- Jun 9, 2014
- 19,738
- 27,606
Founding Member
Excellent read with a heavy emphasis on what’s happening in Gainesville.
https://www.si.com/college/2020/01/10/college-football-attendance-decline-ncaa
”It’s game day in Gainesville.
“As I enter the stadium a few minutes before kickoff, the audio system rumbles through the cement pillars and I’m ready for an overwhelming surge of energy. But when I make it out into the open air, the first thing I notice are empty metal bleachers reflecting rays of bright Florida sun. While the alumni section I’m standing in is filled, the top third of the student section opposite me is mostly empty, a scatter-plot weighted toward the bottom. I was expecting the frenzied vibe of a rave; what I’ve got is more of a buzzy mimosa brunch.”
”The ramifications for universities are real: Iowa adjusted its school budget by $1 million last year because of falling revenue from ticket sales. And so, nationwide, administrators are scrambling. Six SEC schools, including LSU and Tennessee, started selling alcohol in their stadiums this season, after the conference lifted its ban. Alabama installed a Big Brotherish geo-tracking app to reward students who stay the whole game with better odds of snagging playoff tickets (though that didn’t turn out to be much of a reward this season). Florida brought in food trucks and DJs before games. Clemson lowered concession prices. Ohio State isn’t raising the cost of tickets next year.
”These measures are the equivalent of sticking a thumb in a leaking dam, however, because nobody knows exactly what’s making the dam buckle.”
https://www.si.com/college/2020/01/10/college-football-attendance-decline-ncaa
”It’s game day in Gainesville.
“As I enter the stadium a few minutes before kickoff, the audio system rumbles through the cement pillars and I’m ready for an overwhelming surge of energy. But when I make it out into the open air, the first thing I notice are empty metal bleachers reflecting rays of bright Florida sun. While the alumni section I’m standing in is filled, the top third of the student section opposite me is mostly empty, a scatter-plot weighted toward the bottom. I was expecting the frenzied vibe of a rave; what I’ve got is more of a buzzy mimosa brunch.”
”The ramifications for universities are real: Iowa adjusted its school budget by $1 million last year because of falling revenue from ticket sales. And so, nationwide, administrators are scrambling. Six SEC schools, including LSU and Tennessee, started selling alcohol in their stadiums this season, after the conference lifted its ban. Alabama installed a Big Brotherish geo-tracking app to reward students who stay the whole game with better odds of snagging playoff tickets (though that didn’t turn out to be much of a reward this season). Florida brought in food trucks and DJs before games. Clemson lowered concession prices. Ohio State isn’t raising the cost of tickets next year.
”These measures are the equivalent of sticking a thumb in a leaking dam, however, because nobody knows exactly what’s making the dam buckle.”