^^^This!
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https://www.cbssports.com/college-fo...ge-since-1981/
It is not "our fans". Watching at home has just gotten so much better over the last several years.
"College football attendance declines for seventh straight season to lowest average since 1981"
The Ole Miss numbers in that article should be an alarming indicator for us. They had their best season since integration, and bumped attendance from their lowest average this century - 48,233 in '19 to 56,472. That is 8,000 people under capacity on average.
With a "Heisman Candidate" QB in a 10 win season they couldn't do better. 2021 we averaged 49,494 - our lowest since the Slytanic sailed these seas. So, our friends in Oxford are already showing us that even bouncing back to a 9-10 win season will still not get attendance back to it's heydays in the mid 2010s.
Sad, but true. Being a season ticket holder is not cheap. TV vs 11:00 games in early Sept doesn't help. We used to have AL fans buy our season tickets just to be able to see them play in person because their waiting list is so long. Heck, we can't even sell out that game anymore. Here, I'll fix it. Move baseball to DWS and FB to the Dude, sellouts if baseball rebuild works.***
The problem is simple. Tv is cheap. Cost of attendance is expensive. The school is offering no luxury or amenities to compete with tv but yet raises prices over and over.
The schools have the largest revenues in their history. Yet they want $2700 donations for seats in the clouds for example. The answer is, schools will have to do massive upgrades to stadiums for the common fan to come back in great numbers. That means provide more amenities, cheap food and drink and in a comfortable environment at a cheaper price. I'm thinking something like the club level but available to everyone in the lower level.
The biggest problem is cost of hotel or equivalent accommodations in Starkville for those of us traveling. More and more our student body is made up of out of state students and alumni. The prices are ridiculous on game weekends. Secondly, I would say in a normal season (not a magical year or terrible year) our attendance can fluctuate 5,000 or more in average depending on game times. Since we are normally not a contender we get fewer prime time games, and get more 11:00 and Thursday games than anyone, along with Vandy and OM. Those game times really affect my ability or desire to travel for a game.
If we start winning the fans will come. Our offense is boring and the only personality in the team is the head coach. Fans need entertainment.
Tip of the cap to Cohen. He must have gauged interest before announcing these for them to sell this fast.
Im definitely limited to my world view on things. No way I would pay that to stand or sit, cheaper beer or not. But thank you to those that do. Well done.
i did not get one but was told they may add more.