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

actually, it's more like an inquiry. Tried to find a link to information regarding official attendance numbers for the non-BcS bowl games this season, and I'm curious as to where the Compass Bowl ranks among them. Anyone got a suggestion on where to start looking, please? It's also something I want to use on the premiere of "Unleash The Dragon." in February. Thanks...

Solomon tweeted that it was the 8th highest attendance for any bowl this season. https://twitter.com/jonsol/status/287665246796132352

Most, if not all, of the others had attendance decreases, though, while the Compass Bowl and the R+L Carriers Bowl(?) in New Orleans that features La-Lafayette both had dramatic increases.

Proximity to bowls by the invited team(s)

Perhaps that's a model for success going forward, particularly for non-AQ teams in non-BCS bowls...

(01-07-2013 01:51 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  Perhaps that's a model for success going forward, particularly for non-AQ teams in non-BCS bowls...

I concur. As much as I detest Legion Field and still want very much for UAB to get its' own OCS like everyone else in this state has, it looks a lot more tolerable when it's got a good-sized crowd in it. Just an observation, but don't think for one second that this won't be used as evidence against UAB Football fans if we don't take the initiative to get out there like the Ole Miss fans did for the Compass Bowl.

(01-07-2013 02:47 PM)Matrix Wrote:  

(01-07-2013 01:51 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  Perhaps that's a model for success going forward, particularly for non-AQ teams in non-BCS bowls...

I concur. As much as I detest Legion Field and still want very much for UAB to get its' own OCS like everyone else in this state has, it looks a lot more tolerable when it's got a good-sized crowd in it. Just an observation, but don't think for one second that this won't be used as evidence against UAB Football fans if we don't take the initiative to get out there like the Ole Miss fans did for the Compass Bowl.

Easier said than done. UAB doesn't have the fans that Ole Miss has. 10,000 UAB fans just doesn't cut it at Legion Field.

(01-07-2013 02:47 PM)Matrix Wrote:  

(01-07-2013 01:51 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  Perhaps that's a model for success going forward, particularly for non-AQ teams in non-BCS bowls...

I concur. As much as I detest Legion Field and still want very much for UAB to get its' own OCS like everyone else in this state has, it looks a lot more tolerable when it's got a good-sized crowd in it. Just an observation, but don't think for one second that this won't be used as evidence against UAB Football fans if we don't take the initiative to get out there like the Ole Miss fans did for the Compass Bowl.

After eight straight losing seasons, UAB should be paying us to come watch.

(01-07-2013 03:05 PM)BlazerGreen Wrote:  

(01-07-2013 02:47 PM)Matrix Wrote:  

(01-07-2013 01:51 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  Perhaps that's a model for success going forward, particularly for non-AQ teams in non-BCS bowls...

I concur. As much as I detest Legion Field and still want very much for UAB to get its' own OCS like everyone else in this state has, it looks a lot more tolerable when it's got a good-sized crowd in it. Just an observation, but don't think for one second that this won't be used as evidence against UAB Football fans if we don't take the initiative to get out there like the Ole Miss fans did for the Compass Bowl.

After eight straight losing seasons, UAB should be paying us to come watch.

Technically, they have. In the form of free ticket giveaways & those "4 In 1" game passes.

So much for people being scared for their lives to go to Legion Field. The almost 60,000 there for Saturday's Bowl Game came and went apparently without incident. I guess we can't use that stupid arse excuse no more.

SBC fan has totals from all the bowls --> http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=611912

@BeliefBlazer: That link scored a direct hit! Thank you for sharing it here. That's exactly what I was looking for...

(01-07-2013 10:09 PM)thebookerman Wrote:  So much for people being scared for their lives to go to Legion Field. The almost 60,000 there for Saturday's Bowl Game came and went apparently without incident. I guess we can't use that stupid arse excuse no more.

Not really. One of the most effective ways of reducing crime is to crowd the streets with law abiding people. There's much less chance of criminal activity when there's 60,000 potential witnesses. At 10,000, the crowd can easily get dispersed, making the individuals more vulnerable.

I'm ecstatic about the success of the Compass Bowl this year. I think it's great for the city, and Legion Field. There's more of an argument for throwing money its way if it can deliver a return. Maybe Compass can help out with a sponsorship of the field.

Legion Field DOES look great when it's full. It's impressive. I wish UAB games looked half that good.

Ole Miss can come back anytime they like. Apparently that fan base is awesome. It sucks that the home and home with them got canceled. Pitt isn't much more exciting to play than UAB really.

I'm also glad there were no major incidents, but a few people got the hell scared out of them. I will point out that a lot of those 59,135 weren't scared because they didn't know any better. There were probably a lot of first-time visitors.

And of course the concession lines were long and they ran out of stuff. When is the last time they had to deal with that many people? And when is the last time they served beer at all? Probably the last Compass Bowl.

Experience is a very good teacher and Legion Field experiences with 60,000 crowds have been rare lately. The city may need to go back and review the traffic control measures from the "old days" when the stadium had sell out crowds regularly - things like making Greymont Ave ONE WAY west before games and ONE WAY east after the games. Reestablishing the shuttle service from large parking lot areas (5 Points west & Fair park; the Remote parking lot at the airport; UAB lots; regular city owned lots downtown come to mind) and using MAX busses on designated routes might help as well. I saw evidence that a lot of folks became discouraged about getting into the game (I saw lots of cars still waiting on I-65 north all the way back to Greensprings Ave. at 12:00) and just went shopping.

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Ole Miss won't bring that kind of crowd year after year. This year was special because they have sucked a long time and their new coach came in and turned it around immediately. So much for the theory that you need time to rebuild. Freeze should have won SEC coach of the year.

(01-08-2013 04:59 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  Experience is a very good teacher and Legion Field experiences with 60,000 crowds have been rare lately. The city may need to go back and review the traffic control measures from the "old days" when the stadium had sell out crowds regularly - things like making Greymont Ave ONE WAY west before games and ONE WAY east after the games. Reestablishing the shuttle service from large parking lot areas (5 Points west & Fair park; the Remote parking lot at the airport; UAB lots; regular city owned lots downtown come to mind) and using MAX busses on designated routes might help as well. I saw evidence that a lot of folks became discouraged about getting into the game (I saw lots of cars still waiting on I-65 north all the way back to Greensprings Ave. at 12:00) and just went shopping.

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The only time they have that traffic plan is for the Magic City Classic which helps traffic around the stadium a lot. Traffic this past Saturday was a pain.