Coming to grips with college football’s declining attendance

Cougar Football
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Echoing what many have said before, the at-home TV experience is going to be more enticing to fans who are not hardcore, die-hard. That is the reality. If the team is winning big, undefeated and on the way to a major bowl, then you get the other fans. The plan is to increase the diehards that will show up no matter what.

My parents had never been to an NFL game a couple of years ago. I was working, but arranged for them to get tickets, my brother drove them down to NRG, got them in their seats, and all that. They had a great time, loved the atmosphere, etc. But they said they never wanted to do it again. They said it was such a hassle to get parked, walk to the stadium, wait in line to get through the gate, walk to their seat, etc. While they were glad they went, they didn’t want to do it again.

That made me think about how people who didn’t really grow up going to games must feel. Do they see it as a hassle? Would they rather just invite a few friends over and watch it on TV? I totally get the sentiment, and I do not think it makes them any less of a fan for feeling that way.

The real kicker is with TV deals in part funding schools athletic departments, how long until the TV rating is more important than the stadium attendance?

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It already is as far as the tv contract is concerned. The SEC between their media contract and SEC network probably makes more per school than in attendance and concessions.

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College football’s attendance problem: Which schools have dropped off the most?

Thirty out of 40 experienced a year-over-year decline, most of them minor. Twenty-six out of 40 experienced a decline from a decade ago, many of them major.

There are plenty of variables that could affect attendance without being a concrete indication that fans are less interested in coming out and supporting their favorite school. Weather, kickoff time and weeknight games all are factors.

But some elements that hurt attendance aren’t changing, at least not anytime soon: ticket cost, game length, quality of opponents and the comfort of the in-home viewing experience.

This is not breaking news to most observers of the sport. Tickets have become harder to sell for years, especially to students. But new or not, it’s a trend that has to concern administrators, coaches and those who make a living based on the game-day experience in college towns.