Tickets Sold Compared to Actual Attendance

[Landlord]

On my ESPN app, when I go to the Gamecast tab on each of these games, it shows the following in terms of attendance, with a listed stadium capacity of 85,458:

CU: 89,853

Troy: 89,360

Purdue: 88,911

Minnesota: 89,272

BCU: 88,735

Illinois: 88,316

MSU: 88,793

I know some of ESPN's info is dubious, but where do these numbers come from, and why would there be such a disparity between these attendance figures and the actual tickets scanned? 

Best number I can tell for capacity in Memorial Stadium is (officiallly) 85,458

So those numbers are all of the tickets sold plus support staff/gameday personnel. There could be 10 fans in the stands and they'd still announce 85,000+ people for attendance.

 

[C N Red]

I skipped games all the time when I was a student.  What about you guys?

You still skip games now in favor of coming to Lincoln on game days just to drink in bars, so nothing has really changed.

 

[Mavric]

I skipped games all the time when I was a student.  What about you guys?

 

[teachercd]

You still skip games now in favor of coming to Lincoln on game days just to drink in bars, so nothing has really changed.

Very true!  But back then I had tickets...now I turn down free ones!  Ha

 

[Mierin]

The scanned ticket totals for 2016-2018 home games:

2016
Fresno State     76,048
Wyoming          74,332
Oregon           80,865
Illinois         77,442
Purdue           76,532
Minnesota        74,945
Maryland         64,852

2017
Arkansas State   76,508
No. Illinois     70,525
Rutgers          70,104
Wisconsin        77,633
Ohio State       67,400
Northwestern     68,996
Iowa             69,436

2018
Akron 77,648
Colorado 80,654
Troy 73,558
Purdue 70,816
Minnesota 75,009
Bethune-Cookman 61,939
Illinois 54,838
Michigan State 61,401


2016 & 2017 number from the OWH in the OP.  2018 via 247

I have doubts on the accuracy for the Illinois game. I also have doubts due to these being from 2 different sources. 77k showed up for Illinois with Riley and 54k with Frost? Does no compute.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

I have doubts on the accuracy for the Illinois game. I also have doubts due to these being from 2 different sources. 77k showed up for Illinois with Riley and 54k with Frost? Does no compute.

I was at the Illinois game this season.  It was COLD and it was another 11 AM game.  There were a lot of empty seats.  It's really impossible to compare the 2 games.

 

[Mierin]

I was at the Illinois game this season.  It was COLD and it was another 11 AM game.  There were a lot of empty seats.  It's really impossible to compare the 2 games.

I didn’t think about the 11am factor. We had way more of those this season. 

 

[Landlord]

We also started the season with 6 straight losses.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

I didn’t think about the 11am factor. We had way more of those this season. 

I think there were eight 11 AM kickoffs this year.  Now, I am a morning person, but it can be difficult for many ticket holders to get to an 11 AM game.  Throw in the fact it was a very cold day, I can see why many tickets went un-used.  The original ticket holders didn't want to go to the game, and they weren't able to find people who wanted to go to the game, as well.

 

[KingBlank]

I know there was some discussion on this board after the MSU game about the student section being empty at the upper levels when it was shown on TV, but the announcers also frequently commented on how loud the stadium was that day. For any of you who were there, do these numbers compute? Was it really only 2/3 full? Same with the Illinois and BCU games? A few no-shows is one thing, but 30k empty seats for a game seems hard to imagine.

It was empty in every corner, picking on the student section is ridiculous, they stand have more people in each row.   The rich balcony was empty for both games, and no there isn't 4000 people worth of room to stand behind the glass up there.  It's people in every section

 

[KingBlank]

On my ESPN app, when I go to the Gamecast tab on each of these games, it shows the following in terms of attendance, with a listed stadium capacity of 85,458:

CU: 89,853

Troy: 89,360

Purdue: 88,911

Minnesota: 89,272

BCU: 88,735

Illinois: 88,316

MSU: 88,793

I know some of ESPN's info is dubious, but where do these numbers come from, and why would there be such a disparity between these attendance figures and the actual tickets scanned? 

Ever been to Nebraska basketball game and they announce there is 15000 people in attendance but it's half empty?  Because I have and it's hilarious

 

[Mavric]

I have doubts on the accuracy for the Illinois game. I also have doubts due to these being from 2 different sources. 77k showed up for Illinois with Riley and 54k with Frost? Does no compute.

Both original sources were the UNL athletic department.  Just the outlet providing the information changed.

 

[admo]

Between the sellout streak and the blackshirt talk,.... I get so confused :dunno

IMO both are real and legit, without the obsession

 

[Mavric]

From the OWH in the OP:

The scanned ticket totals for 2016 and 2017 home games:

2016

Fresno State       76,048

Wyoming            74,332

Oregon                80,865

Illinois                  77,442

Purdue                 76,532

Minnesota           74,945

Maryland             64,852

2017

Arkansas State   76,508

No. Illinois           70,525

Rutgers                70,104

Wisconsin            77,633

Ohio State           67,400

Northwestern     68,996

Iowa                     69,436

247 has the numbers from this year:

South Alabama – 77,910
Northern Illinois – 76,984

Ohio State –          79,502

Northwestern –    74,935

Indiana –               72,468

Wisconsin –          66,860

Iowa –                    60,232

 

[Red Five]

Apathy