The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(09-18-2014 10:27 PM)Grammar-Nazi Wrote:  I'm just wondering how many of you have actually been trained in estimating crowd size? I have. It's not easy. Quit bitching about what you think the numbers were -- when most of you have no idea how to actually estimate a crowd size -- and what were actually reported and be glad we have a product on the field people want to see.

Would you agree that the two crowds were not as close as announced? I have not been trained in estimating crowd sizes, but they did not look anywhere near the same size to the untrained eye.

(09-19-2014 09:30 AM)blazers9911 Wrote:  

(09-18-2014 10:27 PM)Grammar-Nazi Wrote:  I'm just wondering how many of you have actually been trained in estimating crowd size? I have. It's not easy. Quit bitching about what you think the numbers were -- when most of you have no idea how to actually estimate a crowd size -- and what were actually reported and be glad we have a product on the field people want to see.

Would you agree that the two crowds were not as close as announced? I have not been trained in estimating crowd sizes, but they did not look anywhere near the same size to the untrained eye.

I'm not sure. A whole boatload of UAB fans sat way up high in the shade during the Troy game.

Could some of this be the result of human error. That is, the turnstiles are manual and simply increment as it turns, which is fine. But, at some point, someone has to record or report the number from each turnstile which then has to be totaled. Human error can come into play as digits are transposed and/or totals calculated incorrectly. I would suspect that the newer stadiums/arenas have computerized/electronic mechanisms in place that do not depend on human interaction as the numbers are automatically reported to some central area computer.

Just a thought...

(09-19-2014 09:40 AM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  

(09-19-2014 09:30 AM)blazers9911 Wrote:  

(09-18-2014 10:27 PM)Grammar-Nazi Wrote:  I'm just wondering how many of you have actually been trained in estimating crowd size? I have. It's not easy. Quit bitching about what you think the numbers were -- when most of you have no idea how to actually estimate a crowd size -- and what were actually reported and be glad we have a product on the field people want to see.

Would you agree that the two crowds were not as close as announced? I have not been trained in estimating crowd sizes, but they did not look anywhere near the same size to the untrained eye.

I'm not sure. A whole boatload of UAB fans sat way up high in the shade during the Troy game.

And I suspect a good number of us who were there wished we'd done the same thing. Damn sun.

(09-18-2014 10:27 PM)Grammar-Nazi Wrote:  I'm just wondering how many of you have actually been trained in estimating crowd size? I have. It's not easy. Quit bitching about what you think the numbers were -- when most of you have no idea how to actually estimate a crowd size -- and what were actually reported and be glad we have a product on the field people want to see.

I'm no conspiracy theorist and I'm not a crowd estimator. I have however seen many people redirected around the turnstiles as has already been mentioned. Looking at pictures I'm really not sure how the crowd was not larger than stated compared to the Troy game. A&M had more fans than Troy and UAB had more fans on their side. So I was confused by the number. I personally feel that "crowd estimators" shouldn't be needed unless the turnstiles were not being allowed to do their job.

(09-19-2014 12:54 PM)stc Wrote:  

(09-18-2014 10:27 PM)Grammar-Nazi Wrote:  I'm just wondering how many of you have actually been trained in estimating crowd size? I have. It's not easy. Quit bitching about what you think the numbers were -- when most of you have no idea how to actually estimate a crowd size -- and what were actually reported and be glad we have a product on the field people want to see.

I'm no conspiracy theorist and I'm not a crowd estimator. I have however seen many people redirected around the turnstiles as has already been mentioned. Looking at pictures I'm really not sure how the crowd was not larger than stated compared to the Troy game. A&M had more fans than Troy and UAB had more fans on their side. So I was confused by the number. I personally feel that "crowd estimators" shouldn't be needed unless the turnstiles were not being allowed to do their job.

Somebody should get a video of this happening. I'm going to have my cell phone ready when my family goes through the turnstiles next weekend. If this is happening I'm sure al.com would love to get video evidence.

Announced vs estimated vs actual....what difference does it make?

What ever count "they" want to go by, the truth is attendance is way up for Blazer football, so who cares? If UAB wanted to give out the actual attendance, they would, but they don't. And neither does 95% of the NCAA other schools that play football.

Things are looking great after 3 games, so relax and enjoy the ride.

(And for those of you who think the people are asked to go around the turnstiles to make UAB look bad, effect the count charged to the concession guy, or for any other nefarious reason.....)

Al.com com does not give a crap, and you'll get crucified in the comments section if you put it up.

It'll be "UAB fans, always with a conspiracy theory. 20k fans? Shut that waste of money down!"

(09-19-2014 03:57 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  Al.com com does not give a crap, and you'll get crucified in the comments section if you put it up.

It'll be "UAB fans, always with a conspiracy theory. 20k fans? Shut that waste of money down!"

From what I've seen, al.com will run with any story that would bring clicks to the website.

The problem would be solved if UAB would get scanners to scan every ticket for admission, like every other college -- and some high schools -- in the country already do.

speaking from a position of ignorance here.....GN, what are some of the basic tenets of crowd estimation? I think a few pointers would be helpful in this conversation!

(09-18-2014 01:21 PM)blazr Wrote:  There is ONE number and it HAS to be one number because $$ is at stake for the Bham Parks & Rec (how much they pay vendors)

So help me understand this: If the vendors get paid by parks and rec based on attendance, where does my $5 go every time I buy a beer?

Down a urinal about an hour later.

(09-19-2014 07:29 PM)thebernreuter Wrote:  

(09-18-2014 01:21 PM)blazr Wrote:  There is ONE number and it HAS to be one number because $$ is at stake for the Bham Parks & Rec (how much they pay vendors)

So help me understand this: If the vendors get paid by parks and rec based on attendance, where does my $5 go every time I buy a beer?

The park and rec board is legally obligated to have one security person present for every XYZ number of attendees. For the events I have planned, we had to have one officer for 50-100 people and a second officer for 101-200 people in attendance. Off duty & in uniform Huntsville city cops are $25 an hour. I imagine B'ham rules are similar.

I would assume (yeah I know) that X number of concession stands have to be open per 5000 or 10000 fans too.

It appears that 30,000 is the next mark to cross for Park & Rec numbers to trigger them spending more money.

(09-19-2014 11:27 PM)BlazerPhil Wrote:  

(09-19-2014 07:29 PM)thebernreuter Wrote:  

(09-18-2014 01:21 PM)blazr Wrote:  There is ONE number and it HAS to be one number because $$ is at stake for the Bham Parks & Rec (how much they pay vendors)

So help me understand this: If the vendors get paid by parks and rec based on attendance, where does my $5 go every time I buy a beer?

The park and rec board is legally obligated to have one security person present for every XYZ number of attendees. For the events I have planned, we had to have one officer for 50-100 people and a second officer for 101-200 people in attendance. Off duty & in uniform Huntsville city cops are $25 an hour. I imagine B'ham rules are similar.

I would assume (yeah I know) that X number of concession stands have to be open per 5000 or 10000 fans too.

It appears that 30,000 is the next mark to cross for Park & Rec numbers to trigger them spending more money.

backyardblazer Wrote:(And for those of you who think the people are asked to go around the turnstiles to make UAB look bad, effect the count charged to the concession guy, or for any other nefarious reason.....)

See above.

(09-19-2014 03:57 PM)backyardblazer Wrote:  Announced vs estimated vs actual....what difference does it make?

Because we're getting that same bull**** about "tickets distributed" vs "butts in seats"...only now it's from our own fans on this board as if it's just a fact. It's not. The announced number is BOTH the turnstile count PLUS an additional number from UAB that's an estimate of additional attendees.

(09-19-2014 09:40 AM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  

(09-19-2014 09:30 AM)blazers9911 Wrote:  

(09-18-2014 10:27 PM)Grammar-Nazi Wrote:  I'm just wondering how many of you have actually been trained in estimating crowd size? I have. It's not easy. Quit bitching about what you think the numbers were -- when most of you have no idea how to actually estimate a crowd size -- and what were actually reported and be glad we have a product on the field people want to see.

Would you agree that the two crowds were not as close as announced? I have not been trained in estimating crowd sizes, but they did not look anywhere near the same size to the untrained eye.

I'm not sure. A whole boatload of UAB fans sat way up high in the shade during the Troy game.

This. But I also suspect, though it's just speculation, that Parks & Rec has financial incentive to keep the official number under 30k. There also the possibility that UAB inadvertently understated their estimate of additional attendees because of the "honor band" and "faith and family" events which was likely a lot of added bodies that could have missed turnstiles. All that would take is whoever provides UAB's number to screw the pooch in accounting for those folks.

Somebody did something wrong last weekend. There were about 3,000-5,000 more people there for the A&M than what was announced.

The honor system only works among the honorable.