12-26-2003, 10:13 PM
12-26-2003, 10:24 PM
I think the only people hat could actually comment on this are the people that collected ticket stubs. Everyone else is estimatng and guessing. I will simply enjoy the fact that a MAC school won.
12-26-2003, 10:54 PM
My comment is that when I turned on the game, I almost couldn't believe how full Ford Field was...........without knowing I was guessing that had around 50K there........much of the upper decks and endzone seats were completely full. A great turnout by BG and MAC fans, and I think NW fans showed up in pretty good force as well. 
By the way, despite the turnovers and bad play calls, a nice comeback win by BG.
By the way, despite the turnovers and bad play calls, a nice comeback win by BG.
12-26-2003, 11:01 PM
One of my sisters is a BUGS grad living just north of Detroit. She and her husband and daughter took in their first bowl game tonight, seated in one of the endzones on some kind of "family plan" ticket deal. Don't know how that is done, but I have to believe it's a package sold by the MCB, rather than the individual schools. Regardless, I'm glad they had a great game to watch.
The turnovers in the 1st half were tough, especially when they're of the "bad decision" variety. But the Falcons did a nice job of righting the ship and playing within themselves. Wish I could have been at this game, but since I was working, I had to be thankful for the availability of a tv with cable and a radio.
Oh, and FTW, those CUSA officials were a freaking joke.
The turnovers in the 1st half were tough, especially when they're of the "bad decision" variety. But the Falcons did a nice job of righting the ship and playing within themselves. Wish I could have been at this game, but since I was working, I had to be thankful for the availability of a tv with cable and a radio.
Oh, and FTW, those CUSA officials were a freaking joke.
12-26-2003, 11:12 PM
got back home a little while ago and 51,000 isn't a bad estimate. the sides were full, the endzones were full and over half the upper decks (which do not hold nearly as many fans combined as the lower ring does) were full.
3 odd things i noticed:
the northwest and northeast corners of the lower bowl were hardly occupied while the upper decks were over half full. why wouldn't people fill the better/closer seats first?
certain sections of the third deck were full while the one next to it was half full - then another full one....strange spread of the crowd.
the northwestern side was purple from the 50 to an endzone - while the b g side was orange from 30 to 30. why isn't the big 10 side centered?
but clearly many, many more than at last year's game - or at any of the silverdome motor city bowls. very nice showing.
3 odd things i noticed:
the northwest and northeast corners of the lower bowl were hardly occupied while the upper decks were over half full. why wouldn't people fill the better/closer seats first?
certain sections of the third deck were full while the one next to it was half full - then another full one....strange spread of the crowd.
the northwestern side was purple from the 50 to an endzone - while the b g side was orange from 30 to 30. why isn't the big 10 side centered?
but clearly many, many more than at last year's game - or at any of the silverdome motor city bowls. very nice showing.
12-26-2003, 11:50 PM
The official attendance is 51,286. I was there, the place was packed. TONS of Orange and Brown. NU had a nice showing as well. I even ran into some friends who I couldn't imagine seeing at a BG game - they were there with family and/or friends. I was expecting between 30-40,000 - this was definitely a nice surprise. Maybe playing a bowl game so close to home ain't so bad.
GREAT JOB FANS!!!!
GREAT JOB FANS!!!!
12-27-2003, 12:17 AM
Will comment tomorrow when I am sober
12-27-2003, 12:53 AM
The total was definately in the neighborhood of what was reported - unlike so many EMU games that I've gone to over the years. We had great fan support for both teams and the Detroiters were out in force (of which I am one). Best crowd we've ever had at a MotorCityBowl by a long shot. These were the largest non-MAC and largest MAC crowds I've seen.
EMU Huron: I can answer one of those - the 2nd and 3rd level seats are cheaper than corner first level - and the view is really no better in the first level corner.
As for the attendence estimation:
1 - The 1st level bowl was almost completely filled - except for the two corner sections EMU Huron noted.
2 - The 2nd deck is the "club level" and is therefor not a deep section, so it probably only accounts for 7-8,000 seats. This deck was half full.
3 - The 3rd level (not a deck since it only goes 2/3rds of the total way around) probably holds about the same (7-8,000).
That leaves the lower level at about 45,000 seats. The upper levels were more than half filled - giving you about 10,000 empty seats total OR ~ 50,000 + in attendence.
EMU Huron: I can answer one of those - the 2nd and 3rd level seats are cheaper than corner first level - and the view is really no better in the first level corner.
As for the attendence estimation:
1 - The 1st level bowl was almost completely filled - except for the two corner sections EMU Huron noted.
2 - The 2nd deck is the "club level" and is therefor not a deep section, so it probably only accounts for 7-8,000 seats. This deck was half full.
3 - The 3rd level (not a deck since it only goes 2/3rds of the total way around) probably holds about the same (7-8,000).
That leaves the lower level at about 45,000 seats. The upper levels were more than half filled - giving you about 10,000 empty seats total OR ~ 50,000 + in attendence.
12-27-2003, 02:09 AM
On tv I saw a good turnout, but 51K is a huge stretch for me. On tv I saw the endzones very lightly packed and the sidelines were decently packed but had many gaps of open chairs. I couldn't see the top levels, but there was a good crowd there. 51K? I think the attendance may be padded quite a bit there....I'd guess more like 40-44K.
I was suprised how much BG struggled with an average NW though.
I was suprised how much BG struggled with an average NW though.
Guest
12-27-2003, 06:01 AM
The Knight Time Wrote:I think the attendance may be padded quite a bit there....I'd guess more like 40-44K.Based on what?
Quote:I was suprised how much BG struggled with an average NW though.
That "average" team would have hung 50 on your team even before they started to improve at mid-season. Yes BG struggled some. They played flat for a little over a half, seemed less than perfectly coached, and were on the receiving end of some HORRIBLE C-DOA officiating. Yet, despite all of that, they got a "W" in a bowl game. Maybe your team would like to try that someday.
12-27-2003, 06:56 AM
It was a good crowd and I will say one thing, with all of the orange on the BG side it made it look like there were some empty seats. It was a site to behold. By the way, I was in the press box for last year's and last night's games and there were more people there last night than there was last year. The 51,000+ is an accurate number.
12-27-2003, 09:32 AM
John52168 Wrote:It was a good crowd and I will say one thing, with all of the orange on the BG side it made it look like there were some empty seats. It was a site to behold. By the way, I was in the press box for last year's and last night's games and there were more people there last night than there was last year. The 51,000+ is an accurate number.I believe the 51,000+ attendance appeared correct too based on the total stadium capacity and my visual estimate of the percentage of occupied seats. I just wanted to know if most others got the same impression as I did.
Could this be the largest attendance for a bowl game with a non-BCS participant?
12-27-2003, 09:35 AM
Rocky Wrote:Don't know, but for in-house attendance last night's game was a Motor City Bowl record. Beating out last season's 45,765. Which means they sold more tickets this season than last season's 51,872 tickets.John52168 Wrote:It was a good crowd and I will say one thing, with all of the orange on the BG side it made it look like there were some empty seats. It was a site to behold. By the way, I was in the press box for last year's and last night's games and there were more people there last night than there was last year. The 51,000+ is an accurate number.I believe the 51,000+ attendance appeared correct too based on the total stadium capacity and my visual estimate of the percentage of occupied seats. I just wanted to know if most others got the same impression as I did.
Could this be the largest attendance for a bowl game with a non-BCS participant?
12-27-2003, 09:36 AM
Oddball Wrote:Amen, Oddball.The Knight Time Wrote:I think the attendance may be padded quite a bit there....I'd guess more like 40-44K. Based on what?
Quote:I was suprised how much BG struggled with an average NW though.
That "average" team would have hung 50 on your team even before they started to improve at mid-season. Yes BG struggled some. They played flat for a little over a half, seemed less than perfectly coached, and were on the receiving end of some HORRIBLE C-DOA officiating. Yet, despite all of that, they got a "W" in a bowl game. Maybe your team would like to try that someday.
12-27-2003, 09:43 AM
Where do these people get these 40K estimates..........that's saying that the place was less than 2/3 filled, and had 25K empty seats. That's ridiculous to the extreme! The sidelines were filled, the endzones pretty full, and much of the upper decks were even full. The only sparse areas I could see were the corners of the lower deck. When watching the game I was guessing around 50K, which is about what they announced........that's still allowing for 15K empty seats...........no way there were much more than that.
12-27-2003, 09:48 AM
78.9% capacity crowd last night: <a href='http://mb2.theinsiders.com/fwesternmichiganfrm22.showMessage?topicID=516.topic' target='_blank'>2003 Bowl Game Attendance</a>
12-27-2003, 09:54 AM
Like the others who were at the game, I would say that the attendance number was pretty much dead-on accurate. Great crowd. Great game.
12-27-2003, 10:03 AM
Having actually attended the game, I'd have to say there were at least 51,000 cops in attendance.
All this crying over the alleged padding of the attendance is just more sour grapes whining from supporters of schools that couldn't get it done on the field
All this crying over the alleged padding of the attendance is just more sour grapes whining from supporters of schools that couldn't get it done on the field
12-27-2003, 11:14 AM
51K is right on. I was lower bowl about the 30 yard line. I didn't get a good view of the upper bowl from my vantage point, but the lower bowl was decently filled.
There was a LOT of orange and brown. Conservatively I would say there were at least 20K of Falcon faithful in attendence - and LOUD Falcon faithful at that!
I had a great time and I am pleased with the win.
There was a LOT of orange and brown. Conservatively I would say there were at least 20K of Falcon faithful in attendence - and LOUD Falcon faithful at that!
I had a great time and I am pleased with the win.
12-27-2003, 11:18 AM
Oddball Wrote:Based on the fact that he is clearly not familiar with Ford Field...The Knight Time Wrote:I think the attendance may be padded quite a bit there....I'd guess more like 40-44K. Based on what?