Matt Wyatt video on attendance

[$altyDawg]

Another very well done video by Matt Wyatt, this time on the topic of declining attendance in college football.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zWxIL-ORGs

Personally I think he absolutely hit the nail on the head (several times). Thoughts?

 

[Shmuley]

Good stuff.

 

[Smoked Toag]

So, basically pushing and pricing out that middle to lower class. Ticket prices are way up, but attendance is only slightly down - that tells me there's a core group willing to pay more. The middle and lower class is the ones they are losing, and they will only come back if the team is winning because like he said, it's getting more difficult for them to feel a 'connection' nowadays.

To me, you can't do much about TV. But you CAN, immediately, reverse the 'hope' trend by expanding the playoff. I also don't see much changing with NIL and the portal, but I bet that actually ramps down naturally after this initial surge.

 

[Maroonthirteen]

Not to much to say after that.....because he nailed it. All of it.

 

[Bill Shankly]

He nailed it. I think it's on its way out completely.

 

[Smoked Toag]

He nailed it. I think it's on its way out completely.

Wait….you think college football is on its way out completely?

 

[M R DAWGS]

I think so. No loyalty, and players are becoming hired guns. I personally won’t watch or care as much if it continues.

 

[$altyDawg]

I will say that it's harder for me to watch and stay interested now for most of the reasons Matt mentioned. The game has become such a commercialized money grab, and it's just not as compelling to watch anymore like it was back before it became an empire.
Matt mentioned the injury faking becoming an issue last year, but one thing I have grown to hate more is the subjective penalties like targeting. It has improved some (but not much) because they can at least be reviewed now, but this still stops the game and they still miss a lot of the calls after they review it. And another one I have always hated: the dreaded horse collar. So, if a guy is running downfield toward the endzone and you're running behind him to keep him from scoring, what are you supposed to do? I realize nobody knows how to tackle anymore (another reason they games today suck), but Judas Priest, is his supposed to run past him to tackle him from the front to avoid the penalty, or just let him score to avoid the penalty?

 

[The Peeper]

In the last 5 years I have done a 180' turn around on college football. I'm the guy that NEVER left a game early for the last 40 years no matter how badly we were getting throttled. Now, for the last 2 years I have bought season tickets, been to campus and tailgated for every game, but not been inside Davis Wade, not once. It's not cost at all, I live in Starkville so don't have hotels and meals or 11:00 starts, etc to worry about. It's not the great tv experience, I don't even watch road games any more, I listen to Neal. It's not NIL or transfer portal because that's new and I was on the way out before they were on the way in (but I hate both of those programs w/ a passion though). It's been hard to put my finger on what it was but I think its the total commercialization of the product with tv contracts, endless stadium ads including ribbon boards, signs everywhere, loud ones over the PA system, scoreboard video ads, etc. It also now has to include free agency with players that don't give a damn about where they play, its all about the $$ and a car. I'm seriously considering not buying tickets this year but my wife wants the parking pass so I may have to. Somebody always uses them, I give them to my kids, a parent w/ a kid looking for one, etc. This year though I may be that guy that sells them to an A&M, Bowling Green, AR, Auburn, Georgia, Memphis or E TN fan to make some of my $$ back because its harder and harder to even give the tickets away to State fans.

 

[Bill Shankly]

Wait….you think college football is on its way out completely?

I think in it's current form, eventually, yes. As Matt points out the fans at all but about 8-10 schools have no hope anymore. I realize they probably never had a realistic chance but even the illusion of hope is gone now. The transfer portal and NIL have officalliy endorsed doing away with the illusion. It is going to die on the vine. We are headed to a super league of about 15-20 schools. The rest will drop down a division or do away with it entirely. I suspect it will be doing away with it eventually. The super league won't be playing the peons, and that's how the peons float their programs now.

I think the goal of the people who pushed the transfer portal and the NIL were basically in two camps. One was deluded into thinking it was going to help in the athletes as a whole. The other, smaller group, aimed at doing away with college football. Since college football pays for all of the rest, their real aim was doing away with big time college athletics. It won't happen overnight but those two measures are almost tailor made to kill interest among the vast majority of college football fans. If they are going to be pros, might as well watch the real pros.

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

MSU does a piss poor job of marketing anything..,athletics or academics.

 

[PirateDawg]

I'm with you. My dad was a huge Ole Miss fan since before I was born. He said years ago that they should just make it a semipro sport and move them off the campuses because they are no longer part of the student body. I agree, it has become all about the money and the sport itself which was awesome at one time had deteriorated to the point that the highest bidder wins much like MLB. We know we will lose to Alabama every year because they pay for the best players. We know that we don't have a shot at a NC because the same high dollar programs are there to stay. Even the marginal dollar programs are just there for window dressing so the big guys can beat them to win the NC.

 

[8dog]

Yeah we just need to advertise season tickets more. That will get em in the gates!

 

[dorndawg]

In the last 5 years I have done a 180' turn around on college football. I'm the guy that NEVER left a game early for the last 40 years no matter how badly we were getting throttled. Now, for the last 2 years I have bought season tickets, been to campus and tailgated for every game, but not been inside Davis Wade, not once. It's not cost at all, I live in Starkville so don't have hotels and meals or 11:00 starts, etc to worry about. It's not the great tv experience, I don't even watch road games any more, I listen to Neal. It's not NIL or transfer portal because that's new and I was on the way out before they were on the way in (but I hate both of those programs w/ a passion though). It's been hard to put my finger on what it was but I think its the total commercialization of the product with tv contracts, endless stadium ads including ribbon boards, signs everywhere, loud ones over the PA system, scoreboard video ads, etc. It also now has to include free agency with players that don't give a damn about where they play, its all about the $$ and a car. I'm seriously considering not buying tickets this year but my wife wants the parking pass so I may have to. Somebody always uses them, I give them to my kids, a parent w/ a kid looking for one, etc. This year though I may be that guy that sells them to an A&M, Bowling Green, AR, Auburn, Georgia, Memphis or E TN fan to make some of my $$ back because its harder and harder to even give the tickets away to State fans.

I don't attend many games but I agree, it's just not fun or compelling anymore. It's increasingly easier and easier for me to agree to do something else when we have a game, and I used to never miss a tv game unless it was against a cupcake or Alabama. Rarely watch other SEC games, and just zero chance I watch Wisconsin at Penn St or whatever.

For me, it really is a college problem - I find the NFL more interesting than ever.

 

[Smoked Toag]

I don't attend many games but I agree, it's just not fun or compelling anymore. It's increasingly easier and easier for me to agree to do something else when we have a game, and I used to never miss a tv game unless it was against a cupcake or Alabama. Rarely watch other SEC games, and just zero chance I watch Wisconsin at Penn St or whatever.

For me, it really is a college problem - I find the NFL more interesting than ever.

I'm not quite as far gone as you, but I get it - and I'm also watching more of the NFL.

Bottom line, people are going to follow the sports that matter. They are making college matter less and less by the day, football and basketball specifically. Baseball would be included here too but the money hasn't made its way there yet. But I will say that basketball has something football doesn't, and that's the Dance.

College football needs to expand the playoff pronto, if they want to reverse the 'lack of caring' trend. I don't know that you can walk back NIL or the portal, maybe small changes I guess, and you obviously can't stop TV.

 

[jblailock]

I will say that it's harder for me to watch and stay interested now for most of the reasons Matt mentioned. The game has become such a commercialized money grab, and it's just not as compelling to watch anymore like it was back before it became an empire.
Matt mentioned the injury faking becoming an issue last year, but one thing I have grown to hate more is the subjective penalties like targeting. It has improved some (but not much) because they can at least be reviewed now, but this still stops the game and they still miss a lot of the calls after they review it. And another one I have always hated: the dreaded horse collar. So, if a guy is running downfield toward the endzone and you're running behind him to keep him from scoring, what are you supposed to do? I realize nobody knows how to tackle anymore (another reason they games today suck), but Judas Priest, is his supposed to run past him to tackle him from the front to avoid the penalty, or just let him score to avoid the penalty?

I hate the horse collar call too, but my most hated is the Blind Side Block. I get that they want to eliminate guys blowing up somebody that's not even in the play, but it shouldn't be the blocker's job to make sure the defensive guy sees him. If I'm coming from the guy's right side and he's looking left, that shouldn't be my problem.

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Yeah we just need to advertise season tickets more. That will get em in the gates!

^^^^I know this is sarcasm, but this is a large extent of our current marketing.

 

[dog12]

One thing Matt didn't mention that, in my opinion, has reduced attendance at college football games: college football teams, and the individual players on those teams, used to take competition more seriously. Today, actual competition (e.g., winning the game, dominating the player you line up against, etc.) is fairly lax.

Winning used to mean something to the teams and the individual players on those teams. Now, it's more about entertainment and showmanship.

For example, is it really necessary to celebrate like your team has just won the game after making a tackle or a pass reception? In my opinion, doing that sort of thing demonstrates the player's immaturity/stupidity.

A college football game is not a TV show, and college football players are not actors that put on a show for those watching the game. I agree with those who've said that college football is becoming more and more like the WWE.

Just my opinion.

 

[Slippery Pete]

I will add: Leave the politics and social justice crap out of it. It didn't start the ball rolling, but it has certainly contributed to the problem the last few years. How much? I don't know, but when a fire is growing you don't throw more fuel on it.

 

[gwadSIG]

That Covid quarantine tilted a lot of peoples interest into other activities, especially outdoors, and they're spending their money on those things now instead of all it takes to go to a game. I took my two boys to their first game last year against LSU. Even 15 mins after kickoff, the cheapest ticket at the University box office was $75 lol we found some for $20/piece on stubhub and ended up with better seats.

 

[SteelCurtain74]

I agree with everything Matt said but I'll add one more factor - travel ball.

I'm not suggesting it is a major component of the decline, but I know in my case, between my son's basesball team and my daughter's soccer team, I'm at one or both of their tournaments at least 5 of the 8 or 9 weekends in September and October. When I get a free weekend, I don't have much interest in driving 2 hours to watch State. I would rather watch the game on my back porch or go over to my neighbor's house and watch the game with him. If that makes me a "bad" fan, then so be it.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

That Covid quarantine tilted a lot of peoples interest into other activities, especially outdoors, and they're spending their money on those things now instead of all it takes to go to a game. I took my two boys to their first game last year against LSU. Even 15 mins after kickoff, the cheapest ticket at the University box office was $75 lol we found some for $20/piece on stubhub and ended up with better seats.

It got people out of the habit of going to home games and some concluded the PITA to of going wasn't worth it.

 

[Smoked Toag]

That Covid quarantine tilted a lot of peoples interest into other activities, especially outdoors, and they're spending their money on those things now instead of all it takes to go to a game. I took my two boys to their first game last year against LSU. Even 15 mins after kickoff, the cheapest ticket at the University box office was $75 lol we found some for $20/piece on stubhub and ended up with better seats.

I never bought the COVID crap, or the other activities. The far majority of the loss is the PITA factor like greenbean says right above me here, and that really didn't exist until TV exposed it.

I still love going to games. I love having TV as an option too. The far bigger problem to me is that fact that I know MSU has no shot to even play for a title (not win it). Ever. Bowl game standing used to matter, but it doesn't now.

 

[Smoked Toag]

If attendance was been declining for 8 years or so......I mean that coincides directly with the playoff. Not to mention that Bama fatigue has exasperated this, which had already started in 2011 and 2012.

 

[BearcatBully]

32 year season ticket holder. In the past I would never miss a game or leave one early. Sat in 100 degree heat and freezing sleet many, many times just to see a game. Have fought the urge for several years to stay home and I think this may be the year. I think both the University, Starkville businesses and College Football in general has left the common fan behind. Lots of things I see and have to put up with to attend MSU games these days. Rising ticket costs with no return, Very, very poor officiating with sometimes conspiracy level events, No allegiance from players, Traffic flow after games that is comical, Local eateries that don't even bother to open when a game is in town (Taste) or else turn into a bar only at 2pm after a game (2 Brothers), No urgency from team or coaches towards beating our rivals (Ole Miss), university parking policies that don't even try to open opportunities to park in unused spots, No Starkville restaurants outside the district open after a night game for a family to dine at other than BWW, Cookout, Wendy's, or McD, beer sales and drunks walking all over my seats and spilling beer on my kids during games. I realize none of this will ever change back to how is was before or to more of a fan friendly environment but its my reasons for staying away and I promise you I'm not alone.

 

[$altyDawg]

I hate the horse collar call too, but my most hated is the Blind Side Block. I get that they want to eliminate guys blowing up somebody that's not even in the play, but it shouldn't be the blocker's job to make sure the defensive guy sees him. If I'm coming from the guy's right side and he's looking left, that shouldn't be my problem.

I totally agree with you. Subjective kneejerk rules like the one you mention in the vane of "make the game safer" is taking away the recognizable part of the game. Running downfield and can't tackle from behind, can't make a block because he's not looking to be blocked. I guess next unnecessary roughness will be modified to cover a penalty for hitting too hard. That's kinda doubtful though because you'd actually have to find a team that tackles.

 

[coachnorm]

There are good points brought up with SPS people. I want to bring up something that is equally or even more threatening to the subject matter and that is ESPN+. It is bad that ABC/ESPN will get content from CBS in the future. When a steady increase of streaming costs go up, expect college football attendance to further decline? ABC and ESPN will become the pseudo dictator of college football and further the decline of attendance. ESPN and ABC will only bother itself with profits off streaming and care less about the college football experience that it will significantly wound.

 

[mcdawg22]

All this bellyaching over the fall of college football. STFU Go take your *** to the canasta board or a fishing board. College football is still the greatest sport to ever be played. I can’t wait until Labor Day weekend. I’ll admit I haven’t been to a game in 2 years and that kind of sucks. I’ll say the reason for me not attending is the overall price and the game experience. I am willing to pay significantly more for Scoreboard because I like to stand all game long and I hate being pack in like sardines. If they went chairback it would definitely increase the chances of me attending games. Hell I’ve come up to Starkville twice in the past 5 years where I didn’t even go to the game because I couldn’t find a club ticket. I guess the good news is everyone hated CFP so much I should have plenty of opportunities to purchase tickets now. Have fun shooting the moon or whatever the 17 you’ll be doing on Saturdays, I’ll be watching college football you bunch of pussies.

 

[T-TownDawgg]

That's the spirit. Everyone bemoaning the obvious decline in the Starkville GameDay attendance experience are pussies while you abstain because not enough chairbacks

 

[mcdawg22]

That's the spirit. Everyone bemoaning the obvious decline in the Starkville GameDay attendance experience are pussies while you abstain because not enough chairbacks

You bet your ***! And I am not talking about the people bemoaning attendance, I’m talking about the people who keep acting like CFB sucks now and they don’t care about it anymore.

 

[T-TownDawgg]

I think the game itself is as good as it's ever been because of the speed and skill of the players. That I agree with you. People didn't stop caring, they just stop attending.

That said, I think the sport in general has inadvertently alienated a lot of people because of the reasons Matt highlighted, and sadly I admit to being one of those people.

I got to thinking after I watched Matt's video, just how much money I have spent attending college football games in various locations in my lifetime. On top of tix, when you factor in all the other peripheral costs (fuel, food, alcohol, fan gear, generators, tents, grills, days off work, and don't get me started on parking, etc,) I'd guess a Saturday tailgating with tickets to the game easily cost me 100-150 bucks a person for a family of 4. I admit, I'm getting older and just don't have the energy or inclination to attend like I used to.

The last year I had season tix, I only went to 2 evening conference games, and ended up watching the jumbotron almost as much as I did the field. I think that screen may have been a mistake, because it highlighted how much more of the game I catch on the big screen at home vs sitting on an aluminum bleacher. That's certainly an unintended, but negative consequence, and one factor I think Matt overlooked.

 

[coachnorm]

I would like to make clear that my passion is college football and not the NFL. I would like to make clear that I am trying to stay disciplined in my statement on content. College Football is taking away from the regular season with false hopes of post season incursion into the NFL time ownership. Most bowl games are lucky to have 30% seats occupied? The NFL seats to capacity during its time ownership. Why saturate college football in early season with pathetic cup cake games that will be ignored on television? This is the money making time to fill up college football stadiums. I enjoyed the Ohio State/ Oregon game as much as the NFL post season. Is ABC/ESPN college football going to compete with CBS/Fox/NBC/ and now Prime Video NFL with empty seated bowl games? The NFL has expanded another week during the college football post season and will get first choice viewership and CFB will get the scraps. If the SEC wants to partially stem off this decline, it better add another SEC game to all SEC schedules or watch its product decline in SEC stadiums?

 

[QuaoarsKing]

College football needs to expand the playoff pronto, if they want to reverse the 'lack of caring' trend. I don't know that you can walk back NIL or the portal, maybe small changes I guess, and you obviously can't stop TV.

Bingo. A 24-team playoff means every P5 team has a shot in September, and half of them still have a shot in November. That's going to keep all the fanbases engaged. And assuming it's 10 autobids, the G5 fanbases that care (they ones that don't really should drop down to FCS by the way) will stay plugged in too.

 

[mcdawg22]

Yeah NFL’s incursion into College Football pisses me off. Especially the fact that the National Championship game isn’t on a Saturday night.