CBS: College football attendance drops for fifth straight year, but at slower rate

[BleedGopher]

per CBS:

Home attendance at major college football games declined for the fifth straight year, though the rate at which crowds decreased has slowed.

Football Bowl Subdivision attendance for home games averaged 43,288 fans per game, down less than 1 percent from 43,483 in 2014, according to a CBS Sports analysis of NCAA attendance data. Crowds declined by 4 percent in 2014.

This year may offer some hope of stabilization for the industry, which in recent years has seen fans stay home due to ticket prices, inconvenience and the comfort of watching on high-definition televisions.

Still, this year's average was again the lowest since the FBS drew 42,631 per game in 2000. Attendance stayed below 46,000 for the seventh straight season since it peaked at 46,456 in 2008.

Big Ten: Average attendance was 65,998, down from 66,939 in 2014 and 70,431 in 2013 (prior to Rutgers and Maryland joining the conference). Nine of the 14 Big Ten schools saw smaller crowds this year, including a 14-percent decline by Northwestern, which went 10-2.

Minnesota 52,355 +9%

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...-drops-for-5th-straight-year----at-lower-rate

Go Gophers!!

 

[mnsportsgeek]

CBS: College football attendance drops for fifth straight year, but at slower...

It's all about the schedule. Good teams come to town and attendance goes up. Next year we'll be down in the mid 40s especially considering we lose the extra seats. Iowa will probably be our only sell out.

 

[CWCWCW]

per CBS:

Home attendance at major college football games declined for the fifth straight year, though the rate at which crowds decreased has slowed.

Football Bowl Subdivision attendance for home games averaged 43,288 fans per game, down less than 1 percent from 43,483 in 2014, according to a CBS Sports analysis of NCAA attendance data. Crowds declined by 4 percent in 2014.

This year may offer some hope of stabilization for the industry, which in recent years has seen fans stay home due to ticket prices, inconvenience and the comfort of watching on high-definition televisions.

Still, this year's average was again the lowest since the FBS drew 42,631 per game in 2000. Attendance stayed below 46,000 for the seventh straight season since it peaked at 46,456 in 2008.

Big Ten: Average attendance was 65,998, down from 66,939 in 2014 and 70,431 in 2013 (prior to Rutgers and Maryland joining the conference). Nine of the 14 Big Ten schools saw smaller crowds this year, including a 14-percent decline by Northwestern, which went 10-2.

Minnesota52,355+9%

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...-drops-for-5th-straight-year----at-lower-rate

Go Gophers!!

Does college football care? Does the University of Minnesota care?
Does media revenue increase each year? Does corporate seating take over the season ticket holders that choose not to review?
I guess I answered my own question. Once again, follow the dollar bill.

 

[MNGoldenGophers1]

Does college football care? Does the University of Minnesota care?
Does media revenue increase each year? Does corporate seating take over the season ticket holders that choose not to review?
I guess I answered my own question. Once again, follow the dollar bill.

You've summed it up nicely.

 

[LakerFan]

For those who were holding out hope that based on a poor performance this year they might reconsider the price hike going into next year. This "Minnesota 52,355 +9%" should tell you to get ready to write the check for the full amount or watch someone else in your seats next year.

 

[JMWZ]

For those who were holding out hope that based on a poor performance this year they might reconsider the price hike going into next year. This "Minnesota 52,355 +9%" should tell you to get ready to write the check for the full amount or watch someone else in your seats next year.

As stated above, it all depends on the schedule. Season ticket sales are going to be way way down next year. No Wisconsin, Michigan, or TCU at home next year. A rate hike with next year's schedule coming off a 5-8 or 6-7 season is going to be disastrous. It's going to be a bloodbath, and GH is going to go into full meltdown mode when the ticket office announces that there are 5,000 less season ticket holders at the start of next year.

 

[MNGoldenGophers1]

As stated above, it all depends on the schedule. Season ticket sales are going to be way way down next year. No Wisconsin, Michigan, or TCU at home next year. A rate hike with next year's schedule coming off a 5-8 or 6-7 season is going to be disastrous. It's going to be a bloodbath, and GH is going to go into full meltdown mode when the ticket office announces that there are 5,000 less season ticket holders at the start of next year.

What you say is true. What you say about GH folks is true. What many GH folks will say that the U made more money with less fans which will also probably be true. Even if 5,000 less fans renewing are replaced by 5,000 corporate seats holders, it is still 5,000 more empty seats.

 

[Stuff]

Is the reason the average is going down because of the FBS adding many new teams in the last 5-10 years that average 10,000-20,000 fans a game? One example being Charlotte.

 

[JMWZ]

What you say is true. What you say about GH folks is true. What many GH folks will say that the U made more money with less fans which will also probably be true. Even if 5,000 less fans renewing are replaced by 5,000 corporate seats holders, it is still 5,000 more empty seats.

I completely agree. At least as ticket revenues go. I'm not sure what types of margins the university makes on concessions or merchandise or other peripheral revenues. I would be interested in knowing because they may make more in ticket sales but lose that benefit in other areas.

I was the beneficiary of free corporate tickets this year, for the Illinois game. The section I was in was probably 25% full. Granted it was very cold and not all those seats were corporate ones, but tons of people that were given free tickets didn't show up.

 

[disco]

I wonder how much the length of the game plays into it. College games seemingly take forever, compared to the average NFL game.

 

[hungan1]

Money, money, money!

It stinks that commercializations from Pro Football is now polluting the college game experience.

For goodness sake, those streaming commercials is a distraction. Thank goodness, I can still appreciate good eye candy. I am not blind for that.

The day that they start putting product endorsement on the players' uniforms is the day I will stop watching D1 college football.

Time to go to the MIAC games.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I wonder how much the length of the game plays into it. College games seemingly take forever, compared to the average NFL game.

College halftime is 20 minutes and the NFL is 12. College is a different experience. That stopping clock on 1st down are really the only differences.


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[LesBolstad]

For those who were holding out hope that based on a poor performance this year they might reconsider the price hike going into next year. This "Minnesota 52,355 +9%" should tell you to get ready to write the check for the full amount or watch someone else in your seats next year.

That's silly. Attendance was up because of high expectations and a fantastic home schedule. A previous post is correct, there WILL be a big drop off next year. Look for an average in the 42-45 range. I agree the UofM admin isn't smart enough to suspend the big season ticket gouging next year. While "corporate" tickets might make up for some of lost ticket holders, there will be lots of empty seats in desirable sections.

 

[MNGoldenGophers1]

That's silly. Attendance was up because of high expectations and a fantastic home schedule. A previous post is correct, there WILL be a big drop off next year. Look for an average in the 42-45 range. I agree the UofM admin isn't smart enough to suspend the big season ticket gouging next year. While "corporate" tickets might make up for some of lost ticket holders, there will be lots of empty seats in desirable sections.

Announced or actual? I'm guessing this will be the announced.

 

['13Gopher]

As stated above, it all depends on the schedule. Season ticket sales are going to be way way down next year. No Wisconsin, Michigan, or TCU at home next year. A rate hike with next year's schedule coming off a 5-8 or 6-7 season is going to be disastrous. It's going to be a bloodbath, and GH is going to go into full meltdown mode when the ticket office announces that there are 5,000 less season ticket holders at the start of next year.

Same rhetoric Iowa had this past offseason. Bring it on.


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[TexasAggie11]

Looking just at P5 conferences and the big independents, the mean attendance is 62,020 with the range 40,436 to 83,603 being within one standard deviation of the mean. The top 14 teams on the list are the ones outside of this range.