(12-19-2014 01:18 AM)Stammers Wrote: (12-18-2014 05:20 PM)salukiblue Wrote: (12-18-2014 05:13 PM)Stammers Wrote: (12-18-2014 04:43 PM)mairving Wrote: (12-18-2014 12:36 PM)salukiblue Wrote: I also don't think the OP is being fair, in that there were a lot of discussions about FB attendance being disappointing at the end of the year, even though the announced attendance numbers were in excess of 30K.
Like I noted in another thread, it is about perspective for each sport. This year's season ticket base is about 2,500 fewer than last year and about 4,000 off from just a couple years ago (which is over a 20% drop).
This last game's announced attendance was the lowest in about nine seasons and the actual attendance rivals bleak turnouts that I haven't seen since the ice storm game vs. Providence from Dec 2004.
Steady increase in football attendance of around 20% the last 3 years:
2010 - 20078
2011 - 24271 (21%)
2012 - 28537 (18%)
2013 - 33851 (19%)*
If that holds steady and we have a 20% increase next year then we will average a little over 40K. We play Cincy and Navy next year at home. I would imagine that those would be pretty well attended plus I assume that we play Ole Miss at home so we could average between 42-45K next year. Not so shabby.
* Unofficial
A spike in attendance always happens the year after. It will be much easier to sell tickets during the off season and for the first couple of games, coming off of a (hopefully) 10 win season, than it is for a 3 win season.
Even if we go 6-6, our attendance should be equal or a bit better next year. If we have another very good season, we will get the 20% increase.
Disagree.
So much of Tiger football depends upon walk up sales. As the team goes, attendance goes.
Because of the size of the LB, there is no worry that one has to buy season tix to guarantee a good seat, so the average fan will just attend ad hoc.
So...selling tickets after a 10 win season is no easier than it is to sell tickets after a 3 win season. We will supposedly sell the exact same number of season tickets and we will have the exact same number of walk ups the first two games of the season.
Makes perfect sense. Not really, but go with whatever makes you happy.
Sometimes you argue when you really do not agree with the essence of the information in a post. Sometimes you argue just to argue.
Unfortunately, when you do the later, your responses are more scattered and even less well thought out than they normally are.
So, I will recap the IMPORTANT points--the one's relevant to this thread--to make sure we all stay on point.
The premise is (and I agree) that Memphis should see an increase in season ticket sales. Just assuming that 18K were sold this past year, I could see 23K being sold for the 2015 season.
But...the season ticket only comprise a portion of "well attended" games ($30k+)--meaning the true measure of butts in seats at the LB is incumbent upon walk up sales.
Your contention that attendance will rise after a good season isn't true in that while season tix sales may (and likely will) increase, that number isn't what drives overall attendance.
That is the only real point. Unfortunately, for Memphis football, getting the casual fan to come to the LB relies on some factors the school can control (wins/losses, quality of team on the field) but also relies on factors the school has no control over (weather, time of game, other events going on simultaneously).
In your scenario, a 6-6 Memphis team would probably lose some of the "bandwagon" fans who want to see a winner. I remember 15K at the Tulane game in 2008 whena 5-6 Memphis team needed a win to become bowl eligible.
Again, I agree that season tix will spike up, but to assume a 6-6 team will see an overall increase in attendance is misplaced for several reasons.