Pretty good crowd, far from a sellout, but I would guess 45,000+!!!

Pretty solid crowd. I'd say 35-40k.

(12-27-2011 04:59 PM)TUowl06 Wrote:  Pretty solid crowd. I'd say 35-40k.

I'd guess 40 - 45K.

the lower bowl is 40K I believe.

The lower bowl is mostly full plus a lot in the 2nd level esp on the press box/suite side.

Official attendance is 46,177

Excellent attendance! Now about that losing streak we have managed to extend ...

(12-27-2011 08:50 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote:  Excellent attendance! Now about that losing streak we have managed to extend ...

Well how often is the best MAC team in the LCPB, instead of the MAC team most geographically convenient?

Well, people on this and many other boards are far more interested in attendance than they are in the football being played. So I guess we win the Pizza Pizzza Bowl! Hooray for the MAC!

(12-27-2011 09:25 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(12-27-2011 08:50 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote:  Excellent attendance! Now about that losing streak we have managed to extend ...

Well how often is the best MAC team in the LCPB, instead of the MAC team most geographically convenient?

You have a point, but it's not like the MAC representatives have been outclassed by the opposition. The losses have been by 3, 3, 4, 2, and 5 points.

(12-27-2011 09:34 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote:  

(12-27-2011 09:25 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(12-27-2011 08:50 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote:  Excellent attendance! Now about that losing streak we have managed to extend ...

Well how often is the best MAC team in the LCPB, instead of the MAC team most geographically convenient?

You have a point, but it's not like the MAC representatives have been outclassed by the opposition. The losses have been by 3, 3, 4, 2, and 5 points.

Not saying they've been outclassed, just that there almost certainly wouldn't be a losing streak if the top 1 or 2 MAC teams were playing in it instead of #3 or #4.

(12-27-2011 09:34 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote:  

(12-27-2011 09:25 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(12-27-2011 08:50 PM)Okie Chippewa Wrote:  Excellent attendance! Now about that losing streak we have managed to extend ...

Well how often is the best MAC team in the LCPB, instead of the MAC team most geographically convenient?

You have a point, but it's not like the MAC representatives have been outclassed by the opposition. The losses have been by 3, 3, 4, 2, and 5 points.

Often enough, and the MAC champions have lost 3 out of the last 4 in Detroit, and to some really bad teams.

And this loss now makes it 5 losses in a row for the MAC in Detroit, including a 6-6 CUSA team and two 6-6 Sun Belt teams. It's bad, no matter how you try to spin it.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20111...|FRONTPAGE

I'd think the MAC also needs to ensure their best team goes to LCPB.

(12-28-2011 03:34 AM)emu steve Wrote:  http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20111...|FRONTPAGE

I'd think the MAC also needs to ensure their best team goes to LCPB.

That would be awesome, but I just don't see it happening. The Big Ten schools want to go to Florida and Texas and California over the holidays for bowl games. No one wants to go to Detroit in December. A bigger payout would be nice, but I don't think that will get the Big Ten's attention.

There is no reason for the MAC to lock in its best team to the LCB. It's not good for the LCB, and it's often not good for the MAC.

There is the usual big talk coming from the bowl organizers along with all the civic rah-rah, but they could cut the boosterism a touch and amp up the payout by half a mil. per team over what the 5-6-7 Big Ten bowls pay and they would achieve their objectives. Destinations be damned, if the money is decidedly more, the AD's will get their teams there.

But in all of these articles, there is no talk of where the money is coming from. They have been trying to raise the profile of this bowl since it started, but it is a very tough sell. That they have failed so far, even when the economy was better regionally, probably means it will be status quo for the LCB into the future.

(12-28-2011 10:08 AM)axeme Wrote:  But in all of these articles, there is no talk of where the money is coming from. They have been trying to raise the profile of this bowl since it started, but it is a very tough sell. That they have failed so far, even when the economy was better regionally, probably means it will be status quo for the LCB into the future.

There are folks in Detroit who are willing to spend to do anything which can positively enhance Detroit's profile.

I'm thinking Ilitich, Dan Gilbert, maybe others like Karmanos (CompuWare) are itching to move heaven and earth to improve downtown Detroit.

Maybe Gilbert's Quicken Loans would be willing to become a sponsor?

Gilbert also has Fathead.com which could be part of something.

It isn't as easy to do pizza and home loans as automobiles (when it was the Big 3) for title sponsorship.

I believe Gilbert coined the phrase: "Detroit 2.0" and is totally committed to a new 21st century Detroit ("Detroit 1.0" was obviously built on manufacturing esp. automobiles).

(12-27-2011 09:33 PM)axeme Wrote:  Well, people on this and many other boards are far more interested in attendance than they are in the football being played. So I guess we win the Pizza Pizzza Bowl! Hooray for the MAC!

I get your point about regular-season games. But, like it or not, attendance is key driver of which teams get bids for bowl games, and a good turnout is good for future resumes. I'm frustrated enough about the loss last night, but it would've been an additional punch in the stomach of our attendance flopped as well.