Football Attendance continues to slip

It would be interesting if the WSJ followed up their article from a few years ago about what actual attendance is.

I mean what did they think was going to happen? The concentration of talent to only a few teams as a result of the 4-team playoff ruined the sport. They killed the golden goose. I’m only still interested because it’s a bad habit I can’t break.

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"We really are competing against the 70-inch TV and the beer that is cold in your refrigerator and no lines at the restroom"

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He’s got a point. I’m not going to sit in 100 degree heat to watch my team blow out a cupcake, but if it’s an SEC matchup I’m not missing it. I also travel to an away game every year.

Technology and HD TV had a major influence on how we watch sports. Also now every team gets televised through an ESPN or Fox Sports app.

TV ratings are through the roof during/post pandemic.

2022 CFPNC had 22 million viewers, despite it being an all SEC matchup

That’s the most since the 2005 Rose bowl between USC and tu.

It's got nothing to do with the playoff. It's the cost of attendance and the proliferation of games on TV. Gone are the days where you have to go if you want to see it, or even wait up till 1130 after the news for the tape delay (at least thats what we had to for UK. Don't know about the rest of y'all.)

As far as UK is concerned, there's no point in buying season tickets because there's no discount. Plus to sit anywhere decent you have the mandatory donations. That, combined with not knowing what time the games are until a week or so beforehand in order to acquiesce to the TV networks....people have kids. Families. They have things to do on the weekend. Practice, clubs, lessons, etc.

So you lose a big chunk of folks who used to always have season tickets.

With the TV coverage and being able to watch on your phone anywhere, that also decentivizes people to use tickets if something comes up that you may previously would have skipped.

I had UK season tickets for the first few years of Stoops. Was finally old enough where I was making money I could spend on such luxury.

It was great, but having to dedicate all day, plus having to get down there the night before to claim our tailgate spot, friends plans constantly changing.....its just easier to holler at the boys and plan out a couple of games a season to go and make a day of it. The rest of the time if you've got shite to do that's OK, just get to the house by kickoff for beer and watching the game on the deck while the smoker rolls.

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Most notable are a disquieting return for some fans concerned about large crowds and COVID-19 

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Nope. This has nothing to do with it.

ETA: I take it back. It may have had an effect because a lot of people discovered how enjoyable it is to watch games at home, but it is not keeping people away out of fear of COVID.

way too expensive for college football. It should be no more than 15 dollars. quit paying the coaches insane money and people could afford to go. Paying 6 million dollars to coach 12 football games that are insane.

Game times decided by home school not networks
Cost of concessions
Cost of parking
Cost of ticket

If the people at the top would accept a little less, people would come flowing back

When I went to my first Auburn game, there was a sea of tailgaters in the drill fields across from the stadium. Many people just came for the party and stayed our there listening to the game on radio. Ticket prices were reasonable enough that a season ticket package was affordable for most people. You could easily park and walk to a game.

Now the drill fields are gone. If you don't want to pay big money for parking, you have to park miles from the stadium and ride a bus in. Tailgating is provided by high dollar catering outfits and you have to use their space and facilities. If you want season tickets, you have to shell out a pretty big chunk of change just for the right to be on the list and ticket prices themselves have skyrocketed and continue to do so. College football, like the NFL, has become a luxury experience live and if you want to know why, check out the features in these "football only facilities" every big school is now building to try and keep up with Saban and Smart. Plus the coaching salaries. Plus NIL.

It's just a different sport and NIL will further hurt it. No one wants to watch the same two teams play for the championship every year, but that's just about where it is.

This wasn't the result of the playoff of what not. It was the cost. The cost is the answer. When I first started going, the seat license was affordable, tickets were around 35 bucks, you could park anywhere...for free....and it was worth it because not all games were televised. now, tickets are a hundred bucks per, parking is 50 bucks, losing a saturday is tough when you work 50-60 hours a week.

As i travel around the south I hear the same story every where I go. The arms race and coaches salaries did this. Dont be fooled, these costs arent being covered by private entities, upfront they are, then the payback to these entities is being funneled through the school back to the people that paid for it.

My 4 seats in the stadium are 24k a year.2 parking spaces 100 feet from stadium.Used to have 30-40 people at our tailgate. Down to about 16 now as people just rather stay home. Al, Ga, and LSU games get a few back but thats
about it.