Rovell - Will next generation of fans show up?

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simple answer is no, they won't. for young fans, why would i fork over big money to sit in the stadium and watch when every game is broadcast for much cheaper? something has got to give in all this, whether it be not broadcasting games over the air, lowering ticket prices, or lowering concession prices or a combo of them all. right now, although I am the exception considering despite limited funds (college loans suck) i still bought tix for iowa, psu, and wisky and plan on doing more in the future, people don't get enough out of the game day experience to make it worth it when you can flip on your hd tv and see the game for free instead of dropping $40 on a ticket, $10 on parking, $10 on food, and at least $20 on other things. It just doesn't make fiscal sense to the casual fan, especially the young ones. Universities are going to have to realize if they want a$$es in the seats, they won't be able to charge the sums of money they are or they are going to have to piss people off and pull the broadcasting.
 

basically if you're not a fan who comes for the feeling of being in the stadium atmosphere or bleed your team's colors, there isn't really a reason to come.
 

A few reasons:

1. Ratio of men to women students lower.

2. More foreign students. (I'm comparing to the 50s when I was a student)

3. The high grade point level needed to get admitted to the U. These students in part are not in general interested in sports but are committed more to the "books".

4. To the less than average fan interest, TV (Both game time and availability) makes it easier.

5. Thankfully this is not 100%, but in my opinion does have an effect.
 

Rog said:
A few reasons: 1. Ratio of men to women students lower. 2. More foreign students. (I'm comparing to the 50s when I was a student) 3. The high grade point level needed to get admitted to the U. These students in part are not in general interested in sports but are committed more to the "books". 4. To the less than average fan interest, TV (Both game time and availability) makes it easier. 5. Thankfully this is not 100%, but in my opinion does have an effect.
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I would add TV timeouts as a big reason, too.
 


FreakyDeke said:
I would add TV timeouts as a big reason, too.
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that is an interesting pick. to some students, im guessing tv timeouts are great since they get to dance around, talk, etc. but to people there for the football, i agree. seems like a double edged sword
 


I read one of the comments by a Michigan student. He said not getting a strong signal is a big negative. What a tool. Why can't some people just be? Why must they F***k with their phones at all times?
 

tikited said:
I read one of the comments by a Michigan student. He said not getting a strong signal is a big negative. What a tool. Why can't some people just be? Why must they F***k with their phones at all times?
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Because that is a huge part of the youth's social interaction, I completely agree that the connectivity issues inside the stadium will keep students away.
 



A lot of it is time as well. Once the students graduate, they quickly find out that they don't have as much free time. A football game takes up most of your day if you attend it. If you watch it on TV, it's only 3 and a half hours.
 

It would seem that TCF is the right size. If this holds true who is going to fill the stadiums that are 100,000 plus?
 

Who knows. I love attending the games......even when it is really cold out. Vikings games? I could care less about being at those. On a nice day, I enjoy Twins games too. Hard to say how the next generation will embrace the team. My family has season tickets, and I get to attend just about every game. My sister likes to go to a game each year and my brother doesn't much care. He did attend the Wisconsin game this past year with me, however. Parents don't much care either. My dad usually comes with me to one game per year. I think he's good luck. The last three games we went to together were the past two wins against the Hawkeyes and last years victory against the Huskers.
 

I don't see college sports ever having a problem. It's so integrated with the collegiate experience. College sports can be a big factor for where a students go. It's something to do with your friends and the biggest thing college sports have going for them is obviously the atmosphere. If I have the option of watching a college game (Minnesota that is) on TV or attending, I attend 10/10 times. If I have the option to go to an NFL game or watch on TV, I attend 2/10 times.

Obviously I am just one person, but I think a lot of people feel this way.
 



Ski U Master said:
Because that is a huge part of the youth's social interaction, I completely agree that the connectivity issues inside the stadium will keep students away.
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Sadly, I believe your statement is correct. No connectivity = No Dopamine injected into their melons.
 

Rodney's Open said:
I don't see college sports ever having a problem. It's so integrated with the collegiate experience. College sports can be a big factor for where a students go. It's something to do with your friends and the biggest thing college sports have going for them is obviously the atmosphere. If I have the option of watching a college game (Minnesota that is) on TV or attending, I attend 10/10 times. If I have the option to go to an NFL game or watch on TV, I attend 2/10 times.

Obviously I am just one person, but I think a lot of people feel this way.
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attendance figures differ in that respect
 

This is somewhat away from the general content of the article. It talks about the Iowa game after Thanksgiving as to attendance being down. I think all schools are going to have trouble with that one including us. Do you delay it a week?
 

Part of the problem is having to deal with other people in the stadium. Everyone has things that get on their nerves (for some, this may be a reason to go to games, a break from the sig. other, kids, etc.), but who wants to sit outside for 4 hours to have someone grate on your every nerve? Luckily, we have great people around us at the Bank, which is why we've stayed put, despite the opportunity to move "up".

I agree that some people don't want to go to games because of the amount of time that it takes, but I look at it as a gift. The people in our group have all known each other since we were grade schoolers. We know that no matter what, we're guaranteed to hang out at least 5 or 6 times a year. That's a plus for me. Family commitments take precedent, but you know that you've got some time squared away to drink a few pops, needle one another mercilessly and just have a good time, win or lose.

As far as the cost, it really can't be beat in terms of entertainment value. I'd wager I spend less than $500 a year going to games. For me, can't beat it.
 

I think this is one of the main reasons why the University really needs to focus on fostering a good tailgating atmosphere. If all people are concerned about is watching the game, then live loses to TV. Live is more expensive (both from a ticket perspective as well as parking/transportation and food/drink prices), TV has better camera angles, better instant replay, and analysis/stats, and live games require the time/hassle of parking or public transportation. If live games want to compete, they need to offer something that TV doesn't. Tailgating is that option. Showing up 5 hours before gametime, grilling, drinking, playing lawn games, and being able to meet and interact with other fans is huge for me.
 

bleedsmaroonandgold said:
I think this is one of the main reasons why the University really needs to focus on fostering a good tailgating atmosphere. If all people are concerned about is watching the game, then live loses to TV. Live is more expensive (both from a ticket perspective as well as parking/transportation and food/drink prices), TV has better camera angles, better instant replay, and analysis/stats, and live games require the time/hassle of parking or public transportation. If live games want to compete, they need to offer something that TV doesn't. Tailgating is that option. Showing up 5 hours before gametime, grilling, drinking, playing lawn games, and being able to meet and interact with other fans is huge for me.
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This is very well stated, and something I completely agree with. As far as the game goes, I'd much rather be on my comfy couch, with good (and relatively cheap) beer, watching in HD from multiple vantage points. What I don't get with that, however, is the rest of the experience. When I go to a game, I want to be able to relive my (fairly recent) glory days and enjoy the experience with friends that I don't get to see often. That's why I love what Kill is doing in trying to boost the pre-game atmosphere. It makes it less about spending $100 to see a game, and more about spending $100 to have a day-long experience.
 

bleedsmaroonandgold said:
I think this is one of the main reasons why the University really needs to focus on fostering a good tailgating atmosphere. If all people are concerned about is watching the game, then live loses to TV. Live is more expensive (both from a ticket perspective as well as parking/transportation and food/drink prices), TV has better camera angles, better instant replay, and analysis/stats, and live games require the time/hassle of parking or public transportation. If live games want to compete, they need to offer something that TV doesn't. Tailgating is that option. Showing up 5 hours before gametime, grilling, drinking, playing lawn games, and being able to meet and interact with other fans is huge for me.
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Yeah a better tailgating atmosphere would be good. I tailgated for the first time before a Gophers game before this past Badgers game. It was really cold, but fun. I've commonly came down early and had a few beers in dinkytown before the games, which isn't a terrible option. The University needs to try and make gameday a day long event. Especially during the first couple months when it is warm.
 

Ski U Mah Gopher said:
Darren Rovell has an interesting column today on ESPN.com

Will next generation of fans show up?
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They probably won't show up by then. I'd say that people had better hope that who ever is running the Big Ten Network by that point in time can figure out a way to sell their programming to cable networks so that the empty stadiums can at least be adequate production studios for television revenue for the Conference Member Schools.

Maybe by that point in time, the Social Media Industry will have found a way to convey the game day experience to the student population with a few dramatic key strokes. Attention spans will shorten. Connectivity issues will be of much more concern than concussive injury concerns to the Big Ten Commissioner, the cable networks, the fans, the students and probably even the coaches and the players. It is entirely possible that some programmers and game developers will devise an "ultimate" college football video game that will feather our BEST student gamer team vs. the BEST student gamers from iowa or wisky and the results will be twittered to anyone who even cares.

"...for the times...they are a-changing..."

Who knows if college football is going to survive 30 years from now in a form that any of us could recognize. But, IF it doesn't make it: I'm certainly happy to say that I've gotten in more than fifty years of buying tickets, showing up and seeing my Golden Gopher Football Team play at home and even sometimes on the road! I wouldn't trade my experiences for anything.

However...things are changing and they will continue to change. I'm certainly not going to lose any sleep worrying about what "future generations" are going to do on Game Day Saturdays. I fear that escalating coaches salaries, concussive injury syndrome, outrageous ticket prices and constant demands for better and improved facilities are going to bring down college "scholarship" football long before a lack of student sections will...

Hope my Golden Gophers can compete in the conference and FINALLY beat wisky pretty damn soon though.
 

bleedsmaroonandgold said:
I think this is one of the main reasons why the University really needs to focus on fostering a good tailgating atmosphere. If all people are concerned about is watching the game, then live loses to TV. Live is more expensive (both from a ticket perspective as well as parking/transportation and food/drink prices), TV has better camera angles, better instant replay, and analysis/stats, and live games require the time/hassle of parking or public transportation. If live games want to compete, they need to offer something that TV doesn't. Tailgating is that option. Showing up 5 hours before gametime, grilling, drinking, playing lawn games, and being able to meet and interact with other fans is huge for me.
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agree fully. my buddies and i tailgated in full for iowa and from what we remember (after pulling the bull for one of us and after the 750 of pendleton for myself it gets a little fuzzy) it was fantastic fun. the U needs to loosen/fix some rules pertaining to tailgate to 1. get the students to that part 2. let the fans who don't want to buy tix feel welcome to just come to the lot and tailgate and throw a party/watch from there and 3. make it the draw of the day. I don't know for sure how you do that but there are certain avenues that are definitely not being exploited when it comes to the tailgate (no kid friendly/family lots/zones, even a small one could be popular, or usage of incentives/games for people to play and participate in; i'm not saying outside vendors, but together some booster type activities and let on campus groups get out there and put on a show/event to help them raise money and make the atmosphere more of a party. this 2 fold gets more people in the festive atmosphere and pulls students from those groups on campus. just 2 quick and easy ideas)
 

imthewalrus said:
I'd say that people had better hope that who ever is running the Big Ten Network by that point in time can figure out a way to sell their programming to cable networks
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They'll probably just start scheduling more conference games so fans can see as many Conference wins as possible.
 

MinneStoa said:
They'll probably just start scheduling more conference games so fans can see as many Conference wins as possible.[

Yes, it would be FAR superior scheduling IF my Golden Gopher Football Team played EVERY Conference member EVERY year. Those wins would mean something. And, if it went too far the other direction, that would mean something too. We would KNOW exactly how our Coaching Staff would compare with the other coaches in the conference. It would be an HONEST and a CERTAIN way to evaluate the Football Program and the Coach and his staff. Play EVERY Conference member team EVERY year! It certainly would beat playing the cup cake teams and would make a hell of a lot more sense than scheduling sure losses. I want to KNOW exactly where my Gophers and the Coaches stand in THIS Conference that my Golden Gophers are so proud to be a member of. My Gophers are Big Ten/B1G members so they NEED to play EVERY Conference Member EVERY season! What's wrong? Are you boys and girls afraid to go head to head with every conference member every year? It certainly would seem that way to me.
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The tie to college. Football is taking the kids to the U for events, period. When my kids go to mini med school, go to Northrup for events, and take in a football game with friends, it can get even more exciting. If we have a culture that looks away from each other, we have failed our children.
 

College football needs to improve its sales and marketing when it comes to actually filling seats and then realize that you have to give fans as much for their money as possible. The stadium experience has to be overhauled to a great extent in many places. Regardless of whether your capacity is 100,000, 75,000 or 50,000, fans, especially younger ones, want massive replay boards, better concession choices, better non conference foes, modern concourses, better in game entertainment, wifi or at least fast cellular data networks that don't crash when everyone uses their devices simultaneously, and perhaps chairback seats instead of benches. Too many college stadiums are relics with schools expanding capacity, but then only bringing something beyond basic amenities to the club and suite holders.

We are lucky far as facilities go. The Bank opened in 2009 and the U of M knew it was in a competitive and non traditional college football market, so the stadium was built to be as nice as possible for all fans. It may not be Target Field, the X or the new Vikings stadium, but it stands above most college stadiums. Most schools don't have that luxury. The other issue is most schools don't have account reps who look after existing season ticket holders while actively recruiting new ones like the pros do. The marketing of college sports tickets, apart from having the internet as a tool, is twenty years behind where it needs to be for the marketplace. The schools, even the LSU and Oklahoma types, will have to step up their efforts if they're going to maintain the crowds.
 

"I fear that escalating coaches salaries, concussive injury syndrome, outrageous ticket prices and constant demands for better and improved facilities are going to bring down college "scholarship" football long before a lack of student sections will..."

Walrus is right. We are "the next generation" compared to those who came before us, and we have had to stick it out under the worst of times - but we have. The fans will always come. Of course a winning team goes a long way towards attracting even more fans. Still, I agree with Walrus, the trajectory of the college game as an institution is not sustainable. Either the NCAA needs to start regulating the amount of money that can be spent in fielding a team, or the game will split off from the universities and become a professional feeder league under the sponsorship of the NFL. I'm sorry to have to predict that we will see the later. The NCAA is becoming irrelevant (corrupt?) and the rabid fan bases of certain teams will simply refuse to be subjected to any outside limitations.
 

I suppose I was lucky. My grandfather passed his tickets to us after the Michigan debacle in 2003. I was only 13 years old at the time. While I still love the other teams in the area (wolves, vikings, wild, etc....), none are more important than the Gophers to me. My friends think I'm crazy. I think they're crazy for not caring more. I live up in St. Cloud any have my apartment draped in Gophers stuff. Fortunately, I've been able to bring friends to the games, and my fandom has passed to many others.
 

Rog said:
A few reasons:

1. Ratio of men to women students lower.

2. More foreign students. (I'm comparing to the 50s when I was a student)

3. The high grade point level needed to get admitted to the U. These students in part are not in general interested in sports but are committed more to the "books".

4. To the less than average fan interest, TV (Both game time and availability) makes it easier.

5. Thankfully this is not 100%, but in my opinion does have an effect.
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The U used to be a more egalitarian institution. Remember the University College? The quarter system that allowed farmers/rural people the chance to get coursework in and still farm? The lower standards for admittance (I do. I wouldn't be an alum with today's standards.)? Why should Joe LunchBucket feel any affinity to a school that is becoming less accessible to his community?

How many people root for Harvard outside the alumni base?
 

maroon and gold said:
The U used to be a more egalitarian institution. Remember the University College? The quarter system that allowed farmers/rural people the chance to get coursework in and still farm? The lower standards for admittance (I do. I wouldn't be an alum with today's standards.)? Why should Joe LunchBucket feel any affinity to a school that is becoming less accessible to his community?

How many people root for Harvard outside the alumni base?
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familiarity breeds contempt. you are preaching the failure path for unis in the future.

HS school sports are dominated by privates and college will soon follow. It was nice that the privates followed the NCAA for years but it's over johnny. Plug yer ears Mr Morrill.....go private or die will be the BT trend in the next 100 years.
 

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