[cardcrimson]

In the 80's, we weren't very good at all, yet the students attended the games. That was because of the student culture, not because of the football team. There was football interest without the success, because it was fun. I could see a scenario where Stanford spends millions on NIL, goes 7-5 or 8-4 for a few years in a row, and it might still be a yawner for the current student body and campus vibe.

and back then (I'm class of '82 and have had season tickets since then) the games were almost all at 12:30pm/1:00pm which did not conflict with other Saturday evening activities, I'm not sure how well attended 5pm or later games would have been attended back then.  As others have pointed out being able to bring in beer was certainly a selling factor for many (it was for us)

Bikini tops and Dolfin shorts on the sunny side didn't hurt, either. Games were a culture of fun--hit a tailgate or two, take beer into the stadium, sit in the sun, listen to the band, marvel at how far Elway could throw, watch us get outscored and lose, hit a tailgate on the way out, go home, shower, go out. .. .

[cardcrimson]

In the 80's, we weren't very good at all, yet the students attended the games. That was because of the student culture, not because of the football team. There was football interest without the success, because it was fun. I could see a scenario where Stanford spends millions on NIL, goes 7-5 or 8-4 for a few years in a row, and it might still be a yawner for the current student body and campus vibe.

and back then (I'm class of '82 and have had season tickets since then) the games were almost all at 12:30pm/1:00pm which did not conflict with other Saturday evening activities, I'm not sure how well attended 5pm or later games would have been attended back then.  As others have pointed out being able to bring in beer was certainly a selling factor for many (it was for us)

Bikini tops and Dolfin shorts on the sunny side didn't hurt, either. Games were a culture of fun--hit a tailgate or two, take beer into the stadium, sit in the sun, listen to the band, marvel at how far Elway could throw, watch us get outscored and lose, hit a tailgate on the way out, go home, shower, go out. .. .