Here's a link to a pic of the 'attendance' at UCLA's game on Saturday in the Rose Bowl. While the stadium holds 100k, it doesn't look like there more than about 10k there, if that. Admittedly, it was South Alabama (who the Bruins beat on a last-second FG) but, still. Think this is a hotbed of CFB that the B10 will love having join their conference? This expansion of conferences may end up imploding. As Troy Aikman said, this is embarrassing that a 3-0 UCLA can't draw more than this to a football game.
UCLA and USC joining the B10
- Thread starter gamecockcat
- Start date
It’s all about getting the B1G network on all those cable and satellite packages in SoCal.
Looks like that may have been pregame, announced attendance was 29,344 (probably tickets sold) but still . . . think they only drew 27,000 for their home opener, which was the smallest Rose Bowl crowd in history for a UCLA game.
For whatever reason, interest in college sports has completely dropped off in southern California, Dodgers draw 27,000 for batting practice . . . or any game against the Reds, well, I guess that is pretty much the same thing.
For whatever reason, interest in college sports has completely dropped off in southern California, Dodgers draw 27,000 for batting practice . . . or any game against the Reds, well, I guess that is pretty much the same thing.
Football just isn't a big deal in other areas as it is in the southeast. Lots of talent there but they just don't draw the crowds. Could be other reasons besides lack of interest. Maybe traffic, cost or other things to do.
UCLA had this issue prior to going to the Big10. Their home opener last year drew 33,000 fans, only 6,000 more than this years opener. They were 7-4 last year going into the final game and only drew 36.000. The Big10 move has probably added to it a little bit. LA, like all big cities are pro sports towns these days...unless you're one of the best in the game.
Tell that to the 100K that are regularly in attendance at Ohio State, Michigan, PSU, etc.
Which one of those are in the Pac12 or west of the rockies? And wasn't long ago that Michigan had lots of empty seats. Southeast was a bad term, and you named the only 3 schools in the big 10 who draw that kind of crowd.
Sorry. I left out crappy Nebraska. Stadium capacity is 85,458 and they averaged over 86,000 last year. Clearly they don’t care about football.
Here is what I think will happen when they play BIG teams. The stadium will be mostly full. Unfortunately for UCLA the visiting team will have a huge advantage.
Attendance has dropped in a lot of places all over the country, for 100 different reasons, and in LA, there are literally 100 other fun things to do on a Saturday (hell, maybe 500) besides fight traffic to see South Alabama play UCLA. Rose Bowl still sells out every year, but a ho hum non conference matchup is not going to draw the fans the way it used to.
Judging from the subsequent post while play was going on, the 'pregame' crowd was pretty much equal to the in-game crowd. With 10+ million people in LA, there aren't 30k that want to go see a college football game? I'm guessing USC draws better and, when they were top 5 every year, they were 'must see'. If OSU or MI come west for a regular season matchup, that should sell some tix. MD, Rutgers, IN, et al? Not so much. No way there was 20k fans in the stands. More like >10k from those pictures.
I'm guessing the Rams, Chargers, Dodgers, Lakers all sell out well in advance. So, it's not 'sports' so much as college sports, which is consistent with a lot of big cities (certainly in Denver where I live). Aikman might have been a bit facetious but an on-campus 40k stadium might not be such a bad idea for UCLA if this is all the interest in their football team. If I was a player, I'd rather play in front of a capacity crowd (even if only 40k) vs in a (at best) half full gargantuan stadium. Don't think USC would spend the dough to build in the shadow of Watts so they might stick with the Coliseum. Hard to believe that UCLA can get recruits when the level of interest is so low, even with a pretty decent team.
I'm guessing the Rams, Chargers, Dodgers, Lakers all sell out well in advance. So, it's not 'sports' so much as college sports, which is consistent with a lot of big cities (certainly in Denver where I live). Aikman might have been a bit facetious but an on-campus 40k stadium might not be such a bad idea for UCLA if this is all the interest in their football team. If I was a player, I'd rather play in front of a capacity crowd (even if only 40k) vs in a (at best) half full gargantuan stadium. Don't think USC would spend the dough to build in the shadow of Watts so they might stick with the Coliseum. Hard to believe that UCLA can get recruits when the level of interest is so low, even with a pretty decent team.
They're waiting for that lalapaloooza Rutgers game. What a rivalry that will be over the years.
You named 4 schools out of 70 or so programs, but clearly I should have said west of the rockies or maybe only CA. But the jest is the southeast will have a higher percentage of sellout of any area in the country. A few random programs scattered around the country will also sell out, but not for years or even decades.
Who are the morons sitting in the end zone seats? If the stadium is that empty, I'm moving to the fitty yard line seats
LOL, must have ass holes for ushers . Rupp arena have some that think they are “large and in charge “ and make sure you don’t sit in better seats regardless if they are empty or not .
Mets stadium was the same way one night game I went to years ago, Had been a long rain delay and there were huge amounts of empty seats in better sections but they wouldn't let us move
I have no idea but I'm guessing if 10k won't turn out to see UCLA play in person, the number of TV sets tuned to the B10 network will be very small. And, don't forget, if the B10 games start at noon, that's 9:00 on the WC. LA folks aren't eating breakfast with Iowa-Purdue on the tube. Just can't see it.
LA is a unique city full of people from everywhere else in the world who have plenty of things to do including watching the college teams from where they came from.
Ucla specifically is a pretty global campus. their alumni base doesn‘t really identify with the brand nor stay real loyal to the teams like other alumni bases. How often do you see UCLA swag…anywhere? Compared to Texas, Florida, Ohio state, unc, uk, et….
In their defense, 2:00 games vs bowling green and south Alabama would probably leave a lot to be desired in terms of interest/attendance in a lot of places.
That will be the next big shift in CFB once conference realignment and all the new media rights deals…3 puff ooc games will go way of the dodo…networks, streaming services etc ain’t gonna pay the type of money they’re paying and let athletic department/conferences slide with the old “3 easy wins” scheduling philosophy anymore.
Ucla specifically is a pretty global campus. their alumni base doesn‘t really identify with the brand nor stay real loyal to the teams like other alumni bases. How often do you see UCLA swag…anywhere? Compared to Texas, Florida, Ohio state, unc, uk, et….
In their defense, 2:00 games vs bowling green and south Alabama would probably leave a lot to be desired in terms of interest/attendance in a lot of places.
That will be the next big shift in CFB once conference realignment and all the new media rights deals…3 puff ooc games will go way of the dodo…networks, streaming services etc ain’t gonna pay the type of money they’re paying and let athletic department/conferences slide with the old “3 easy wins” scheduling philosophy anymore.
27.000 looks a lot more like 2,700 to me. Looks like a crowd you would see at a high school soccer game.
Any idea how many B1G alums and fans from B1G territory are in Southern California? I'll go out on a limb and say it's several metric shit tons. When SC and UCLA join the B1G, the attendance for home conference games will increase significantly. This isn't about TV markets. The BTN and SEC Network are nationwide now.
