Interesting story about how UM average 100K, revealed by a FOIA request from the Detroit News. Kudos to EMU Steve for posting the article to the MAC forum.

Quote:While comp tickets aren't a new thing at Michigan, the practice ballooned during the 2014 season, particularly in the final home game against Maryland, when nearly 17,000 free tickets were distributed. That counted toward the final attendance of 101,717, the sparsest crowd at the Big House since 100,862 saw Michigan play Memphis in 1995.

There were 62,879 free tickets distributed during the 2014 season that accounted for roughly 8.6 percent of attendance, a sharp increase from the previous season, when 2.8 percent of the attendance came from comp tickets. Even with the comps, the stadium surpassed its capacity of 109,901 only once, and that came in a night game against Penn State.

I'd venture to guess that Harbaugh's arrival has legitimately boosted interest in UM football and has subsequently led to better sales as of now, but the past few years go to show how easy it is to alienate a fan base by treating college football like pro sports. You can't kill longstanding traditions and corporatize the gameday environment and expect to keep fan support high for an average team when there are far less expensive options available.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/.../25913157/

(04-17-2015 09:55 AM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Interesting story about how UM average 100K, revealed by a FOIA request from the Detroit News. Kudos to EMU Steve for posting the article to the MAC forum.

Quote:While comp tickets aren't a new thing at Michigan, the practice ballooned during the 2014 season, particularly in the final home game against Maryland, when nearly 17,000 free tickets were distributed. That counted toward the final attendance of 101,717, the sparsest crowd at the Big House since 100,862 saw Michigan play Memphis in 1995.

There were 62,879 free tickets distributed during the 2014 season that accounted for roughly 8.6 percent of attendance, a sharp increase from the previous season, when 2.8 percent of the attendance came from comp tickets. Even with the comps, the stadium surpassed its capacity of 109,901 only once, and that came in a night game against Penn State.

I'd venture to guess that Harbaugh's arrival has legitimately boosted interest in UM football and has subsequently led to better sales as of now, but the past few years go to show how easy it is to alienate a fan base by treating college football like pro sports. You can't kill longstanding traditions and corporatize the gameday environment and expect to keep fan support high for an average team when there are far less expensive options available.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/.../25913157/

This is why UConn won't be going to the B1G look at how much the number in attendance dropped when they visited Michigan vs when other B1G teams play at Michigan. Obvious that UConn is not a draw.

It's a good thing they can give away tickets, not everybody can and have people show up.

(04-17-2015 10:15 AM)_C2_ Wrote:  It's a good thing they can give away tickets, not everybody can and have people show up.

A lot of tickets are given to groups of kids or adult volunteers, so if nothing else, a chance to hang out with your friends for free.

Good. Like I said, not every program can give away tickets (and more would if they could), so that's good.

(04-17-2015 10:00 AM)BE4neva Wrote:  This is why UConn won't be going to the B1G look at how much the number in attendance dropped when they visited Michigan vs when other B1G teams play at Michigan. Obvious that UConn is not a draw.

You might want to look at that chart again. 104,230 paid vs. UConn isn't bad. Granted the weather was a positive factor there, but on the other hand, the students probably weren't back on campus yet for that game.

(04-17-2015 09:55 AM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Kudos to EMU Steve for posting the article to the MAC forum.

SMH. An EMU fan gloating about Michigan selling "only" 80,000-plus seats to each home game even in an awful season by their standards. Does EMU ever sell a total of 80,000 full-price tickets for their entire home season?

(04-17-2015 09:55 AM)Love and Honor Wrote:  how easy it is to alienate a fan base

The "alienation" comes from not winning enough games, nothing more than that, and the vast majority of schools playing college football would kill for the kind of "alienation" that results in selling only 83,000 to 99,000 tickets for each home game.

Being able to fire your coach in part for "terrible paid attendance" of "only" 83,000 to 99,000 per game, and shelling out $5 million/year for a big-name replacement ... well, we should all be so lucky to have problems like that.

It appears a whole lot of colleges include tickets given away in their attendance figures whether the fans go to the games or not.

It seems that attendance figures that are reported usually means tickets distributed. i.e. Tickets sold and given away...not fans in the seats

(04-17-2015 11:02 AM)SeaBlue Wrote:  

(04-17-2015 10:00 AM)BE4neva Wrote:  This is why UConn won't be going to the B1G look at how much the number in attendance dropped when they visited Michigan vs when other B1G teams play at Michigan. Obvious that UConn is not a draw.

You might want to look at that chart again. 104,230 paid vs. UConn isn't bad. Granted the weather was a positive factor there, but on the other hand, the students probably weren't back on campus yet for that game.

Sarcasm. That game was Labor Day weekend so yes you are right about the students. It was on abc. It's actually the highest attendance on the list. My point was the haters who say UConn won't be a drawn for B1G teams. Proof otherwise.

I have never liked Michigan, but one thing that one cannot really knock them for is their football attendance.

(04-17-2015 11:02 AM)SeaBlue Wrote:  

(04-17-2015 10:00 AM)BE4neva Wrote:  This is why UConn won't be going to the B1G look at how much the number in attendance dropped when they visited Michigan vs when other B1G teams play at Michigan. Obvious that UConn is not a draw.

You might want to look at that chart again. 104,230 paid vs. UConn isn't bad. Granted the weather was a positive factor there, but on the other hand, the students probably weren't back on campus yet for that game.

Maybe so. But that was a game that the big money was certain Michigan would win easily. When fan turnout is an issue, winning is usually the main problem. And it's certainly been an issue in Ann Arbor for a while.

(04-17-2015 12:20 PM)BE4neva Wrote:  

(04-17-2015 11:02 AM)SeaBlue Wrote:  

(04-17-2015 10:00 AM)BE4neva Wrote:  This is why UConn won't be going to the B1G look at how much the number in attendance dropped when they visited Michigan vs when other B1G teams play at Michigan. Obvious that UConn is not a draw.

You might want to look at that chart again. 104,230 paid vs. UConn isn't bad. Granted the weather was a positive factor there, but on the other hand, the students probably weren't back on campus yet for that game.

Sarcasm. That game was Labor Day weekend so yes you are right about the students. It was on abc. It's actually the highest attendance on the list. My point was the haters who say UConn won't be a drawn for B1G teams. Proof otherwise.

I get the sarcasm. I'm also aware that 2010 was before UConn football went completely in the toilet.

(04-17-2015 12:20 PM)BE4neva Wrote:  Sarcasm. That game was Labor Day weekend so yes you are right about the students. It was on abc. It's actually the highest attendance on the list. My point was the haters who say UConn won't be a drawn for B1G teams. Proof otherwise.

Sorry. I get you and the UConn haters confused.

(04-17-2015 01:22 PM)TerryD Wrote:  I have never liked Michigan, but one thing that one cannot really knock them for is their football attendance.

So that would be a "humble hate" then?

Wow. Sounds like Tennessee football.

Their fan support disappeared too.

(04-17-2015 10:15 AM)_C2_ Wrote:  It's a good thing they can give away tickets, not everybody can and have people show up.

Yes, it really is rather silly to critique Michigan attendance. Any way you slice it, tons of people show up.

(04-17-2015 12:20 PM)BE4neva Wrote:  

(04-17-2015 11:02 AM)SeaBlue Wrote:  

(04-17-2015 10:00 AM)BE4neva Wrote:  This is why UConn won't be going to the B1G look at how much the number in attendance dropped when they visited Michigan vs when other B1G teams play at Michigan. Obvious that UConn is not a draw.

You might want to look at that chart again. 104,230 paid vs. UConn isn't bad. Granted the weather was a positive factor there, but on the other hand, the students probably weren't back on campus yet for that game.

Sarcasm. That game was Labor Day weekend so yes you are right about the students. It was on abc. It's actually the highest attendance on the list. My point was the haters who say UConn won't be a drawn for B1G teams. Proof otherwise.

It was also the first game of the year. You can literally schedule anybody for that game and draw a crowd - fans are just starving for a football game!

(04-17-2015 10:00 AM)BE4neva Wrote:  

(04-17-2015 09:55 AM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Interesting story about how UM average 100K, revealed by a FOIA request from the Detroit News. Kudos to EMU Steve for posting the article to the MAC forum.

Quote:While comp tickets aren't a new thing at Michigan, the practice ballooned during the 2014 season, particularly in the final home game against Maryland, when nearly 17,000 free tickets were distributed. That counted toward the final attendance of 101,717, the sparsest crowd at the Big House since 100,862 saw Michigan play Memphis in 1995.

There were 62,879 free tickets distributed during the 2014 season that accounted for roughly 8.6 percent of attendance, a sharp increase from the previous season, when 2.8 percent of the attendance came from comp tickets. Even with the comps, the stadium surpassed its capacity of 109,901 only once, and that came in a night game against Penn State.

I'd venture to guess that Harbaugh's arrival has legitimately boosted interest in UM football and has subsequently led to better sales as of now, but the past few years go to show how easy it is to alienate a fan base by treating college football like pro sports. You can't kill longstanding traditions and corporatize the gameday environment and expect to keep fan support high for an average team when there are far less expensive options available.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/.../25913157/

This is why UConn won't be going to the B1G look at how much the number in attendance dropped when they visited Michigan vs when other B1G teams play at Michigan. Obvious that UConn is not a draw.

Urm by your statement, Maryland isn't a draw either and they got an invite.

(04-18-2015 07:59 AM)USFRamenu Wrote:  

(04-17-2015 10:00 AM)BE4neva Wrote:  

(04-17-2015 09:55 AM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Interesting story about how UM average 100K, revealed by a FOIA request from the Detroit News. Kudos to EMU Steve for posting the article to the MAC forum.

Quote:While comp tickets aren't a new thing at Michigan, the practice ballooned during the 2014 season, particularly in the final home game against Maryland, when nearly 17,000 free tickets were distributed. That counted toward the final attendance of 101,717, the sparsest crowd at the Big House since 100,862 saw Michigan play Memphis in 1995.

There were 62,879 free tickets distributed during the 2014 season that accounted for roughly 8.6 percent of attendance, a sharp increase from the previous season, when 2.8 percent of the attendance came from comp tickets. Even with the comps, the stadium surpassed its capacity of 109,901 only once, and that came in a night game against Penn State.

I'd venture to guess that Harbaugh's arrival has legitimately boosted interest in UM football and has subsequently led to better sales as of now, but the past few years go to show how easy it is to alienate a fan base by treating college football like pro sports. You can't kill longstanding traditions and corporatize the gameday environment and expect to keep fan support high for an average team when there are far less expensive options available.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/.../25913157/

This is why UConn won't be going to the B1G look at how much the number in attendance dropped when they visited Michigan vs when other B1G teams play at Michigan. Obvious that UConn is not a draw.

Urm by your statement, Maryland isn't a draw either and they got an invite.

I was at that Maryland game, the weather was cold and wet, people didn't wanna show up and deal with the weather when Michigan was having a bad season.

good thing they don't take attendance at the end of the third quarter.