think the 3 schools that the writer visited probably aren't the best examples. They are all too similar at the very tip top.

My main thought on it is there are just so many different options now for how to spend what is essentially the same amount of disposable income.

My wife gave me a list of 5 or 6 schools that she was interested in for specific programs. Texas A&M was the only one in the SEC and the rest had fairly mediocre sports, we ended up taking 1 visit and currently live in College Station. We've lived all over the country but never in a town like this where the school is literally the only reason the place exists. It absolutely blew my mind that the home opener last year was on a Thursday night and against Texas State and I think attendance was still 98k. By midseason against UTSA on a Saturday at 11am with temps heading towards 100 degrees, way different story. We went to every home game and did road trips to LSU and Ole Miss for those experiences. Only going to be here for 18 months or so, so we're all in on the experience. If I was a lifer or was doing 4 years, there is no shot that I'd be spending money on tickets and $8 beers for the privilege of sweating in 100 degree weather to see them stomp out some G5 school by 40.

 

[chugg21]

That's a fantastic point. A few years ago, under Michigan's last AD (the Domino's guy), he straight up said he wanted every game to feel like the Super Bowl in terms of fan experience. Fans did not like that - too intrusive, too much of a break from tradition.

There's another key thing here. If universities want attendance to stop falling, they need to construct the game for the people in-house instead of TV. TV timeouts are straight agony, especially when play goes on for a snap or two before another timeout. It honestly makes me so angry, I'd rather just stay home and do something else instead of just wait.

I really do have strong negative feelings when I see the under 8 timeout start creeping down towards 5 mins or so left in the half. Knowing that there's going to be both stoppages likely coming in a short time period and then half time. End up with a couple mins of game time in a 40 min span.

 

[Atlcuse44]

Some excellent points in this thread. The two that stand out to me (on why attendance is down) are:

• Too many cream-puff games. I can understand maybe one to start the year but when you have 3 or four (or more) games against largely inferior opponents (& that doesn't include the in-conference patsies) your average fan will say no thanks.
• Smaller attention spans (the ability to focus on one thing for an extended period of time). I believe this is mainly due to how our brains are being wired due to tech. I cant watch a show or game without fiddling with my phone every five minutes. I need my brain to be entertained/enaged constantly (& I am getting to be an old fart). This is more true with the younger generations who grew up in the social media world. Sitting through a 3-4 four hour game does not interest them.

 

[OttoMets]

I really do have strong negative feelings when I see the under 8 timeout start creeping down towards 5 mins or so left in the half. Knowing that there's going to be both stoppages likely coming in a short time period and then half time. End up with a couple mins of game time in a 40 min span.

I could swear they passed a rule to allow for concurrent media/called timeouts within X seconds of 12:00 (or 8:00 or whatever) a couple years ago. But there's no evidence of that now, we just sat through a brutal stretch of like 25 seconds of live basketball over 10 minutes and two timeouts against Notre Dame last week.