[dabigv13]

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/11/sport...dance.html

Some familiar topics for Stanford fans here

They have one of the nation’s most prolific offenses, led by a defender-hurdling quarterback, Dorian Thompson-Robinson; a tackle-busting running back, Zach Charbonnet; and a blink-and-you-miss-him dynamo at receiver, Kazmeir Allen.

This would seem to be enough to ignite a fan base.

And yet crowds have continued to be so barren at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., that U.C.L.A. has averaged only 36,241 fans in six home games, despite the university routinely giving away tens of thousands of tickets.


The embarrassment of so many empty seats has become so acute that six sections near each end zone are covered by powder-blue tarps, tightening the 91,136-person seating capacity by more than one-third.

Or it might be yet another example of college football’s attendance swoon. Last year marked the seventh consecutive season attendance declined nationally.

Jarmond, who makes $1.4 million per year, declined an interview request last week about football attendance because he was “not interested in rehashing old news,” Markley said in a email, adding, “perhaps we can make something happen later this winter.”

So, too, is seating that is comfortable only for Lilliputians, interminable concession lines and culinary options that struggle to rise above sustenance. Kickoff times are uncertain and inconvenient thanks to television dictates. Saturday’s Arizona game, for example, was announced as a 7:30 p.m. Pacific start just six days earlier and the season opener was played at 11:30 a.m. under 100-degree temperatures.

[dabigv13]

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/11/sport...dance.html

Some familiar topics for Stanford fans here

They have one of the nation’s most prolific offenses, led by a defender-hurdling quarterback, Dorian Thompson-Robinson; a tackle-busting running back, Zach Charbonnet; and a blink-and-you-miss-him dynamo at receiver, Kazmeir Allen.

This would seem to be enough to ignite a fan base.

And yet crowds have continued to be so barren at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., that U.C.L.A. has averaged only 36,241 fans in six home games, despite the university routinely giving away tens of thousands of tickets.


The embarrassment of so many empty seats has become so acute that six sections near each end zone are covered by powder-blue tarps, tightening the 91,136-person seating capacity by more than one-third.

Or it might be yet another example of college football’s attendance swoon. Last year marked the seventh consecutive season attendance declined nationally.

Jarmond, who makes $1.4 million per year, declined an interview request last week about football attendance because he was “not interested in rehashing old news,” Markley said in a email, adding, “perhaps we can make something happen later this winter.”

So, too, is seating that is comfortable only for Lilliputians, interminable concession lines and culinary options that struggle to rise above sustenance. Kickoff times are uncertain and inconvenient thanks to television dictates. Saturday’s Arizona game, for example, was announced as a 7:30 p.m. Pacific start just six days earlier and the season opener was played at 11:30 a.m. under 100-degree temperatures.

[OCcardinal]

And yet crowds have continued to be so barren at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., that U.C.L.A. has averaged only 36,241 fans in six home games, despite the university routinely giving away tens of thousands of tickets.

This is a scheduling issue, not a fan engagement issue. To come up with that figure, the NYT is averaging in the attendance from their 3 home games to start the season, all of which were 1) against no name teams, 2) scheduled before the students were back and 3) were played before anyone knew they were good. For good measure 1 or 2 were in 100 degree weather. UCLA's last 3 home games averaged 42.4K, pretty close to the home attendance average of 43.8K that they had pre-pandemic in their the 2019 season, which included a big game against Oklahoma that drew 55K. UCLA"s still got their home game vs USC coming up which will likely draw 60K+. Seems pretty likely that attendance at their home Pac 12 games will average higher than in recent seasons (and should end up in the top half of the conference).  I'd be quite happy if Stanford had UCLA's attendance "problems".

[OCcardinal]

And yet crowds have continued to be so barren at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., that U.C.L.A. has averaged only 36,241 fans in six home games, despite the university routinely giving away tens of thousands of tickets.

This is a scheduling issue, not a fan engagement issue. To come up with that figure, the NYT is averaging in the attendance from their 3 home games to start the season, all of which were 1) against no name teams, 2) scheduled before the students were back and 3) were played before anyone knew they were good. For good measure 1 or 2 were in 100 degree weather. UCLA's last 3 home games averaged 42.4K, pretty close to the home attendance average of 43.8K that they had pre-pandemic in their the 2019 season, which included a big game against Oklahoma that drew 55K. UCLA"s still got their home game vs USC coming up which will likely draw 60K+. Seems pretty likely that attendance at their home Pac 12 games will average higher than in recent seasons (and should end up in the top half of the conference).  I'd be quite happy if Stanford had UCLA's attendance "problems".