10-30-2022, 04:59 PM
Thank you for the data. I've been wondering too what's causing the attendance drop that predates the Covid lockdown and vaccine/PCR years. This is also a national trend but has impacted the California schools more than other regions. In addition to what's been said above and in no particular order, I can think of the following reasons for the decline:
1) Demographic changes. Growing bay area (and LA) immigrant population who care less about American football as compared to the rapidly declining percentage of Whites. Also fewer teenagers/Gen Z college age kids than the relatively greater number of Millennials. Imagine what these campuses are going to look like in the next 15-20 years when the nearly non-existent "Covid" generation approach college age?
2) Stricter admissions standards across all four California Pac-12 schools, including USC (which used to be a safe school). Lower percentage of kids who are 2nd, 3rd or 4th generation Trojans, Bruins, Bears, or Cardinal/Indians. When mom, dad, grandpa and great grandpa attended Bama, the kids are going to Bama too.
3) Decline in high school football participation. California impacted more than other states. That translates to less interest in attending football games in college for those kids that didn't play in high school or cheer for their high school team.
4) Stanford in particular is snobby. Very few kids outside Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Los Altos can relate to Stanford. Stanford has done a poor job of reaching out to the greater Bay Area unlike USC which is more LA's team. And I think Stanford prefers ordinary people keep off campus.
As an aside, the giant billboard on the corner of El Camino and Embarcadero (next to the stadium) used to list the home football schedule for as long as I can remember but no more, why? That can't be good for attendance.
1) Demographic changes. Growing bay area (and LA) immigrant population who care less about American football as compared to the rapidly declining percentage of Whites. Also fewer teenagers/Gen Z college age kids than the relatively greater number of Millennials. Imagine what these campuses are going to look like in the next 15-20 years when the nearly non-existent "Covid" generation approach college age?
2) Stricter admissions standards across all four California Pac-12 schools, including USC (which used to be a safe school). Lower percentage of kids who are 2nd, 3rd or 4th generation Trojans, Bruins, Bears, or Cardinal/Indians. When mom, dad, grandpa and great grandpa attended Bama, the kids are going to Bama too.
3) Decline in high school football participation. California impacted more than other states. That translates to less interest in attending football games in college for those kids that didn't play in high school or cheer for their high school team.
4) Stanford in particular is snobby. Very few kids outside Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Los Altos can relate to Stanford. Stanford has done a poor job of reaching out to the greater Bay Area unlike USC which is more LA's team. And I think Stanford prefers ordinary people keep off campus.
As an aside, the giant billboard on the corner of El Camino and Embarcadero (next to the stadium) used to list the home football schedule for as long as I can remember but no more, why? That can't be good for attendance.