What will attendance be like for BG v. Wisky?

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 10:00 pm

I have a good feeling attendance will be over 30K. I'd say a few thousand students + 15-20k more BG fans. Add in the 10-15k Wisky fans and you have a nice crowd. This is a huge event for the future of BG football and I'm hoping BG fans realize that. If Hammb is right and we get 5,000 neutral fans there, I think we're easily in the 30-35k range, maybe higher.

I guess I'll play the role of optimist in this discussion.

tekekini · Post by **tekekini** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 10:26 pm

i thought you said BG would get 30K...not 30K total????

30K total is reasonable..30K BG fans is not. i'd say 15-17 BG fans mostly local students/family and alumni...i dont see too many students who don't live in the cleveland area going. is it going to be televised? if so that will kill BG student attendance as most will stay home and watch it where they can drink beer

tekekini · Post by **tekekini** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 10:27 pm

15-17 K that is

BGDrew · Post by **BGDrew** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 10:34 pm

tekekini wrote:15-17 K that is

What brought you to that number?

1987alum · Post by **1987alum** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 11:01 pm

OK, according to the numbers from Transfer's link, that's a shade more than 21K alum in the area. Even if BG markets the heck out of the game, getting 25% of that group would be quite an accomplishment. That would mean about 5,000. Now, how many students are going to come to the game? Even with all the Cleveland-area kids, I'm skeptical it will be a great deal.

I think speculation of 30,000-35,000 overall is a good estimate. I just don't think BG fans will make up the majority of the attendance figure. In order, I expect Wisconsin fans, neutral or mildly pro-BG fans (as hammb mentioned) and BG fans.

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 11:14 pm

tekekini wrote:i thought you said BG would get 30K...not 30K total????

I said 20-30k, with 30 being very optimistic. Those estimating fans based on Cleveland-area BG alums, don't forget the 7,000 more in sandusky/erie counties, the 15-20 thousand in wood and lucas, any local fans which would most likely cheer for BG as opposed to Wisconsin, etc. I just think there is a much larger base to pull from for this game than there would be for a game against EMU at the Doyt.

Don't forget the sizeable contigents that will travel from Merritt Island and Alaska

Maybe I'm just overly optimistic after seeing the great support we got in West Lafayette, but I really think we can get a great crowd for this game.

orangeandbrown · Post by **orangeandbrown** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 11:19 pm

I hope you're right. We'll be there.

Bleeding Orange · Post by **Bleeding Orange** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 11:22 pm

tekekini wrote: if so that will kill BG student attendance as most will stay home and watch it where they can drink beer

I'm going to say this only once (and teke, tell your friends!): people WILL be able to drink at this game! As an off-campus game, university rules about selling alcahol at sporting events, I'm sure, will not apply. For those of you that think we won't get that many alums to the game, this will likely be a big factor in pulling them in. Plus, with the Air Show going on, there will likely already be a lot of them in the downtown area.

I woudln't be so pessimistic about this. We could not have gotten a better weekend in the year to play a game at CBS... 8)

jacojdm · Post by **jacojdm** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 7:38 am

transfer2BGSU wrote:
Jacobs4Heisman wrote:How many BG alums are in the Cleveland area?
Take a look at the following link:

http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/ir/factbook ... county.htm

Cuyahoga - 11,311
Lorain - 3,535
Summit - 2,539
Stark - 1,750

I'm not sure what all counties are surrounding the Cleveland, but the big four that I see are listed above.

lorain, medina, summit, geauga, and lake.

not to threadjack, but i had no idea that there were four alumni total from ANY college in meigs county.

MACMAN · Post by **MACMAN** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 8:40 am

I would venture to say that the real x factor here is Browns Fans. How many Browns Fans will be jonesing hard for some football, and want to get a start on the year. Out of respect for these Browns Fans, i would think BGSU throwbacks are in order to make them feel at home. so if we can get 20% of browns fans that is another 9k or more.

Schadenfreude · Post by **Schadenfreude** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 8:47 am

MACMAN wrote:Out of respect for these Browns Fans, i would think BGSU throwbacks are in order to make them feel at home.

If the reception in the Browns locker room is any indication, Coach Brandon wants to send the team out in those throwbacks.

transfer2BGSU · Post by **transfer2BGSU** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 10:54 am

tekekini wrote: if so that will kill BG student attendance as most will stay home and watch it where they can drink beer

Bleeding Orange wrote:I'm going to say this only once (and teke, tell your friends!): people WILL be able to drink at this game! As an off-campus game, university rules about selling alcahol at sporting events, I'm sure, will not apply.

You are absolutely correct - both of you.

BUT Bleeding Orange,I think tekekini is right (I know, there's a first time for everything

) It's one thing to be on-campus and to try and drink at a tailgate party in front of University PD. It's something altogether different to try and tailgate in downtown Cleveland where you know that Clevelands' Finest and Ohio Liquor Control agents will probably be spending Saturday morning trying to educate our youth on certain state laws.

jacojdm · Post by **jacojdm** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 11:48 am

transfer2BGSU wrote:It's something altogether different to try and tailgate in downtown Cleveland where you know that Clevelands' Finest and Ohio Liquor Control agents will probably be spending Saturday morning trying to educate our youth on certain state laws.[/color]

i can say that, from personal experience, they don't do much of it on sunday mornings in the muni lot.

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 1:08 pm

Keep your beer in plastic cups and you're fine in the lot. If you venture onto the sidewalk you are fair game for open container. That will cost you $115 unless they raised it in the last 3-4 years (yes, I have experience).

A couple years ago mayor Jane wanted to crack down on tailgating, but the cops wouldn't do it. The worst it ever got was that they'd bust you for having a can/bottle but if you poured it into a cup you'd be fine. The last 2 years or so it's gotten back to the good ol' days. Frankenbong has even been back in full force the past few years. I still miss the section A boys and their wheel of liquor though

Tailgating in Cleveland is a good time, and unless you venture onto the sidewalk you will be fine from the law. If you offer the cops a breakfast sandwhich or something they'll also be much appreciative and sit back and chat with ya. They don't want to ruin anyone's day anymore than we want it ruined. They're really pretty cool and just wanting to keep the peace.

Falcon52 · Post by **Falcon52** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 1:56 pm

In the "Pit" my 5 & 6 year olds could drink and not have a problem if they wanted too.

By the way, during Browns season, I would never even let my 5 & 6 year old go to the PIT. Preseason, maybe, things are not crazy then.