College football attendance hits lowest point in 22 years according to a report from CBS Sports

#2
#2
This is a problem for all spectator sports, not just college football. The experience of watching the game from home, a bar, or anywhere else other than the game is too good. It isn't a sign that college football, or sports generally, are becoming less popular.
 
#6
#6
This is a problem for all spectator sports, not just college football. The experience of watching the game from home, a bar, or anywhere else other than the game is too good. It isn't a sign that college football, or sports generally, are becoming less popular.

Agreed. While I do like going to 2-3 games a year for the atmosphere I prefer my HD big screen, fridge and bathroom within a couple steps over expensive tickets, crowds, overpriced (and bad) concessions along with lines to take a whizz.
 
#9
#9
Agreed. While I do like going to 2-3 games a year for the atmosphere I prefer my HD big screen, fridge and bathroom within a couple steps over expensive tickets, crowds, overpriced (and bad) concessions along with lines to take a whizz.
I think consumer tastes are just changing as well, along with it just being really convenient to stay at home. I think more people than ever just want to relax and watch a game, or (especially younger people) not even "watch" the game per se but follow the reaction to it on social media. MLB, for example, is in the midst of a multi-year attendance decline but revenues are higher than they've ever been. Why? The TV deals.

You can watch every game imaginable now on a 60-inch HDTV as you said, which isn't even all that expensive anymore, and not have to do anything else. You can get your fill of Twitter's reaction to the game and highlights all on your phone.

Going to a Tennessee game, especially if you want to tailgate and/or make a drive, can feel like work for a lot of people and is an all-day event. You also can't relax and be comfortable if you're in Neyland - that just isn't part of the deal. Say Tennessee is playing at 3:30 on a Saturday, and I want to tailgate before the game, and I'm coming up from Chattanooga. You'll want to get to the parking lot around 12 or 1, which means you need to leave Chattanooga around 10 or 11. You also have to get your tailgate stuff ready early that morning or the night before. The game is over around 7, which means you get home around 9 or maybe later. Now, it's a huge amount of fun, but your day has lasted from ~10 AM until ~9 PM. 4 hours in a car, 3+ hours in a (hopefully) raucous stadium, along with any tailgate prep. It's a long day and you're exhausted at the end of it, and if you've worked all week that might not be much fun.

Overall, sports are just as popular as ever, with some sports more popular than they've ever been, but people are definitely changing how they consume them.
 
#11
#11
With the "watching" experience at home the part that hasn't been mentioned is you get a better view on TV than at the game. If TV only offered one view from the nosebleeds where most people sit, I don't think it would be nearly as popular. the best seat in the stadium is literally at home.
 
#12
#12
Not surprising....

  • Over priced tickets,concessions,merchandise
  • Much easier and cheaper to watch at home or online
  • Some of the bigger name programs struggling (Us, USC, FSU, Miami, Louisville and others)
Have a full fledged party. Can drink, eat, easy bathroom access at home. No horrible drive into the stadium and especially on the way home. (especially If you live further than Knoxville, like I do)
You weigh that with the main reason to attend -- the pre-game atmosphere and being 12th man.
 
#13
#13
I wonder if in the future the "fans" at the game will actually be avatar type creations, and you buy a seat and "sit" there using VR. Your avatar will do exactly what you do so you can still cheer and get loud but if you need to leave or whatever you just switch off the VR set.
 
#14
#14
This is a problem for all spectator sports, not just college football. The experience of watching the game from home, a bar, or anywhere else other than the game is too good. It isn't a sign that college football, or sports generally, are becoming less popular.

I'm not worried about it either. The sports are popular and revenue is fine. Getting the biggest stadium and filling it up is not how you maximize profit on attendance, and the TV/streaming $ is so good.
 
#16
#16
It's such waste of resources to make these stadiums bigger than they need to be. Neyland was built big before the advent of HD TV, but newer stadiums have no excuse. The Braves were good last year and average attendance was 75% capacity. The Braves got taxpayer money, so the profit maximizing stadium size was distorted and they make it bigger than it needs to be. Personally, I'd rather be in a full stadium of 31k fans than be in a 41k stadium that's 25% empty. It's just a better atmosphere.
 
#17
#17
Ive stopped going out to the wrastlin’ shows because it’s just an awful product now. Miss the days of Mick Foley, Steve Austin, the Rock, Kevin Nash, Undertaker, Ric Flair, and even Hogan. I’d imagine attendance has to be low without those stars.
 
#18
#18
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#19
#19
I still have to take my leg off and get a pat down when I watch games at home, but it's from my wife instead of some random security guard checking for liquor or explosives.
 
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#20
#20
With the "watching" experience at home the part that hasn't been mentioned is you get a better view on TV than at the game. If TV only offered one view from the nosebleeds where most people sit, I don't think it would be nearly as popular. the best seat in the stadium is literally at home.

Not to hear some tell it. "No it wasn't a first down, I was at the game and saw it. It was short by at least 2 inches. Idiot"
 
#22
#22
Not to hear some tell it. "No it wasn't a first down, I was at the game and saw it. It was short by at least 2 inches. Idiot"

It always cracks me up when someone uses the fact that they were at the game as a way of trying to prove they have a better understanding of what happened.
 
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