College football heads in wrong direction with largest attendance drop in 34 years

[ShootSpeeders]

I think it's the CTE scandal that is turning people away from football, pro and college.. That's the scandal that really really scares football. Is attendance at HS games also dropping?

College football heads in wrong direction with largest attendance drop in 34 years

feb 13 2018 Major-college football experienced its largest per-game attendance drop in 34 years and second-largest ever, according to recently released NCAA figures.

Attendance among the 129 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams in 2017 was down an average of 1,409 fans per game from 2016. That marked the largest drop since 1983 when average attendance declined 1,527 fans per game from 1982.

The 2017 FBS average of 42,203 fans per game is the lowest since 1997.

That average attendance drop marked the second-sharpest decline since the NCAA began keeping track of college football attendance in 1948. For the first time in history, average attendance declined nationally for four consecutive seasons.

 

[Montrovant]

I wonder how the TV ratings were for college football? It's hard to look at only one stat and draw a conclusion from it.

I agree, however, that the growing knowledge about how football can lead to brain injury has probably had an effect on attendance/viewership/participation at all levels. I remember Chris Borland having a breakout rookie season as a linebacker for the 49ers, looking as if he might become a long-time starter, then retiring because of fears about brain injuries. I've also read about former and (I believe) current NFL players advocating for parents to keep children away from football until an older age.

 

[ShootSpeeders]

I've also read about former and (I believe) current NFL players advocating for parents to keep children away from football until an older age.

Football is too dangerous for everyone, even adults. I saw the movie "Concussion" and read the book by Doctor Omalu. In the movie or maybe it was the book , they tell how when Mike Webster's mental problems developed his doctor asked if he'd ever been in a car wreck. Webster said "yeah - about 25,000".

 

[Unkotare]

I've also read about former and (I believe) current NFL players advocating for parents to keep children away from football until an older age.

Football is too dangerous for everyone, even adults......

 

[Wyatt earp]

We should go back to the old way, no one really likes the play off system..


I so miss the way the bowl games used to be .

 

[WinterBorn]

The attendance drop is due to several things.

1) The college kids themselves are not goig to the games as much. Student sections are often half full.
2) Technology lets us watch without going to staying home. I've seen people streaming the game on their phones while they grocery shop.
3) The cost, especially for college students, has gone up. Not just the tickets, but the concessions, parking ect.

 

[ShootSpeeders]

We should go back to the old way, no one really likes the play off system..
I so miss the way the bowl games used to be .

That might be the reason also. I liked the bowl system too and deciding the national champ by a poll worked for me. Look at what happened last year when every body knew ohio state was the best and they didn't even get into the playoffs.

 

[Montrovant]

We should go back to the old way, no one really likes the play off system..
I so miss the way the bowl games used to be .

That might be the reason also. I liked the bowl system too and deciding the national champ by a poll worked for me. Look at what happened last year when every body knew ohio state was the best and they didn't even get into the playoffs.

I don't even pay attention to college football, and I hated the ranking system.

 

[WinterBorn]

We should go back to the old way, no one really likes the play off system..
I so miss the way the bowl games used to be .

That might be the reason also. I liked the bowl system too and deciding the national champ by a poll worked for me. Look at what happened last year when every body knew ohio state was the best and they didn't even get into the playoffs.

Everybody knew what????

A 2 loss team that got blown out by Iowa? Best? Any one of the 4 playoff teams would have destroyed OSU.

If it had been voted on, Alabama would still have been crowned champions.

 

[Wyatt earp]

We should go back to the old way, no one really likes the play off system..
I so miss the way the bowl games used to be .

That might be the reason also. I liked the bowl system too and deciding the national champ by a poll worked for me. Look at what happened last year when every body knew ohio state was the best and they didn't even get into the playoffs.

Everybody knew what????

A 2 loss team that got blown out by Iowa? Best? Any one of the 4 playoff teams would have destroyed OSU.

If it had been voted on, Alabama would still have been crowned champions.

Albama ripped off Ohio State we all know that.

 

[WinterBorn]

We should go back to the old way, no one really likes the play off system..
I so miss the way the bowl games used to be .

That might be the reason also. I liked the bowl system too and deciding the national champ by a poll worked for me. Look at what happened last year when every body knew ohio state was the best and they didn't even get into the playoffs.

Everybody knew what????

A 2 loss team that got blown out by Iowa? Best? Any one of the 4 playoff teams would have destroyed OSU.

If it had been voted on, Alabama would still have been crowned champions.

Albama ripped off Ohio State we all know that.

A team with 1 loss that was to a top 20 team was selected over a 2 loss team that got BLOWN OUT by 35 points by an unranked team. Nobody ripped anyone off.

 

[my2¢]

I always find it hard to watch TV on Saturday during the day and this past season I was without ESPN, which I don't miss at all. I almost missed it when the National Championship Game was on. But I quickly took attitude that it was college football's loss, not mine.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I think it's the CTE scandal that is turning people away from football, pro and college.. That's the scandal that really really scares football. Is attendance at HS games also dropping?

College football heads in wrong direction with largest attendance drop in 34 years

feb 13 2018 Major-college football experienced its largest per-game attendance drop in 34 years and second-largest ever, according to recently released NCAA figures.

Attendance among the 129 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams in 2017 was down an average of 1,409 fans per game from 2016. That marked the largest drop since 1983 when average attendance declined 1,527 fans per game from 1982.

The 2017 FBS average of 42,203 fans per game is the lowest since 1997.

That average attendance drop marked the second-sharpest decline since the NCAA began keeping track of college football attendance in 1948. For the first time in history, average attendance declined nationally for four consecutive seasons.

Meh...thats what happens when you replace the viewing audience with soccer fans.
I cant believe you havent figured that out.

 

[WinterBorn]

I always find it hard to watch TV on Saturday during the day and this past season I was without ESPN, which I don't miss at all. I almost missed it when the National Championship Game was on. But I quickly took attitude that it was college football's loss, not mine.

If college football doesn't appeal to you, you shouldn't watch. It is my favorite sport. Yeah, it cuts into my weekend. But only for 13 or 14 saturday's out of the year. Worth it to me.

 

[Moonglow]

Hey folks here's a hint. There are more things to do besides watching a four hour game...

 

[my2¢]

I always find it hard to watch TV on Saturday during the day and this past season I was without ESPN, which I don't miss at all. I almost missed it when the National Championship Game was on. But I quickly took attitude that it was college football's loss, not mine.

If college football doesn't appeal to you, you shouldn't watch. It is my favorite sport. Yeah, it cuts into my weekend. But only for 13 or 14 saturday's out of the year. Worth it to me.

Oh college football appeals to me, but on my timeframe. That being in the evening hours and at night mainly through cable. Which I suppose is a main part of why the numbers are down, many of us cut off the cable or as I have done cut down to the bare basics. And I just couldn't believe the National Championship Game was on ESPN and not ABC.

This past year I've adjusted to enjoying college football, NFL and baseball through radio, either local or streamed.

 

[WinterBorn]

This years National Championship was a great game. Alabama was sloppy in the first half, but came back in the second.

The wins comes down to superior athletes and the best coach in the history of college football. This game was won by coaching. Kirby Smart is an excellent coach. But having the balls to put in a true freshman, who never took a meaningful snap at the college level, into a National Championship game was genius. I think few coaches would have done that.