[81alum]

The first home game with all the students back.  Watching the band march in through the tunnel was delightful.  It actually was of reasonable size and it was not composed of old people!  A pleasant, cool evening under the lights. 

The stadium was never close to full, sadly.  Some entire sections in the corners were empty, and there were many scattered empty seats even in prime areas.  The Arizona fans made themselves heard, but not too loudly or too often.  I'd guess the stadium was 2/3 full at its peak.  By the fourth quarter it was less than half full, and by the end it was truly pathetic.  All the families with kids were gone and even half the students had left.

Despite the poor attendance, I thoroughly enjoyed the game.  What wasn't to like about it?  One punt and two incomplete passes, I guess?  After our conversation last week about HSH, I decided to go sing it with the students, since I never had when I actually was a student.  At the end I walked over to the Red Zone and joined in when the team came over to sing.  Very special.  Some of the guys on the team actually seem to have good voices.

[81alum]

The first home game with all the students back.  Watching the band march in through the tunnel was delightful.  It actually was of reasonable size and it was not composed of old people!  A pleasant, cool evening under the lights. 

The stadium was never close to full, sadly.  Some entire sections in the corners were empty, and there were many scattered empty seats even in prime areas.  The Arizona fans made themselves heard, but not too loudly or too often.  I'd guess the stadium was 2/3 full at its peak.  By the fourth quarter it was less than half full, and by the end it was truly pathetic.  All the families with kids were gone and even half the students had left.

Despite the poor attendance, I thoroughly enjoyed the game.  What wasn't to like about it?  One punt and two incomplete passes, I guess?  After our conversation last week about HSH, I decided to go sing it with the students, since I never had when I actually was a student.  At the end I walked over to the Red Zone and joined in when the team came over to sing.  Very special.  Some of the guys on the team actually seem to have good voices.

[oman]

I'm sure you guys have discussed on numerous threads, but to me the day games at Stanford were just so beautiful.  I guess the only thing better than enjoying a beautiful Bay Area fall day game would be to enjoy a beautiful Bay Area fall day plus a beautiful Bay Area fall evening/night game, but do most of you guys who attend all the games actually prefer the night games.

And if children are a big part of the attendees isn't it better for the optics?

Not really an attendance question but more of an ambiance question.

[oman]

I'm sure you guys have discussed on numerous threads, but to me the day games at Stanford were just so beautiful.  I guess the only thing better than enjoying a beautiful Bay Area fall day game would be to enjoy a beautiful Bay Area fall day plus a beautiful Bay Area fall evening/night game, but do most of you guys who attend all the games actually prefer the night games.

And if children are a big part of the attendees isn't it better for the optics?

Not really an attendance question but more of an ambiance question.

[JohnR34231]

I would assume everything is for TV these days, but I know on day games people used to complain about the heat and about the fact that the time interfered with kids activities such as soccer games.

I suppose no matter what time you have the game someone will complain that it is inconvenient for them.

I know when you live on the East Coast as I do, night games are inconvenient because you end up staying up until 2 AM or so to watch them.

[JohnR34231]

I would assume everything is for TV these days, but I know on day games people used to complain about the heat and about the fact that the time interfered with kids activities such as soccer games.

I suppose no matter what time you have the game someone will complain that it is inconvenient for them.

I know when you live on the East Coast as I do, night games are inconvenient because you end up staying up until 2 AM or so to watch them.

[82lsju]

do most of you guys who attend all the games actually prefer the night games.

I don't like the late games.

I prefer either a 4:30/5pm kick-off or a 1pm kick-off.  The weather for either would have been fantastic yesterday.  Yes there is the occasional really hot game in Sept or Oct but I'd prefer that over the late games (and our seats are still on the sunny side of the stadium).

People in out group who have younger kids (I'd say the cut-off is ~12 years old) either don't bring them to the late games (which generally means the parents don't attend as well) or leave at halftime.

The other downside of late games is really drunk fans who have had a few extra hours to drink, this is not an ongoing issue but does crop up once in a while.

And yes we left in the 3rd quarter last night as the game was well in hand.

And don't get me started on the stupidity of 7:30pm games on Thursday nights for people who attend the games and have to work the next day.........but it is all about the TV money and not the fans in the stands.  In a few years I figure the fans in the stands will mostly be CGI and everyone will watch the games at home in VR glasses....... >:(

[82lsju]

do most of you guys who attend all the games actually prefer the night games.

I don't like the late games.

I prefer either a 4:30/5pm kick-off or a 1pm kick-off.  The weather for either would have been fantastic yesterday.  Yes there is the occasional really hot game in Sept or Oct but I'd prefer that over the late games (and our seats are still on the sunny side of the stadium).

People in out group who have younger kids (I'd say the cut-off is ~12 years old) either don't bring them to the late games (which generally means the parents don't attend as well) or leave at halftime.

The other downside of late games is really drunk fans who have had a few extra hours to drink, this is not an ongoing issue but does crop up once in a while.

And yes we left in the 3rd quarter last night as the game was well in hand.

And don't get me started on the stupidity of 7:30pm games on Thursday nights for people who attend the games and have to work the next day.........but it is all about the TV money and not the fans in the stands.  In a few years I figure the fans in the stands will mostly be CGI and everyone will watch the games at home in VR glasses....... >:(

[ChicagoCard]

I think I miss the old end zone decoration...

[ChicagoCard]

I think I miss the old end zone decoration...

[81alum]

I'm fine with the late starts for games before the students are back.  Those are the weeks where it is apt to be hot.  This stadium does not handle heat well at all.  But once the students are back and it cools off, and we start league play--I'd much prefer the old-fashioned 12:30 or 1:30 start times.  Even the 5:00 start times have the advantage of letting fans high in the stands facing west see a spectacular sunset over the campus.  7:30 is also very bad for the national reputation of the program, since it minimizes the chance that anyone in the East will see the game.

Yes, there were some drunk people around me in the stands last night.  A little obnoxious--loud talking across several rows while the people in-between were trying to watch the game.  But nothing violent or unsafe.  For some reason there were a LOT of security people at the game.  Not just all the yellow jacketed ushers (why couldn't they have chosen a different color!) but sheriff deputies every hundred feet.  I don't think I had seen that before.  I wonder if they expected something.

[81alum]

I'm fine with the late starts for games before the students are back.  Those are the weeks where it is apt to be hot.  This stadium does not handle heat well at all.  But once the students are back and it cools off, and we start league play--I'd much prefer the old-fashioned 12:30 or 1:30 start times.  Even the 5:00 start times have the advantage of letting fans high in the stands facing west see a spectacular sunset over the campus.  7:30 is also very bad for the national reputation of the program, since it minimizes the chance that anyone in the East will see the game.

Yes, there were some drunk people around me in the stands last night.  A little obnoxious--loud talking across several rows while the people in-between were trying to watch the game.  But nothing violent or unsafe.  For some reason there were a LOT of security people at the game.  Not just all the yellow jacketed ushers (why couldn't they have chosen a different color!) but sheriff deputies every hundred feet.  I don't think I had seen that before.  I wonder if they expected something.

[DC]

While I understand leaving early because one has to get the kids home or work the next day, I have never understood why anyone would leave just because we have a big lead and the outcome is known (same with all sports).  Watching blowouts when we are ahead is enjoyable given where we have been, and one gets to see players, e.g. Chryst, that one wouldn't otherwise get to see.  If all that was important is the outcome, one can get that without going to the game.  If one goes to the game, it should be ideally to watch it in its entirety.

[DC]

While I understand leaving early because one has to get the kids home or work the next day, I have never understood why anyone would leave just because we have a big lead and the outcome is known (same with all sports).  Watching blowouts when we are ahead is enjoyable given where we have been, and one gets to see players, e.g. Chryst, that one wouldn't otherwise get to see.  If all that was important is the outcome, one can get that without going to the game.  If one goes to the game, it should be ideally to watch it in its entirety.

[82lsju]

While I understand leaving early because one has to get the kids home or work the next day, I have never understood why anyone would leave just because we have a big lead and the outcome is known (same with all sports). 

depends on how long the drive is home after the game and what obligations you have the next morning.  Given the folks I was with last night we would have left at the end of the 3rd quarter in any case.  I could have let the others take the car stayed and tried to convince someone else in our group to drive me home but that seemed a lot to ask since they all live north and I live south of the stadium.

two of the guests we took to the game had a 45 minute drive home after we got them back to our house so if we stayed to the end of the game they would have gotten home ~1am which is a lot to ask from friends who are not yet Stanford fans.  We could have let the seats go empty (they were from another person in our group who was out of town) but that didn't seem like a good option either. 

And we'll have at least three late games (UCF, UA, UCLA) of the seven home games this year.  I'm assuming the ND game will be 5pm as it has been I think every year at Stanford so that's hopefully one non-late game.  I'm hoping at least a few of the other home games (UW, UO and Big Game) are not at 7pm/7:30pm.

And even though it is not my reunion year I really wish they would set the reunion game times earlier than 13 or 6 days before the game and have the game not be a late game as that conflicts with other reunion activities.

[82lsju]

While I understand leaving early because one has to get the kids home or work the next day, I have never understood why anyone would leave just because we have a big lead and the outcome is known (same with all sports). 

depends on how long the drive is home after the game and what obligations you have the next morning.  Given the folks I was with last night we would have left at the end of the 3rd quarter in any case.  I could have let the others take the car stayed and tried to convince someone else in our group to drive me home but that seemed a lot to ask since they all live north and I live south of the stadium.

two of the guests we took to the game had a 45 minute drive home after we got them back to our house so if we stayed to the end of the game they would have gotten home ~1am which is a lot to ask from friends who are not yet Stanford fans.  We could have let the seats go empty (they were from another person in our group who was out of town) but that didn't seem like a good option either. 

And we'll have at least three late games (UCF, UA, UCLA) of the seven home games this year.  I'm assuming the ND game will be 5pm as it has been I think every year at Stanford so that's hopefully one non-late game.  I'm hoping at least a few of the other home games (UW, UO and Big Game) are not at 7pm/7:30pm.

And even though it is not my reunion year I really wish they would set the reunion game times earlier than 13 or 6 days before the game and have the game not be a late game as that conflicts with other reunion activities.

[French Rage]

While I don't have kids and live nearby, I can understand the issue for people with kids or long drives if the game will last until 11pm.  But TV contracts rule all at the moment, so that will be deciding when we play, and not what results in the nest turnout.  Such is life.

[French Rage]

While I don't have kids and live nearby, I can understand the issue for people with kids or long drives if the game will last until 11pm.  But TV contracts rule all at the moment, so that will be deciding when we play, and not what results in the nest turnout.  Such is life.

[Mick]

For me, it depended on the age of the children.  Under 6 or so, they generally couldn't last a full game, so the starting time didn't matter.  And when Stanford started to provide entertaining amenities, it tired the kids out even earlier.  The sweet spot was age 9-12...any start time was fine.  The challenge was that the younger one fell into the run-out-of-gas quickly age range.  And when the kids got older, Mrs. Mick tended to run out of gas prior to the end of the game, usually some time in the third quarter, sadly.

[Mick]

For me, it depended on the age of the children.  Under 6 or so, they generally couldn't last a full game, so the starting time didn't matter.  And when Stanford started to provide entertaining amenities, it tired the kids out even earlier.  The sweet spot was age 9-12...any start time was fine.  The challenge was that the younger one fell into the run-out-of-gas quickly age range.  And when the kids got older, Mrs. Mick tended to run out of gas prior to the end of the game, usually some time in the third quarter, sadly.

[81alum]

My daughter's school used to do fundraising by sending kids to help in the concession stands.  Certain concessions benefitted certain schools.  But when signing up volunteers, the families needed to know in advance when their kids would be needed, and the changeability of the TV schedule ruins that.  They've given up.  This may seem minor, but it is just another example of the whole experience getting skewed for TV.  Add to that the trashing of reunion scheduling, manipulating the traditional date for Big Game, etc. and we really begin to see that this is all about TV entertainment and any other benefits of the sport are incidental.  Stanford has done well resisting the corrupting influences of this game when it comes to protecting academic standards--but not so well in protecting the traditional fan experience.  Not sure it can.

[81alum]

My daughter's school used to do fundraising by sending kids to help in the concession stands.  Certain concessions benefitted certain schools.  But when signing up volunteers, the families needed to know in advance when their kids would be needed, and the changeability of the TV schedule ruins that.  They've given up.  This may seem minor, but it is just another example of the whole experience getting skewed for TV.  Add to that the trashing of reunion scheduling, manipulating the traditional date for Big Game, etc. and we really begin to see that this is all about TV entertainment and any other benefits of the sport are incidental.  Stanford has done well resisting the corrupting influences of this game when it comes to protecting academic standards--but not so well in protecting the traditional fan experience.  Not sure it can.

[BostonCard]

As much as we bemoan the sacrifices that have to be made for TV, let's remember that each and every game is now televised.  I had to work last night, and couldn't watch the game in person.  Hapily for me, I was able to stream the game to my laptop.  Years ago, I eould have had to follow it online on ESPN, or, as with the Sun Bowl game against Michigan State find out the result the next morning in the paper (I was in Australia at the time).

BC

[BostonCard]

As much as we bemoan the sacrifices that have to be made for TV, let's remember that each and every game is now televised.  I had to work last night, and couldn't watch the game in person.  Hapily for me, I was able to stream the game to my laptop.  Years ago, I eould have had to follow it online on ESPN, or, as with the Sun Bowl game against Michigan State find out the result the next morning in the paper (I was in Australia at the time).

BC

[standfan]

The reported attendance was 46,628 (of the 50,000) capacity, which of course doesn't mean 46,628 were there. But it was fairly full and the stadium is conducive to large numbers watching from the mezzanine. As usual, many were last night even though it was not to escape mid day heat.

That said, those there were relatively quiet last night. It seems that it takes a close game against UO, USC, ND or Cal for the crowd to get rowdy.

[standfan]

The reported attendance was 46,628 (of the 50,000) capacity, which of course doesn't mean 46,628 were there. But it was fairly full and the stadium is conducive to large numbers watching from the mezzanine. As usual, many were last night even though it was not to escape mid day heat.

That said, those there were relatively quiet last night. It seems that it takes a close game against UO, USC, ND or Cal for the crowd to get rowdy.

[fullmetal]

After years of listening on the phone via Mark Cuban's teamline...

Now there's an interesting board substitution...

[fullmetal]

After years of listening on the phone via Mark Cuban's teamline...

Now there's an interesting board substitution...

[Rally]

Umm, "Mark Cuban's Teamline" is (or was) an actual thing. You dialed an 800 number, gave them a credit card number, and they plugged you in to the radio play by play of whichever game you wanted to listen to. It cost about $35 a game if I recall correctly. Teamline was originally set up so Cuban and his Indiana buddies in Dallas could listen to IU basketball games, but he eventually sold it to Yahoo for nearly $6 billion. Pretty sure the CardBoard would go for double that.

For a few years in the 70s a wealthy Nebraska alum personally paid for all Their games to be broadcast on the radio.  I could barely h ar our games but Nebraska came in loud and clear.  He lived in Glendora, as did we.

[Rally]

Umm, "Mark Cuban's Teamline" is (or was) an actual thing. You dialed an 800 number, gave them a credit card number, and they plugged you in to the radio play by play of whichever game you wanted to listen to. It cost about $35 a game if I recall correctly. Teamline was originally set up so Cuban and his Indiana buddies in Dallas could listen to IU basketball games, but he eventually sold it to Yahoo for nearly $6 billion. Pretty sure the CardBoard would go for double that.

For a few years in the 70s a wealthy Nebraska alum personally paid for all Their games to be broadcast on the radio.  I could barely h ar our games but Nebraska came in loud and clear.  He lived in Glendora, as did we.

[CornFed]

Umm, "Mark Cuban's Teamline" is (or was) an actual thing. You dialed an 800 number, gave them a credit card number, and they plugged you in to the radio play by play of whichever game you wanted to listen to. It cost about $35 a game if I recall correctly. Teamline was originally set up so Cuban and his Indiana buddies in Dallas could listen to IU basketball games, but he eventually sold it to Yahoo for nearly $6 billion. Pretty sure the CardBoard would go for double that.

Garvin - what is the ownership structure of the CardBoard?  I presume the founders control all the equity; so further presume that you are each approaching billionaire status.  If that is indeed the case, I am wondering if you would like to invest in a project I am trying to put together.  PM me if you would like to hear more.  ;)

[CornFed]

Umm, "Mark Cuban's Teamline" is (or was) an actual thing. You dialed an 800 number, gave them a credit card number, and they plugged you in to the radio play by play of whichever game you wanted to listen to. It cost about $35 a game if I recall correctly. Teamline was originally set up so Cuban and his Indiana buddies in Dallas could listen to IU basketball games, but he eventually sold it to Yahoo for nearly $6 billion. Pretty sure the CardBoard would go for double that.

Garvin - what is the ownership structure of the CardBoard?  I presume the founders control all the equity; so further presume that you are each approaching billionaire status.  If that is indeed the case, I am wondering if you would like to invest in a project I am trying to put together.  PM me if you would like to hear more.  ;)

[Rally]

I think the stock is all controlled by Yvonne, who is the actual inventor. I'm sure she'd be willing to loan you some money at an attractive rate, providing all your children still have their original livers and stuff as collateral.

I could throw in some of my old Stanford Indian-themed memorabilia, if you think that would interest her.

[Rally]

I think the stock is all controlled by Yvonne, who is the actual inventor. I'm sure she'd be willing to loan you some money at an attractive rate, providing all your children still have their original livers and stuff as collateral.

I could throw in some of my old Stanford Indian-themed memorabilia, if you think that would interest her.

[yvonne]

I think the stock is all controlled by Yvonne, who is the actual inventor. I'm sure she'd be willing to loan you some money at an attractive rate, providing all your children still have their original livers and stuff as collateral.

Now, you've done it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aclS1pGH...ontyPython

(I understand that it's now possible to receive a portion of liver from a living donor.)

[yvonne]

I think the stock is all controlled by Yvonne, who is the actual inventor. I'm sure she'd be willing to loan you some money at an attractive rate, providing all your children still have their original livers and stuff as collateral.

Now, you've done it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aclS1pGH...ontyPython

(I understand that it's now possible to receive a portion of liver from a living donor.)

[CornFed]

Yeah, but I've already tapped out my kids' livers.  :'(

[CornFed]

Yeah, but I've already tapped out my kids' livers.  :'(

[winflop]

Time to quit whining about gametimes.  Schools have ZERO say it's all about TV now they decide when games are played.

I wasn't surprised by the lower attendance.  Lots of season ticket holders have younger kids, and lots of single-game fans too.  They aren't showing up for a game that's going to put them in the door after 11pm.

[winflop]

Time to quit whining about gametimes.  Schools have ZERO say it's all about TV now they decide when games are played.

I wasn't surprised by the lower attendance.  Lots of season ticket holders have younger kids, and lots of single-game fans too.  They aren't showing up for a game that's going to put them in the door after 11pm.