Nothing makes me happier than to see this..

[CarolinaDawgs]

https://twitter.com/AP_Top25/status/1040213252897009664

Mods-Please embed the tweet.

[SouthMSDog]

https://twitter.com/AP_Top25/status/1040213252897009664

Mods-Please embed the tweet.

Not me.

It's not just an Ole Miss issue, their's is just worse due to the current climate of their football program, but around all levels of football. Our attendance has fallen off some over the past few years. I think maybe the Bama game last year is the only one that I remember where the stadium was completely full and sellouts (where people actually show up, not just buy a ticket) have been few and far between since the new standard for our program was set in '14. I understand we haven't had a team like that 2014 team to come watch (until this year), but we could at minimum still show up and act interested. The first game of this season our attendance was terrible and the atmosphere was meh. Yes, it was SFA but it was the first game under a new coach with a team that has a TON of expectations and the turnout was probably 70% occupancy. Maybe.

I will say the reduced concessions were a MASSIVE success. I have never seen lines like that at the game for food and drink.

[FriarsPoint]

College football is on the verge of going the way of nascar. Lots of factors, cost, tv coverage, and the same as nascar, you?ve really only got a handful of teams that can win it all. That?s why the basketball tournament is so huge. America loves an underdog.

[Lord McBuckethead]

Cost and comfort are pretty much the issues. Right now, I have season tickets, but the home slate, my young kids and the commitment to 12+ hours isn't making it easier.

[Jack Lambert]

Nothing beats being there in the stadium. Just my opinion.

[gravedigger]

College football is on the verge of going the way of nascar. Lots of factors, cost, tv coverage, and the same as nascar, you?ve really only got a handful of teams that can win it all. That?s why the basketball tournament is so huge. America loves an underdog.

Not to be argumentative, but I think College football has gotten better. In the 70's and 80's only 5 or so teams were in the hunt each year. Ever since Michael Vick and Virginia Tech made the championship game though more and more lesser known teams have been challenging the top. Not saying we are breaking through though. Bama is still Bama. But Nebraska, Texas, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Southern Cal, Michigan have all slouched back toward the field.

You are correct on prices. Ballgames are not for the faint of heart or pocketbook. I've lost my passion for going and sitting in the stands. The walk is too far. I dont like enormous crowds. And in some small way I've stopped falling on my sword about whether MSU makes the Gator bowl or the NC or wins the egg bowl. They are strictly entertainment for me. nothing more and nothing less.

[msu15]

Nothing beats being there in the stadium. Just my opinion.

Agreed, and it's getting even more that way year by year. The tv coverage today is awful. Constant replays and commercials, off topic shit that the announcers like to joke with themselves about, stupid stuff that they bring up the sideline reporters to cover etc. Just bad

[gravedigger]

Agreed, and it's getting even more that way year by year. The tv coverage today is awful. Constant replays and commercials, off topic shit that the announcers like to joke with themselves about, stupid stuff that they bring up the sideline reporters to cover etc. Just bad

This is correct too. It's almost as if someone is trying to get people to go to the games by making the broadcast unbearable.

[FriarsPoint]

Not to be argumentative, but I think College football has gotten better. In the 70's and 80's only 5 or so teams were in the hunt each year. Ever since Michael Vick and Virginia Tech made the championship game though more and more lesser known teams have been challenging the top. Not saying we are breaking through though. Bama is still Bama. But Nebraska, Texas, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Southern Cal, Michigan have all slouched back toward the field.

You are correct on prices. Ballgames are not for the faint of heart or pocketbook. I've lost my passion for going and sitting in the stands. The walk is too far. I dont like enormous crowds. And in some small way I've stopped falling on my sword about whether MSU makes the Gator bowl or the NC or wins the egg bowl. They are strictly entertainment for me. nothing more and nothing less.

The evolution of the game since then has made it more exciting but year in year out there are really only about 5 teams that have a legitimate shot at winning it all. And of course it?s no coincidence that those teams have the deepest pocketbooks ala nascar.

[CarolinaDawgs]

Not me.

It's not just an Ole Miss issue, their's is just worse due to the current climate of their football program, but around all levels of football. Our attendance has fallen off some over the past few years. I think maybe the Bama game last year is the only one that I remember where the stadium was completely full and sellouts (where people actually show up, not just buy a ticket) have been few and far between since the new standard for our program was set in '14. I understand we haven't had a team like that 2014 team to come watch (until this year), but we could at minimum still show up and act interested. The first game of this season our attendance was terrible and the atmosphere was meh. Yes, it was SFA but it was the first game under a new coach with a team that has a TON of expectations and the turnout was probably 70% occupancy. Maybe.

I will say the reduced concessions were a MASSIVE success. I have never seen lines like that at the game for food and drink.

Well the point was completely missed by you, but unless you want to damage your chances of getting to a better bowl game or the CFP you can schedule big time OOC opponents.
Which in return would drive up attendance.

[Token Bammer]

Nothing beats being there in the stadium. Just my opinion.

I agree with this.

However, BAMA games have become so expensive to attend that it's not worth it, and UA is about to make it much worse on the average fan. They are appealing only to the corporations and the super rich and driving the market up so high (I believe on purpose to focus on corporate money) the average fan can no longer afford season tickets, or maybe even to attend a single ball game that isn't against the Citadel. It's sad to watch, but UA is going the way of the NFL in terms of tickets. They already took the quad last season and handed it over to the corporations, and now, this season, the tickets. The letters went out this week about the increase in ticket prices.

This has the potential to backfire a great deal after Saban leaves.

[Political Hack]

They costs are beginning to exceed fans' willingness imo. When you can sit at home, have a cold beer, and watch the game comfortably it's hard to convince yourself to drive to Starkville, pay out the ying yang for a ticket, pitch in for a tailgate, get a room, etc...I know we spend well over $1,000 for 4 to go to a single game. Or I can save $1,000 and watch on TV.

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

Agreed, and it's getting even more that way year by year. The tv coverage today is awful. Constant replays and commercials, off topic shit that the announcers like to joke with themselves about, stupid stuff that they bring up the sideline reporters to cover etc. Just bad

I agree that the announcers are terrible, but how on earth are the replays a bad thing? Camera angle is almost always better than the angle from the stands. Why wouldn't I want to see what actually happened? Commercials stop the game at the stadium, at least at home I'm in air conditioning, have a bathroom and beer in easy reach, and can flip to a backup game. I can easily have stats and other scores pulled up on my computer. Now to be clear I absolutely love being at the games for the atmosphere, but I don't get what makes you say the TV broadcasts themselves are bad. Plus I can watch games before ours, and watch a game immediately after ours ends as opposed to having several hours of travel time on each side of the stadium experience.

[Lord McBuckethead]

I agree that the announcers are terrible, but how on earth are the replays a bad thing? Camera angle is almost always better than the angle from the stands. Why wouldn't I want to see what actually happened? Commercials stop the game at the stadium, at least at home I'm in air conditioning, have a bathroom and beer in easy reach, and can flip to a backup game. I can easily have stats and other scores pulled up on my computer. Now to be clear I absolutely love being at the games for the atmosphere, but I don't get what makes you say the TV broadcasts themselves are bad. Plus I can watch games before ours, and watch a game immediately after ours ends as opposed to having several hours of travel time on each side of the stadium experience.

Yeah, when you have to travel, tailgate, etc it really cuts down on the football you can watch. Gameday on campus is still awesome though. The atmosphere and experience is what makes the difference. Only issue is the effort to do all that is trumped by the comfort of the couch.

[Lord McBuckethead]

I wish all P5 teams had to play minumum 11 P5 games a year with one tune up week one only. Half everybody has to take their bye week 6 and the other half week 7. You could have agreements between conferences like ACC and SEC to cross over for 8 years and then switch ACC and Pac12 or something. All games are blind draw then one year you play all ACC teams away game nonconference game 1 and 3, then the SEC gets to host game 2.

That would clean up the schedules across the country and allow fans to know exactly what is going on year in and out.
Italic games switch Home/Away from year to year.

Week 1 - All P-5 teams play cupcakes or can move to one of the ACC matchup weeks
Week 2 - SEC away to ACC matchup
Week 3 - SEC Game
Week 4 - SEC Game
Week 5 - SEC Home to ACC Matchup
Week 6 - Bye or SEC Game
Week 7 - Bye or SEC Game
Week 8 - SEC Away to ACC Matchup
Week 9 - SEC Games
Week 10 - SEC Games
Week 11 - SEC Games
Week 12 - SEC Games
Week 13 - SEC Games

SEC Championship Game

Playoffs
Playoffs

All teams could fit into this schedule type.
All games are significant except cupcake game.

[Tbonewannabe]

Yeah, when you have to travel, tailgate, etc it really cuts down on the football you can watch. Gameday on campus is still awesome though. The atmosphere and experience is what makes the difference. Only issue is the effort to do all that is trumped by the comfort of the couch.

The biggest reason we go back is to see all our friends. We live around Atlanta and they all live in either Northeast MS or the Memphis area. Sometimes we just stay at the tailgate and watch the game on the TV there. Most of the time I try to go in if it is a bigger game but we only get back for 2 or 3 a year now.

[Tbonewannabe]

I wish all P5 teams had to play minumum 11 P5 games a year with one tune up week one only. Half everybody has to take their bye week 6 and the other half week 7. You could have agreements between conferences like ACC and SEC to cross over for 8 years and then switch ACC and Pac12 or something. All games are blind draw then one year you play all ACC teams away game nonconference game 1 and 3, then the SEC gets to host game 2.

That would clean up the schedules across the country and allow fans to know exactly what is going on year in and out.
Italic games switch Home/Away from year to year.

Week 1 - All P-5 teams play cupcakes or can move to one of the ACC matchup weeks
Week 2 - SEC away to ACC matchup
Week 3 - SEC Game
Week 4 - SEC Game
Week 5 - SEC Home to ACC Matchup
Week 6 - Bye or SEC Game
Week 7 - Bye or SEC Game
Week 8 - SEC Away to ACC Matchup
Week 9 - SEC Games
Week 10 - SEC Games
Week 11 - SEC Games
Week 12 - SEC Games
Week 13 - SEC Games

SEC Championship Game

Playoffs
Playoffs

All teams could fit into this schedule type.
All games are significant except cupcake game.

I like this or you could play one team from each conference a year. Play an ACC team, Big 10 team, and Pac 12. The next year rotate one off and add a Big 12 team. Have the contracts set at a mandatory home/away scenario so maybe you play one ACC team home/away and then they rotate off your schedule.

[civildawg]

The blowout games I never attend anymore. Why would I want to drive 4 hours round trip, sweat my butt off all day, pay to park and eat when I can sit in the house with A/C watch our game plus many others and barely lift a finger? That?s a hard sell for anyone honestly

[Lord McBuckethead]

I wish all P5 teams had to play minumum 11 P5 games a year with one tune up week one only. Half everybody has to take their bye week 6 and the other half week 7. You could have agreements between conferences like ACC and SEC to cross over for 8 years and then switch ACC and Pac12 or something. All games are blind draw then one year you play all ACC teams away game nonconference game 1 and 3, then the SEC gets to host game 2.

That would clean up the schedules across the country and allow fans to know exactly what is going on year in and out.
Italic games switch Home/Away from year to year.

Week 1 - All P-5 teams play cupcakes or can move to one of the ACC matchup weeks
Week 2 - SEC away to ACC matchup
Week 3 - SEC Game
Week 4 - SEC Game
Week 5 - SEC Home to ACC Matchup
Week 6 - Bye or SEC Game
Week 7 - Bye or SEC Game
Week 8 - SEC Away to ACC Matchup
Week 9 - SEC Games
Week 10 - SEC Games
Week 11 - SEC Games
Week 12 - SEC Games
Week 13 - SEC Games

SEC Championship Game

Playoffs
Playoffs

All teams could fit into this schedule type.
All games are significant except cupcake game.


I like this or you could play one team from each conference a year. Play an ACC team, Big 10 team, and Pac 12. The next year rotate one off and add a Big 12 team. Have the contracts set at a mandatory home/away scenario so maybe you play one ACC team home/away and then they rotate off your schedule.

I can agree to that. It would take you 28 years to get through each conference though. Still it would change up your schedule and bring more desirable games to campuses.
With this, I am 100% against neutral field games.

[Lord McBuckethead]

Also it would force teams like FL to play a non-conference game away from Gainseville for a true away game.

[LC Dawg]

I agree with this.

However, BAMA games have become so expensive to attend that it's not worth it, and UA is about to make it much worse on the average fan. They are appealing only to the corporations and the super rich and driving the market up so high (I believe on purpose to focus on corporate money) the average fan can no longer afford season tickets, or maybe even to attend a single ball game that isn't against the Citadel. It's sad to watch, but UA is going the way of the NFL in terms of tickets. They already took the quad last season and handed it over to the corporations, and now, this season, the tickets. The letters went out this week about the increase in ticket prices.

This has the potential to backfire a great deal after Saban leaves.

That's exactly what Nascar did. They made it where the loyal, average fan that grew their sport could not afford to go to races. The Nascar you see today is the result.
I agree with FriarsPoint above and have been saying it for a few years. When you are paying coaches $7M a year to win a championship that they probably won't win you are setting a dangerous precedent.
College football has a more national following than Nascar so it is not exactly the same but I think there are a lot of similarities. In my opinion college football is going to have to make some changes in the coming years to keep people coming to games.

[Matty Dispatch]

They costs are beginning to exceed fans' willingness imo. When you can sit at home, have a cold beer, and watch the game comfortably it's hard to convince yourself to drive to Starkville, pay out the ying yang for a ticket, pitch in for a tailgate, get a room, etc...I know we spend well over $1,000 for 4 to go to a single game. Or I can save $1,000 and watch on TV.

This is exactly it. If you live far enough away that you need to stay in a hotel room it's really expensive when the alternative is free and not that bad.

Even if you live close enough to drive to the game and back, there are things like 11:00 AM kicks and crappy non-conference opponents that make you not want to make the effort to travel to the game.

There will always be a percentage of fans who place a high value on attending games and are willing to fork over their time and money to do it. But I think for most fans are either content with watching all games on TV or just attending one game per season.

[Negative Waves]

It wouldn't shock me to see the SEC and the other big conferences go to a subscription based service to watch the games on the TV/internet, especially now that so many are cutting the cord cable-wise. Want to watch Mississippi State football? You can watch each game for $29.99 or pay $300 for a season to get a discount! Want to get all the SEC games? Only the low low price of $599.99! They'll find a way to get every dime they can. They're pricing the middle-class out of watching football games and making it a rich man's sport. They first started jacking up ticket prices, then charging parking fees, and will probably next move to jacking up TV/internet fees. Wouldn't surprise me if I'm listening to the games on the radio again within 20 years (I'll probably have to pay a subscription for that too!).

[Matty Dispatch]

I wish all P5 teams had to play minumum 11 P5 games a year with one tune up week one only. Half everybody has to take their bye week 6 and the other half week 7. You could have agreements between conferences like ACC and SEC to cross over for 8 years and then switch ACC and Pac12 or something. All games are blind draw then one year you play all ACC teams away game nonconference game 1 and 3, then the SEC gets to host game 2.

That would clean up the schedules across the country and allow fans to know exactly what is going on year in and out.
Italic games switch Home/Away from year to year.

Week 1 - All P-5 teams play cupcakes or can move to one of the ACC matchup weeks
Week 2 - SEC away to ACC matchup
Week 3 - SEC Game
Week 4 - SEC Game
Week 5 - SEC Home to ACC Matchup
Week 6 - Bye or SEC Game
Week 7 - Bye or SEC Game
Week 8 - SEC Away to ACC Matchup
Week 9 - SEC Games
Week 10 - SEC Games
Week 11 - SEC Games
Week 12 - SEC Games
Week 13 - SEC Games

SEC Championship Game

Playoffs
Playoffs

All teams could fit into this schedule type.
All games are significant except cupcake game.

I agree, some form of this is what is needed. The non-conference rent-a-wins are too boring. Especially when you have access to watch all the other great games around the country if you stay home. And we need to get away from having the kickoff time chosen two weeks in advance. That needs to be decided before the season starts - at least as much as possible. An 11:00 AM game vs. 6:00 PM game is a huge difference and could effect whether a person could attend or not.

[Dawg2003]

The cost is a big reason for me. Between the ticket price, gas, and food, you're looking at a couple of hundred dollars for a family of four. The I have to drive 4 hours total and either be hot or cold in the stands. That's why I only go to one game a year.

[LC Dawg]

Nothing beats being there in the stadium. Just my opinion.

I agree with this and I am lucky enough that I can attend all home games but the only reason I can do it is that I have somewhere I can stay for free. If I had to pay $500 or more a weekend for a hotel room I would not do it both for financial reasons and for principal. It goes against my belief system to pay that much for a hotel room.

[sleepy dawg]

I think all of these are factors but also think younger generations are caring less and less about sports and football is one of them. More and more families are focused on kids activities instead of the dad planning the day around him and everyone else following along as one family unit. More and more families just want to sit at home and watch tv without moving regardless of shit being on or not.

There's a lot of factors playing into it. We have seen the peak and now the beginning of the decline.

[civildawg]

The problem with going to all P5 games is that alot of the G5 and FCS schools need the football game money for their athletic programs to survive

[Token Bammer]

That's exactly what Nascar did. They made it where the loyal, average fan that grew their sport could not afford to go to races. The Nascar you see today is the result.
I agree with FriarsPoint above and have been saying it for a few years. When you are paying coaches $7M a year to win a championship that they probably won't win you are setting a dangerous precedent.
College football has a more national following than Nascar so it is not exactly the same but I think there are a lot of similarities. In my opinion college football is going to have to make some changes in the coming years to keep people coming to games.

You nailed it. That's exactly what is happening.

Jmo, but college football needs to divide the FBS into two divisions with the P5 being one, and everyone else being the other.

Then, again jmo, shorten the season. Create a 9 game conference schedule across the board.

Next, schedule 1, or 2 max, OOC games a season.

Move to an 8 team playoff where every conference is represented with three at large bids. Keep the bowls for everyone.

That's an 11 game regular season schedule (if 2 OOC games are played) for everyone. A 12 game schedule for those who go bowling. 13 games for those who go to conference championship games (if kept with this type of format), and up to 16 games for those who play for it all.

This way every game is viable. Attendance will not plummet due to lack of quality games. However, if with game being meaningful, schools better watch themselves if they want to keep fans coming to their stadium and helping their economics. If you prove them out, they will not come, especially if their program is struggling.

[Jack Lambert]

No one should complain about season tickets prices for Miss state. You can sit in the upper West Side for 300.00 no bulldog club contribution. You can sit on the east side upper deck for 250.00 with no bulldog contribution.

[Matty Dispatch]

You nailed it. That's exactly what is happening.

Jmo, but college football needs to divide the FBS into two divisions with the P5 being one, and everyone else being the other.

Then, again jmo, shorten the season. Create a 9 game conference schedule across the board.

Next, schedule 1, or 2 max, OOC games a season.

Move to an 8 team playoff where every conference is represented with three at large bids. Keep the bowls for everyone.

That's an 11 game regular season schedule (if 2 OOC games are played) for everyone. A 12 game schedule for those who go bowling. 13 games for those who go to conference championship games (if kept with this type of format), and up to 16 games for those who play for it all.

This way every game is viable. Attendance will not plummet due to lack of quality games. However, if with game being meaningful, schools better watch themselves if they want to keep fans coming to their stadium and helping their economics. If you prove them out, they will not come, especially if their program is struggling.

Absolutely the P5 should break off from the G5. They should even dissolve the Big 12 teams into the other 4 conferences. Get rid of divisions. Take the top 4 teams in each conference, play a semi-final conference championship game on campus (1 v 4, 2 v 3) and then conference championship at neutral site as it is now. Then you have 4 conference champs and no one has any beef (because you don't have a situation where there are 2 playoff worthy teams in one division or conference but only one can make the playoff). Essentially a 16 team playoff without naming it a 16 team playoff. Draw the regular season down to 11 games. Play 9 conference games and 2 lesser division games as "preseason" in late August / early September so they can get their money to fund their programs.

[Token Bammer]

Absolutely the P5 should break off from the G5. They should even dissolve the Big 12 teams into the other 4 conferences. Get rid of divisions. Take the top 4 teams in each conference, play a semi-final conference championship game on campus (1 v 4, 2 v 3) and then conference championship at neutral site as it is now. Then you have 4 conference champs and no one has any beef (because you don't have a situation where there are 2 playoff worthy teams in one division or conference but only one can make the playoff). Essentially a 16 team playoff without naming it a 16 team playoff. Draw the regular season down to 11 games. Play 9 conference games and 2 lesser division games as "preseason" in late August / early September so they can get their money to fund their programs.

Good post. I like it. Let's do it!!!

[SouthMSDog]

Well the point was completely missed by you, but unless you want to damage your chances of getting to a better bowl game or the CFP you can schedule big time OOC opponents.
Which in return would drive up attendance.

I'm sorry, was the point of your OP to laugh at Ole Miss for attendance issues? If not, then yes I did miss it.

If that was in fact your point, my counterpoint was just glass houses and whatnot.

[Liverpooldawg]

The only way I can go to as many as I do is because I live within an hour of Starkville. Of course they basically kicked the local base out of the Hump a few years ago. It's still gonna show during the week, even though we are almost back in that sport.

[deadheaddawg]

Nothing beats being there in the stadium. Just my opinion.

Food on the table does.

Im lucky enough to live within a few hours and have the income to have season tickets for a family of 5. But its an expensive.

[RocketDawg]

I wish all P5 teams had to play minumum 11 P5 games a year with one tune up week one only. Half everybody has to take their bye week 6 and the other half week 7. You could have agreements between conferences like ACC and SEC to cross over for 8 years and then switch ACC and Pac12 or something. All games are blind draw then one year you play all ACC teams away game nonconference game 1 and 3, then the SEC gets to host game 2.

That would clean up the schedules across the country and allow fans to know exactly what is going on year in and out.
Italic games switch Home/Away from year to year.

Week 1 - All P-5 teams play cupcakes or can move to one of the ACC matchup weeks
Week 2 - SEC away to ACC matchup
Week 3 - SEC Game
Week 4 - SEC Game
Week 5 - SEC Home to ACC Matchup
Week 6 - Bye or SEC Game
Week 7 - Bye or SEC Game
Week 8 - SEC Away to ACC Matchup
Week 9 - SEC Games
Week 10 - SEC Games
Week 11 - SEC Games
Week 12 - SEC Games
Week 13 - SEC Games

SEC Championship Game

Playoffs
Playoffs

All teams could fit into this schedule type.
All games are significant except cupcake game.

That would never work. It would mean teams like Clemson would have to play ranked teams. **

[Lord McBuckethead]

The problem with going to all P5 games is that alot of the G5 and FCS schools need the football game money for their athletic programs to survive

Well maybe they need to close up shop.

[Liverpooldawg]

Well maybe they need to close up shop.

No they don't. Whatever happens needs to support them. They are part of the fabric of the sport. That's the joy a small step from saying schools like MSU and UM need to close up shop.