[Farm93]

[quote author=winflop link=topic=16336.msg183858#msg183858 date=1483015654]
They need to move the game back to AT&T.  San Francisco is a better draw than Santa Clara, and clearly the game isn't much of a draw by itself.  And Levi's just sucks.

Just curious why you think Levi's sucks. Never been there, but I always perceived it to be a new, state of the art stadium, jam packed with the best technology Silicon Valley has to offer.
[/quote]
I think an evening football game at Levi's in December is probably better than an evening game at AT&T in December.  Levi's is a football stadium and that's important. At AT&T the two teams were on the same sideline.  The TV types consistently claimed the teams enjoyed that novelty, but that was BS.

For fans the connectivity at Levi's might be great on a Saturday or a Sunday as they want to track other games and sporting events, but in a late December Wednesday evening those connectivity benefits are not quite as meaningful.

In the end, Utah's bad attendance is bad for the Pac-12's ability to get better bowls.  Thankfully a lot of bowl games have been played in very empty stadiums this season.  The St. Pete bowl featured two teams that were not that far from home, but the place was empty.  The Holiday bowl seemed to have a completely empty top tier.

Stanford might do a better job packing the Sun Bowl.  I guess we will see.  Historically Stanford has been quick to donate tickets to local groups.  That might work for TV and the stadium, but rarely excites the hotel and restaurant members of the bowl selection committees.

A lot of schools are struggling to fill their stadiums as they compete with the TV coverage now.  And that is despite all of the traditions and conveniences of the local venues.  To me it is not shocking at all that the bowl games are no longer able to get these fans to spends thousands to watch these games.  The BigTen still can get it done, but that is because they have fans really want to holiday away from home in a warmer location, and then just plan a vacation around their teams bowl venue.

[Farm93]

[quote author=winflop link=topic=16336.msg183858#msg183858 date=1483015654]
They need to move the game back to AT&T.  San Francisco is a better draw than Santa Clara, and clearly the game isn't much of a draw by itself.  And Levi's just sucks.

Just curious why you think Levi's sucks. Never been there, but I always perceived it to be a new, state of the art stadium, jam packed with the best technology Silicon Valley has to offer.
[/quote]
I think an evening football game at Levi's in December is probably better than an evening game at AT&T in December.  Levi's is a football stadium and that's important. At AT&T the two teams were on the same sideline.  The TV types consistently claimed the teams enjoyed that novelty, but that was BS.

For fans the connectivity at Levi's might be great on a Saturday or a Sunday as they want to track other games and sporting events, but in a late December Wednesday evening those connectivity benefits are not quite as meaningful.

In the end, Utah's bad attendance is bad for the Pac-12's ability to get better bowls.  Thankfully a lot of bowl games have been played in very empty stadiums this season.  The St. Pete bowl featured two teams that were not that far from home, but the place was empty.  The Holiday bowl seemed to have a completely empty top tier.

Stanford might do a better job packing the Sun Bowl.  I guess we will see.  Historically Stanford has been quick to donate tickets to local groups.  That might work for TV and the stadium, but rarely excites the hotel and restaurant members of the bowl selection committees.

A lot of schools are struggling to fill their stadiums as they compete with the TV coverage now.  And that is despite all of the traditions and conveniences of the local venues.  To me it is not shocking at all that the bowl games are no longer able to get these fans to spends thousands to watch these games.  The BigTen still can get it done, but that is because they have fans really want to holiday away from home in a warmer location, and then just plan a vacation around their teams bowl venue.