The Spring Game Attendance........

Falconboy · Post by **Falconboy** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 3:47 pm

Do any of you think that 600 people is kinda low for a team coming of 2 bowl victories? Man are we behind the likes of Florida. The now Urban Meyer led Florida Gators just had their spring a week or two ago and had 58,000 people there. Wow! 600 people seems so week for a team that has had 5 straight winning seasons and 2 bowl victories. What ya guys think , wanna stomp a dead horse again? :-\

Warthog · Post by **Warthog** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 3:54 pm

Since you brought it up, I would have said that there was more than 600 people there Saturday. But I was an accounting major so I can't count.

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 3:56 pm

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 4:01 pm

Warthog wrote:Since you brought it up, I would have said that there was more than 600 people there Saturday. But I was an accounting major so I can't count.

I was a CS major. Rather than take the 20 minutes to count the number of people there we would've spent 8 hours writing the code to automatically count how many people were there

1987alum · Post by **1987alum** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 4:04 pm

hammb: well played!

Don't know if 600 is a lot or a little, but it wasn't all that long ago that the Spring Game probably didn't draw anyone outside of family members and employees of the athletic department.

Falconboy · Post by **Falconboy** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 4:18 pm

Whats with the HUGE disparity between us and a school like Florida. I know there a BCS team ,but there spring game had 58,000 fans, which is probably triple our average attendance for a regular game during the season. If we were in a conference that competed for national title year in and year out like the Big10 or SEC or Pac-10 , would there be any difference? Spring games are basicly just practices right? What is in the Florida water that makes 58,000 fans come out for a inter-squad scrimmage?

And Florida has been bad for a little while on top of that. :ugh:

Schadenfreude · Post by **Schadenfreude** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 4:22 pm

Warthog wrote:Since you brought it up, I would have said that there was more than 600 people there Saturday. But I was an accounting major so I can't count.

I thought there were more, too.

No way to know, though. There were no turnstiles.

That was my third spring game. I went to the '95 or '96 spring game -- and the crowd Saturday was substantially bigger, it seemed.

1987alum · Post by **1987alum** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 4:36 pm

falconboy wrote:Whats with the HUGE disparity between us and a school like Florida. I know there a BCS team,

As Pee Wee Herman said in "Pee Wee's Big Adventure," let's talk about your big but ... because that's an awfullly big but. They are a BCS team. One that has had a steady stream of high-level success - remember Steve Spurrier. They have cultivated a strong tradition and fan base.

falconboy wrote:If we were in a conference that competed for national title year in and year out like the Big10 or SEC or Pac-10 , would there be any difference?

Especially if we were a title contender in that league as we have been in the MAC.

falconboy wrote:Spring games are basicly just practices right? What is in the Florida water that makes 58,000 fans come out for a inter-squad scrimmage?

Again, long-term success at a high level with a high profile helped cultivate a statewide, nationwide following.

falconboy wrote:And Florida has been bad for a little while on top of that. :ugh:

They've been bad?

2004: 7-4, including a bowl loss to No. 11 Miami
2003: 8-5, including a New Year's Day bowl loss to No. 12 Iowa
2002: 8-5, including a New Year's Day bowl loss to No. 11 Michigan
2001: 10-2, including a Jan. 2 bowl win over Maryland

That's bad? Aside from losing their bowl games, what's not to like? And they compiled these records in the SEC, which is some pretty tough football. BG should be so bad to post those numbers in that league.

PGY Tiercel · Post by **PGY Tiercel** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:01 pm

Florida routinely has around 30K at its spring games, on years UM hasn't just arrived as the second coming, still more then we get at any home game. This is just part of the culture of SEC football, and more importantly, of the south's affection for football. I think our numbers, in terms of Spring attendance, should be compared to other MAC teams. That should be the litmus test, not something as unrealistic/assenine as comparing it to a good SEC teams attendence.
That said, when it comes to comparing our teams talent (which is the real important subject) I would say we have every right to try to compare ourselves to BCS teams. I have been saying for the last 3 years, BG could come down here to UK and win.

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:04 pm

To provide an additional perspective on the native disparity between the schools, I watched Florida's spring game on cable the last couple of years. Our spring game isn't on TV in Toledo, but Florida's is.

Schadenfreude · Post by **Schadenfreude** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:27 pm

PGY Tiercel wrote: I have been saying for the last 3 years, BG could come down here to UK and win.

Been there, done that.

FalconKing · Post by **FalconKing** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:38 pm

College football is practically religion in the south and particularly the SEC.

Look at Kentucky....they have sucked for a while and they still sell out. Florida is a power house and they just landed the coach that has generated the most buzz of anyone in years. That is how they get that many people to come out to their Spring game.

I was actually suprised at the attendence of our spring game and thought it was a step in the right direction. There were easily 1000-1500 people at the game by my estimate which is a lot more than were there last year. Of course last year we were just standing around the practice field....it was a much better experience being in the stadium this year.

We're making some good steps....sure we have enjoyed sucess the past four years, but it would take at least another decade of excellence to garner and egergize a fanbase to rival that of the top D1A schools....just plain fact.

MaggotMan09 · Post by **MaggotMan09** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 7:14 pm

This year was my first spring game anywhere. I've always had the chance to go to the University of Michigan's game... but never really had the inclination. I really have to agree that the 58K @ Flordia's game has to be strictly because of being in the SEC. Michigan's game last year brought about 15K to a stadium that seats 10 times that many. I just think it's because were in the north that we get a small turnout. Footbal isn't second to God around here like it is in the south.

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 8:35 pm

OSU routinely gets 25k or more to their game, and they charge admission. I do believe that the admission funds are usually given to charity, at least, but still...

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 8:55 pm

No Coach = More curious people. They all want to see what Urban is going to bring to the table. Maybe many of these people were seeing if this team was worth watching. I know at UM if you want to purchase tickets for the seasons game, the tickets go on sale the day of the Spring game. What a concept. Wait in line all night for tickets, then since you are already there, attend the game. Nice concept.

The Spring Game Attendance........

The Spring Game Attendance........

But......

Re: But......