SI weighs in on declining college football attendance

GatorsRGrt

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I gave up my season tickets about seven years ago when they changed my seats to require a donation of about $200 a ticket. There were other factors like I now have no family living in Gainesville, but the season ticket package is no longer worth what you pay. A typical schedule usually includes three games that are not worth watching against FCS teams, or non P5 schools. The season tickets work out to well over $100 each plus the cost of travel. We played one big game this year, Auburn. All the other games could be purchased for well below face value on the tickets, which does not include the required contribution. I came to the Tennessee game this year. The atmosphere was totally dead. The stadium was half empty at kickoff. No one even seems to care about the game anymore. Countless distractions going on during the game and during timeouts. The game took forever. A typical stoppage of play now takes 3-5 minutes. The number of play stoppages has more than doubled. Players faking injuries was happening on both sides. It was hot that day. With no family no longer in the area, I told my wife that it may be a long time until we make it back to the swamp. If we have a huge
 

78

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I have to be pretty drunk just to watch the shytshow that has been Gator football since 2008.

I’m going through the posts when I come to this one. It’s as if he’s in his own little world, totally oblivious to what everyone else is talking about. :lol:
 

78

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Was the South end zone closed in at that time? Or just the lower bowl?

South end zone project occurred a year or two after Pell arrived, around 1981.
 

Thick&ThinG8r

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I’m going through the posts when I come to this one. It’s as if he’s in his own little world, totally oblivious to what everyone else is talking about. :lol:
It became obvious to me a few years ago that donk doesn't watch the games.
 

stephenPE

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It became obvious to me a few years ago that donk doesn't watch the games.
Well the do suck along with everything else connected to our program, coaches, AD, most players, most of the coaching staff, facilities, former AD's, former coaches and all the pusssy hats that attend UF or teach there.
 

JDW

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Well tbqh the only ppl that matter are the ones that comment about the school and program and coaches in message boards...glad to see you finally came around
 

Okeechobee Joe

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Once people decide it’s not worth the trouble or expense they won’t attend in person. Football is becoming a game you watch on big screen TVs in the comfort of your own home or in a sports bar getting fat eating hot wings.

Games can be played in empty stadiums and still be profitable because of television. Look at all these bowl games where stadiums are less than half full. The bowl people don’t really care about attendance. The revenue stream is still there. They can still get more people watching the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on a week night than they can get to watch any of the other drivel out there on TV. That’s why the bowls are expanding from 39 to 42 bowl games next year.
 

CGgater

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Once people decide it’s not worth the trouble or expense they won’t attend in person. Football is becoming a game you watch on big screen TVs in the comfort of your own home or in a sports bar getting fat eating hot wings.

Games can be played in empty stadiums and still be profitable because of television. Look at all these bowl games where stadiums are less than half full. The bowl people don’t really care about attendance. The revenue stream is still there. They can still get more people watching the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on a week night than they can get to watch any of the other drivel out there on TV. That’s why the bowls are expanding from 39 to 42 bowl games next year.
Please tell me one of the new additions will be the Lucky Charms Bowl. notre dame would be a perfect fit.
 

TheDouglas78

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Once people decide it’s not worth the trouble or expense they won’t attend in person. Football is becoming a game you watch on big screen TVs in the comfort of your own home or in a sports bar getting fat eating hot wings.

Games can be played in empty stadiums and still be profitable because of television. Look at all these bowl games where stadiums are less than half full. The bowl people don’t really care about attendance. The revenue stream is still there. They can still get more people watching the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on a week night than they can get to watch any of the other drivel out there on TV. That’s why the bowls are expanding from 39 to 42 bowl games next year.

Also more than any other sport, Football translates to the television more than any other sport. The pacing, the field, the style, etc... is more built for TV than any other sport.
 

Jack o' Diamonds

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Also more than any other sport, Football translates to the television more than any other sport. The pacing, the field, the style, etc... is more built for TV than any other sport.
Yes. Much easier to stop the game every 4-5 snaps to get a commercial in. All the reviews have enhanced this ability...
 

TheDouglas78

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Yes. Much easier to stop the game every 4-5 snaps to get a commercial in. All the reviews have enhanced this ability...

Ability to get all the active members being within the camera framed almost perfectly. As you mentioned not just the pace of the breaks, but also the pace of play to play. Easier for commentators to break down what is seen and what you could see, unlike the pace of Basketball or Hockey which also has nice size for television cameras but is much more dynamic in pace which doesn't allow for that conversation.
 

-THE DUDE-

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Metal bleachers and sell out every game...and they cram a bunch of fat cheeseheads in there
 

AugustaGator

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Back to the topic...movie attendance is down, church attendance is down, people don't join organizations like Rotary Club, but kids have best friends they have never met.

If tuition keeps going up...classrooms will be empty also.
I'll give a potential reason. I would love to be part of civic organization and volunteer at church, SA, soup kitchen, but my job just does not allow it. I have to be on pretty much 7 days a week. I know part is my fault (want to get ahead) but the competition is fierce and mama wants a new pair shoes (this is what prevents me today). Otherwise, I'd tell them to **** off.
 

AugustaGator

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The last part of the article basically confirms what a lot of us have felt all along. Obviously there is an ebb and flow based on program competitiveness and on field performance - good teams for the most part are a better draw then meh teams, but outside of that the cost to get a ticket, park, buy a drink and a hot dog and for those that aren't local, stay the night in a hotel and front the gas money plus spend basically 70% of a weekend in transit is an increasingly hard sell compared to watching it on a flat screen 65" ultra HD with all the accompaniments you'd like from the comfort of your own couch, plus any other game you'd like to watch and not having to spend the rest of the weekend traveling.

People were willing when it was cheaper, and when the TV alternative just wasnt very good. But those days are pretty much over.
It's more than that.

The young kids are not playing football and they are not as interested in watching...even on TV.

When I was in high school, I listened or watched Florida football pretty much every opportunity I had (I had to work on Saturdays). Went to every game I had the opportunity to go. Same with probably 50% of the other boys in my class...not just the ones who played. Today, in my daughter's class, maybe 5-10% watch football. They may talk about it but don't watch it except for the clips. They definitely do not get into any X or O's or statistics (outside W-L)...well outside the nerdy types.
 

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