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Let the sellout streak end


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Major college football's regular-season attendance ended its decline in 2013 after dropping the past two seasons. But crowds continue to remain below the high-water mark from five years ago.

Among previously-existing Football Bowl Subdivision schools, crowds increased by 1 percent to 45,815 fans per game in 2013, according to an AL.com analysis of NCAA attendance figures. Technically, FBS attendance (44,211) dropped for the third straight season. But the addition of eight new schools to the FBS skewed that number.

The data counts home games and not neutral-site venues. Figures represent the announced crowds schools report to the NCAA and not necessarily actual attendance.

A year ago, major college football dipped to its lowest average since 2003. Although the figures were slightly up this year for returning FBS schools, the home-attendance average still fell below 46,000 for the fifth straight year. Attendance for all FBS home games peaked in 2008 at 46,456.

 

 

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/12/college_football_crowds_in_201.html

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By my count, right now there are 27 seats available in South Stadium (all right at the top, all have at least two seats together, mostly in just pairs), 5 seats available in West Stadium (all single seats), 2 seats available in East Stadium (both single seats), and 569 in North Stadium, mostly at the top. So there are about 603 unsold seats - less than 1% - 2+ months before the first game. Meaning there are, what, 5,000-some more tickets sold now than two years ago. I don't see this being an issue.

 

It's not an issue as an isolated thing.

 

When it's coupled with the bowl game charter being cancelled for the first time in years, declining bowl sales the years before that, and obvious splotches on game day, regardless of start times or cozy students, it could be an alarming trend.

 

I know the "bad bowl opponents/early games/crummy home opponents" reasoning is there, but the at times questionable play by the team has a lot to do with that.

 

I'd put HD TV's, ticket costs, time investment, fuel prices, airline prices, and the simple convenience of watching a game (or 6) at home miles ahead of the "questionable play" of the team.

 

It's no secret that attendance is dwindling all over, and AD's are trying to make live games more "fun" across the entire country, to put butts in seats.

 

 

Attendance in 2013 at NCAA football games tops 50 million for first time.

 

Pfft...

 

 

Your figures include all NCAA football from Division 3 up to FBS, in that article it said FBS attendance was up only 1% so the top level attendance is kind of stagnant.

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By my count, right now there are 27 seats available in South Stadium (all right at the top, all have at least two seats together, mostly in just pairs), 5 seats available in West Stadium (all single seats), 2 seats available in East Stadium (both single seats), and 569 in North Stadium, mostly at the top. So there are about 603 unsold seats - less than 1% - 2+ months before the first game. Meaning there are, what, 5,000-some more tickets sold now than two years ago. I don't see this being an issue.

 

It's not an issue as an isolated thing.

 

When it's coupled with the bowl game charter being cancelled for the first time in years, declining bowl sales the years before that, and obvious splotches on game day, regardless of start times or cozy students, it could be an alarming trend.

 

I know the "bad bowl opponents/early games/crummy home opponents" reasoning is there, but the at times questionable play by the team has a lot to do with that.

 

I'd put HD TV's, ticket costs, time investment, fuel prices, airline prices, and the simple convenience of watching a game (or 6) at home miles ahead of the "questionable play" of the team.

 

It's no secret that attendance is dwindling all over, and AD's are trying to make live games more "fun" across the entire country, to put butts in seats.

 

 

Attendance in 2013 at NCAA football games tops 50 million for first time.

 

Pfft...

 

 

Your figures include all NCAA football from Division 3 up to FBS, in that article it said FBS attendance was up only 1% so the top level attendance is kind of stagnant.

 

 

The point is the excuse that attendance is down all over is completely bogus and as for you saying attendance is stagnant the 1% increase in attendance for FBS schools help set an all time attendance record last year for college football...

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The point is the excuse that attendance is down all over is completely bogus and as for you saying attendance is stagnant the 1% increase in attendance help set an all time attendance record last year for college football...

 

 

The per game average fell for the third straight year, your number, the overall attendance numbers, went up 1% because of 8 new FBS teams last year.

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The point is the excuse that attendance is down all over is completely bogus and as for you saying attendance is stagnant the 1% increase in attendance help set an all time attendance record last year for college football...

 

 

The per game average fell for the third straight year, your number, the overall attendance numbers, went up 1% because of 8 new FBS teams last year.

 

 

Source: "The SEC, Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12 all ended up setting overall attendance records last season"....

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The point is the excuse that attendance is down all over is completely bogus and as for you saying attendance is stagnant the 1% increase in attendance help set an all time attendance record last year for college football...

 

 

The per game average fell for the third straight year, your number, the overall attendance numbers, went up 1% because of 8 new FBS teams last year.

 

 

Source: "The SEC, Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12 all ended up setting overall attendance records last season"....

 

 

All those conferences added teams recently, more teams=more games=higher numbers, but the per game average is still going down......

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The formal news release from the Nebraska athletic department Tuesday seemed harmless enough.

The gist of it: With the completion of the first two phases of "Seat Yourself" -- a new on-line ticketing program for the upcoming football season -- Husker fans now have the opportunity to view and purchase remaining season tickets.

You perhaps can guess how some folks interpreted the news release (view the release right here).

Hide the women and children! Memorial Stadium's NCAA-record sellout streak -- 333 games and counting, dating to 1962 -- is in jeopardy!

It's difficult to say for sure without seeing official numbers, but maybe the sky isn't falling, after all.

Chris Anderson, Nebraska associate A.D. for community relations, said Wednesday that the 2014 season-ticket renewal rate of 95 percent is consistent with the past decade.

She said most of the tickets available for purchase reflect those that became available through the renewal/non-renewal process as well as some previously sold on only a single-game basis.

 

LJS

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The point is the excuse that attendance is down all over is completely bogus and as for you saying attendance is stagnant the 1% increase in attendance for FBS schools help set an all time attendance record last year for college football...

 

There's literally been dozens of stories during the offseason about schools across the country trying to get people in stadiums by amping up the gameday experience. They've added more schools that are playing football, that's why the overall numbers are up.

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One of the differences between the Callahan years and now is that, prior to each of Callahan's seasons, there was a strong sense of optimism and excitement for what was going to come next. Even if the product on the field didn't deliver, most fans expected a change for the better next season. Even prior to 2007, people there was championship talk, and the spring game showdown between Keller and Ganz generated a lot of buzz. Seasons were sold out well in advance.

 

With Pelini, even though his teams are obviously much better than Callahan's the apparent stagnation has sucked some of the excitement out of the fan base. Plus there are a lot more seats to fill. So we don't have the same masses of people clamoring for unattainable tickets.

 

But regardless of what I just said, Count Bility's post is the correct statement. The sellout streak is not ending anytime soon. It will take many years of stagnation or regression before that happens.

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