Empty seats at college football games

[np_husker]

Even with the frustraton of this season we fans continued to fill the seats. The sellout streak is amazing and I hope it never ends.

 

From the Forde Yard Dash:

 

Empty seats are a modern college football reality, as teams compete with the enhanced home-viewing experience to keep fans coming to games.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/forde-yard-dash--10-games--and-predictions--for-a-true-separation-saturday-083715192-ncaaf.html

[RADAR]

Iowa is undefeated and has 9000 seats to sell for senior day this Saturday. Iowa fans suck.

[BoNeyard]

Iowa is undefeated and has 9000 seats to sell for senior day this Saturday. Iowa fans suck.

If only it was a wrestling match!

[Omaha-Husker]

I think a lot of college stadiums need to change some or all of their bench seating to individual seats. Decrease capacity, increase fan comfort, charge premium for nicer seats.

[84HuskerLaw]

As a Husker fan since my first game in 1970, I must say that for me there is no comparison of watching the game live in the stadium vs on TV. None. It is not even close. The atmosphere and the action in true 3D is completely different. The TV perspective is poor at best and all but destroys the experience for me. I rarely watch the games on TV even if I am available to do so. I prefer to listen on the radio if I cannot be there in person. The radio broadcasts are not nearly as good today as they used to be as the current announcer (Sharp) is just not very good at describing the action. The plays all sound the same. Davison does a nice job of adding flavor and 'color' and helps to fill in much of the missing information. Sharp just has not real ability to paint the picture verbally as the game goes on. I know he tries very hard and does a few things well. I also do not like his voice and his pronunciation of certain words. The past couple games, they have gotten behind on the play by play calls and even missed entire plays during breaks, etc. And, for some reason, the broadcast (on the internet) is several minutes behind the live action. Often, I read what happened on a given play on this site before it is actually reported on the internet radio broadcast. I don't know why the technicals of this but it does not help.

Live viewing of the game also beats the TV coverage because nearly all announcers on the TV networks are so unfamiliar with Nebraska's team and players, etc. that I can't stand to listen to the comments. Statements suggesting a given player is too short, too tall, too thin or too slow to make a given play or something are often totally wrong. The commercials of course ruin most any TV show or broadcast for me as well. I frankly got tired of the commercials inside the stadium back in the day when Dollar Bill Byrne was AD and we were hawking pepsi and mountain dew (Coke was Nebraska's soda anyway for many years and should be returned) on the big screens along with Valentinos pizza more than we were given stats, replays, etc.

[Creighton Duke]

Much of the problem has been attributed to the lackluster Wifi or other internet capabilities inside of stadiums. Much of the younger crowd is more interested in tweeting about the game, instagraming pictures of them at the game, etc. than with the game itself. If the internet is bad, they don't show up, even with cheap tickets and the vigor of youth on their side.

 

What a world we live in.

[InOmaha]

I spent a long time living out of the state. The only Kansas games I went to were when Nebraska came to play.

 

I didn't care one way or another if Kansas had people there the rest of the year.

 

We "went to the game" at bars because pay per view was expensive. Now, they're on TV every week and season tickets are expensive. We go to games when we can fit it in the kid's sport schedules. I normally have to watch a game or two a year on the sidelines of other sports.

 

My kids will be out of the house soon. Maybe someone will be disgusted enough with the coaches by then that I can get season tickets.

[GSG]

Much of the problem has been attributed to the lackluster Wifi or other internet capabilities inside of stadiums. Much of the younger crowd is more interested in tweeting about the game, instagraming pictures of them at the game, etc. than with the game itself. If the internet is bad, they don't show up, even with cheap tickets and the vigor of youth on their side.

 

What a world we live in.

 

It seems to be the same way at concerts anymore. No one is there to just enjoy the music and have fun. They're too busy filming the whole thing to show their friends and brag about "being" there

[Dr. Strangelove]

As a Husker fan since my first game in 1970, I must say that for me there is no comparison of watching the game live in the stadium vs on TV. None. It is not even close. The atmosphere and the action in true 3D is completely different. The TV perspective is poor at best and all but destroys the experience for me. I rarely watch the games on TV even if I am available to do so. I prefer to listen on the radio if I cannot be there in person. The radio broadcasts are not nearly as good today as they used to be as the current announcer (Sharp) is just not very good at describing the action. The plays all sound the same. Davison does a nice job of adding flavor and 'color' and helps to fill in much of the missing information. Sharp just has not real ability to paint the picture verbally as the game goes on. I know he tries very hard and does a few things well. I also do not like his voice and his pronunciation of certain words. The past couple games, they have gotten behind on the play by play calls and even missed entire plays during breaks, etc. And, for some reason, the broadcast (on the internet) is several minutes behind the live action. Often, I read what happened on a given play on this site before it is actually reported on the internet radio broadcast. I don't know why the technicals of this but it does not help.

Live viewing of the game also beats the TV coverage because nearly all announcers on the TV networks are so unfamiliar with Nebraska's team and players, etc. that I can't stand to listen to the comments. Statements suggesting a given player is too short, too tall, too thin or too slow to make a given play or something are often totally wrong. The commercials of course ruin most any TV show or broadcast for me as well. I frankly got tired of the commercials inside the stadium back in the day when Dollar Bill Byrne was AD and we were hawking pepsi and mountain dew (Coke was Nebraska's soda anyway for many years and should be returned) on the big screens along with Valentinos pizza more than we were given stats, replays, etc.

I love going to games too, but the home experience now is pretty damn good. The networks have beefed up their game big time.

 

I can watch the game at home on my 60-inch HDTV in 1080p, go to the bathroom when I want, drink beer, eat cheap food, not worry about the cold weather, etc. The list goes on about the benefits of being at home. Particularly for uninteresting games like South Alabama (or conference games at home like Purdue, Northwestern or Illinois when they're on the schedule), it's not worth it for me to spend a lot of money to travel to Lincoln for a 11 am kickoff considering the benefits at home.

 

With that being said, fans showing up to watch Nebraska each and every week is rare in today's college football world. The coaches better sure they're able to put the product on the field to match the interest of the fans. It's a reason why Nebraska is a pressure cooker, the fans actually care and invest in the team.

[NUinID]

I love going to games, but even when I lived in Nebraska I usually only went to about 2 a year. It is a lot of fun, but it is expensive and for me it killed the whole day and I am not only a Nebraska football fan, I am a college football fan. I love to watch other games on TV.

[BigRedBuster]

 

As a Husker fan since my first game in 1970, I must say that for me there is no comparison of watching the game live in the stadium vs on TV. None. It is not even close. The atmosphere and the action in true 3D is completely different. The TV perspective is poor at best and all but destroys the experience for me. I rarely watch the games on TV even if I am available to do so. I prefer to listen on the radio if I cannot be there in person. The radio broadcasts are not nearly as good today as they used to be as the current announcer (Sharp) is just not very good at describing the action. The plays all sound the same. Davison does a nice job of adding flavor and 'color' and helps to fill in much of the missing information. Sharp just has not real ability to paint the picture verbally as the game goes on. I know he tries very hard and does a few things well. I also do not like his voice and his pronunciation of certain words. The past couple games, they have gotten behind on the play by play calls and even missed entire plays during breaks, etc. And, for some reason, the broadcast (on the internet) is several minutes behind the live action. Often, I read what happened on a given play on this site before it is actually reported on the internet radio broadcast. I don't know why the technicals of this but it does not help.

Live viewing of the game also beats the TV coverage because nearly all announcers on the TV networks are so unfamiliar with Nebraska's team and players, etc. that I can't stand to listen to the comments. Statements suggesting a given player is too short, too tall, too thin or too slow to make a given play or something are often totally wrong. The commercials of course ruin most any TV show or broadcast for me as well. I frankly got tired of the commercials inside the stadium back in the day when Dollar Bill Byrne was AD and we were hawking pepsi and mountain dew (Coke was Nebraska's soda anyway for many years and should be returned) on the big screens along with Valentinos pizza more than we were given stats, replays, etc.

I love going to games too, but the home experience now is pretty damn good. The networks have beefed up their game big time.

 

I can watch the game at home on my 60-inch HDTV in 1080p, go to the bathroom when I want, drink beer, eat cheap food, not worry about the cold weather, etc. The list goes on about the benefits of being at home. Particularly for uninteresting games like South Alabama (or conference games at home like Purdue, Northwestern or Illinois when they're on the schedule), it's not worth it for me to spend a lot of money to travel to Lincoln for a 11 am kickoff considering the benefits at home.

 

With that being said, fans showing up to watch Nebraska each and every week is rare in today's college football world. The coaches better sure they're able to put the product on the field to match the interest of the fans. It's a reason why Nebraska is a pressure cooker, the fans actually care and invest in the team.

 

Being hours away from Lincoln and more willing to spend my money raising kids than on expensive ticket packages and donations, I have come to really enjoy the home experience also. When my kids were young and I needed to be home on weekends, I started making football Saturday our own little tailgate. It has been awesome along with all of the comforts you mentioned.

 

Now, I LOVE Lincoln on game day. The entire atmosphere in the city from the moment you wake up till you go to bed is something special. On campus and around the stadium a few hours before game time is almost as exciting as the game itself.

 

So....I can enjoy both. I'll tell you what, I was DANG glad I was in the stadium for the MSU game. There was nothing like that celebration. AWESOME!!!!!

[Landlord]

Much of the problem has been attributed to the lackluster Wifi or other internet capabilities inside of stadiums. Much of the younger crowd is more interested in tweeting about the game, instagraming pictures of them at the game, etc. than with the game itself. If the internet is bad, they don't show up, even with cheap tickets and the vigor of youth on their side.

 

What a world we live in.

 

 

 

It's great that our athletic department is on the cutting edge of almost all of these issues, and pretty much always has been.

 

 

Who else had big screens in 1994? Who else had the, at the time, largest video screen in the world? Who else now has FIVE video boards? Who else has a gameday app where they can watch DVR-like replays of every play DURING THE GAME inside the stadium? The wifi at Memorial now isn't amazing, but it is definitely serviceable. Who else has those awesome little gifs that they tweet for individual players, including the punter?

 

We've got an absolutely killer media/production/social media team at Nebraska. I hope Kelly Mosier never leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only real knock on the gameday experience at Memorial that still continues, imo, is the student seating. They've improved or redone every other reasonable element to great effect - it's time to get the students their due again.

[Thanks_Tom RR]

I was at the Rutgers game last weekend. The official attendance was around 38,000 (well under the 52,000 capacity). I was also told that there were 5000+ Huskers fans in attendance. One in eight in attendance were Husker Red. You're welcome, The State University of New Jersey!

[I AM FOOT FOOT]

Much of the problem has been attributed to the lackluster Wifi or other internet capabilities inside of stadiums. Much of the younger crowd is more interested in tweeting about the game, instagraming pictures of them at the game, etc. than with the game itself. If the internet is bad, they don't show up, even with cheap tickets and the vigor of youth on their side.

 

What a world we live in.

hell we have older fans that do the same thing.

[dergibog]

Much of the problem has been attributed to the lackluster Wifi or other internet capabilities inside of stadiums. Much of the younger crowd is more interested in tweeting about the game, instagraming pictures of them at the game, etc. than with the game itself. If the internet is bad, they don't show up, even with cheap tickets and the vigor of youth on their side.

 

What a world we live in.

Actually I have the team roster on my phone, I check stats (I can't see the stats on the big screens from my seat. I can start listening to Big Red Overreaction while waiting to leave the stadium. I also check scores of other games. I like the expanded wifi. And I don't tweet during the games..