CFB Attendance Down Nationwide, ISU up 3%

[CYphyllis]

It costs little to go to an ISU game compared to most other sporting event. You can get hillsides pretty cheap for a lot of games which is changing (this is good) but compared to a lot of places, ISU is is inexpensive, especially if you live close.

In terms of attendance, ISU has a lot of things going for it that other schools don't. Centrally located in the region in which the fanbase would be the most heavily dense, easy to travel to with close connections to I-80/I-35 with light traffic for complete ease, little in state competition with Iowa being the only other sporting draw, and the centralized tailgating scene is not only easy to get to, it has a great party atmosphere with little to no work attached to it - i.e., there are no 20 minute bus rides to get from your obscure parking lot to the stadium for game time.

[WooClone15]

It costs little to go to an ISU game compared to most other sporting event. You can get hillsides pretty cheap for a lot of games which is changing (this is good) but compared to a lot of places, ISU is is inexpensive, especially if you live close.

I'd also say the fans are more enjoyable to be around. I've been to an NFL game and didn't really like it. I thought the fans were pretty annoying

[CYphyllis]

That's what I'm saying. ISU games are expensive IMO, and they are probably one of the cheapest tickets in the nation.

For me to take my family of 4 to a Cyclone football game, the tickets alone would probably run me at least $100, and that's sitting on grass. Not to mention a full tank of gas to get there and back home.... another $50. Then... you need to either eat out somewhere, tailgate, or buy food in the stadium.... so that's probably another $50.

So it's a minimum of $200 for me to take my family to a football game. No thanks. I do it once every couple years or so and that's enough for me. It's just not worth it IMO.

If $200 is too much for entertainment for a family of 4 for a full day, that's your view, but in the grand scheme of things, not that overly priced.

[alarson]

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I'm with you there clonedude,Roy Kramer,who came up with the BCS system has stated he's very concerned that college football will become like the pro's with more empty seats at stadiums and more people staying home to watch the games on t.v.. But after all,that's what all this conference realignment is about anyway,it's about the people staying at home to watch and not fannies in the stands.

Yeah, the new alignments really kill a valuable portion of attendance, visiting fans. It makes our attendance all the more impressive when we've lost games that were driveable by visitors (MU, NU) and they typically brought good numbers because of this, especially nebraska, and we've replaced them with a small fanbase 12 hours away in DFW, and a school even farther away in WVU. Our two lowest attendance marks were TTEch and WVU. If those were replaced by NU and MU our attendance wouldve beeen even higher, likely a complete sellout for NU and likely close for MU.

[jahfg]

I'd also say the fans are more enjoyable to be around. I've been to an NFL game and didn't really like it. I thought the fans were pretty annoying

I completely agree with this. For some reason, I think of the NFL crowd as a little more rough around the edges. College tailgates are more family or student-oriented. It is one thing to be connected to a city's team and something completely different to be connected to a university.

[alarson]

That's what I'm saying. ISU games are expensive IMO, and they are probably one of the cheapest tickets in the nation.

For me to take my family of 4 to a Cyclone football game, the tickets alone would probably run me at least $100, and that's sitting on grass. Not to mention a full tank of gas to get there and back home.... another $50. Then... you need to either eat out somewhere, tailgate, or buy food in the stadium.... so that's probably another $50.

So it's a minimum of $200 for me to take my family to a football game. No thanks. I do it once every couple years or so and that's enough for me. It's just not worth it IMO.

Hillside tickets- About $50 for 4 after ticketmaster fees.
Gas- $50 for a full tank if thats what ti takes.
Food- one time investment in a grill, and if you tailgate with someone who has one already, thats not a cost either. what you put on the grill however isnt much of an increased cost, as i assume you still would have to feed your children at home.

So really its closer to $100 than $200 imo.

[CloneSolo]

I am sorry, I know that everyone has different financial responsibilities, but to say that ISU FB games are expensive is ridiculous. If you want to argue that it is a not a priority, and you have budgeted your money elsewhere that is reasonable. However, most of the time I would argue that you could go to an ISU game for under $100 or close too it. I am a season ticket holder, and I have given tickets to people for under face value just to get people in the stadium. I would argue that most games you can get a ticket for under $20, carpool with a group and split the gas, pack your lunches and there it is. I would question anymore what can most families of 4 do for $100. I have taken my niece and nephew to the movies and by the time you by tickets for 4, popcorn, drinks, etc you are darn near $75-85 for only 90 minutes of poor cartoon cinematography.

[swarthmoreCY]

I am sorry, I know that everyone has different financial responsibilities, but to say that ISU FB games are expensive is ridiculous. If you want to argue that it is a not a priority, and you have budgeted your money elsewhere that is reasonable. However, most of the time I would argue that you could go to an ISU game for under $100 or close too it. I am a season ticket holder, and I have given tickets to people for under face value just to get people in the stadium. I would argue that most games you can get a ticket for under $20, carpool with a group and split the gas, pack your lunches and there it is. I would question anymore what can most families of 4 do for $100. I have taken my niece and nephew to the movies and by the time you by tickets for 4, popcorn, drinks, etc you are darn near $75-85 for only 90 minutes of poor cartoon cinematography.

If only clonedude could get that $.02 for all his critical posts.

[Rhoadhoused]

I disagree that ISU has an advantage when it comes to attendance. We share an extremely lowly populated state with a Big 10 school that was the only show in town for 20 years while ISU floundered. Our current attendance is due to our fans being absolutely bloodthirsty for a good team and wanting to support it as much as possible.

Not to mention a really good FCS team taking another small portion of fans.

[khardbored]

I know this may be a bit off topic, but (seems like that's where the topic is heading) is there a good, centralized place to buy tickets that are non-hillside? Such as like Stubhub, or a place to get 2ndhand market ticks for cheap?

[novaclone]

I see where BCS powerhouse NIU drew an average of 15,600 per game.

[alarson]

I know this may be a bit off topic, but (seems like that's where the topic is heading) is there a good, centralized place to buy tickets that are non-hillside? Such as like Stubhub, or a place to get 2ndhand market ticks for cheap?

Other than through the ticket office, there is ticketexchange throught the AD, and stubhub. Stubhub will vary with market demand. Some stadiums you'll find incredibly cheap deals depending on who and how the seasons are going. Others you won't. In some past years you could get some deals on stubhub. Now stubhub is a great way to make some cash if you have extra tickets, as the tickets often float well above face.

[Cyclonz]

I absolutely love attending games in person. Nothing can match being at Jack Trice high fiving total strangers when we score or make a great defensive stand. Watching at home is so sterile, lacks the excitement. Entertainment is just expensive - try taking a family to the movies, an amusement park, out to dinner, etc etc etc. To each his own, but give me Cyclone Football at Jack Trice these days.

[DistrictCyclone]

I'd be interested in seeing whether increases TV viewership account for the decline in in-person attendance.

[khardbored]

I noticed that the lowest team on the attendance list, Eastern Michigan at 3,923 average, is 5,000 lower than the 2nd worst team. Ouch.

I guess being just a stone's throw away from the highest attendance team will do that.