Fan Attendance (vs Cal)

by HK Bruin on Nov 1, 2006 1:30 PM PST

Yahoo Sports just posted an article from Olin Buchanan at Rivals.com regarding Marshall Lynch.

As I'm reading the article, I can't help to think how relevant it is to the "The Dive to Abyss" article. Cal used to average 38,000 in attendance at the beginning of the Tedford era but is now close to 61,000 per game this year without having played the "big" games yet.

I simply can't stand people who say UCLA is not a football school and no one will support an expensive coach or that we can't ever fill up the Rose Bowl on a regular basis. That's totally BS!

As proven by Cal, fans (bandwagon or not) will come when the product on the field warrants the interest. It's not the other way around. To think UCLA students/alumni/fans can't support a big-time program is simply loser talk.

It breaks my heart to see so many fans abandoning our team early fourth quarter this past Saturday at the Rose Bowl, despite the earnest plead from the student chant leader to reconsider staying. (I guess the quitting culture from Dorrell has now hit the fan sections too!) Unless there is a major shift in our program, I'm afraid this will continue to spiral downward.

Go Bruins!

LINK TO THE FULL ARTICLE

[excerpt]

But no matter how many games the Bears win or which championships they may claim, perhaps their greatest accomplishment is they've gained favor with the Berkeley students - who at times in the past have been at best apathetic regarding the football team.

Just three years ago Cal's average attendance for six home games was 38,305. This season Cal has averaged 60,966 fans in five home games and still has games with UCLA and Stanford at Memorial Stadium.

"Our fans have showed us a great amount of respect," Lynch said. "Even after a close win (over Washington) that they thought would be a pushover. Our fans have really gotten into the football thing here. They've showed us a lot of support."

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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Comments

I understand leaving early

When your team plays in a way that makes you sick to your stomach, the last thing you want to do is sit around for more pain, only to go sit in traffic for an hour or so, wallowing in misery. Yuk. I hate our product. It's like shoving slugs up your nose on Fear Factor.

by tasser10 on Nov 1, 2006 1:45 PM PST reply actions

there is the economic argument in full view

Tedford is paying for himself with increased attendance (and concessions and merchandise). Conversely, KD is costing us more with the decreased attendance (and concessions and merchandise).

I truly hope for a great season, but if we dont have one we must dumpdorrell.com

by DumpDorrell on Nov 1, 2006 2:24 PM PST reply actions

I read some where that PC had the same effect

He more than pays for himself with the increases over the Hackett era.

by cv on Nov 1, 2006 3:58 PM PST up reply actions

Cal just reminds us how winning brings fans in

61,000 average is pathetic considering their team is a contender this season. Yet, as the stats show, they're up from 38,000 just 5 or 6 years ago. Let's not forget that Berkeley has so many hippies and the holier than thou attitudes that won't support football. If and when UCLA finally obtains its football version of Ben Howland, the Rose Bowl attendance will be well over 75,000, probably 85,000+.

by DorrellkilledBruinfootball on Nov 1, 2006 6:15 PM PST reply actions

well

how many can that crappy stadium hold?

by ranelar on Nov 1, 2006 8:35 PM PST up reply actions

Around 73,000

They tarp off the seats by the back end-zone pylons for most games, reducing capacity by a couple thousand. But for high demand games (Stanford, and lately UCLA/USC) they remove these.

by bruinhoo on Nov 1, 2006 9:23 PM PST up reply actions