How many people do you think were in the stadium?

Submitted by ThadMattasagoblin on

They announced 57,418 but I think there was anywhere from 60,000 to 70,000. The stadium holds 110,000 and both sidelines and the north endzone were full except for the top 20 rows of the north endzone. The south endzone was decently filled up too.

Wolverine Devotee

April 16th, 2017 at 1:01 AM ^

Another lowball estimate. No idea why they keep throwing these out there. 73,000 was more like it.

True Blue Grit

April 16th, 2017 at 6:16 PM ^

If you sat in one of these fairly crowded sections like we did yesterday, you'd know that people are pretty spread out compared to a normal home football game.  It might look full at first glance or on TV, but it really isn't even close to full.  I'd say the reported crowd number was pretty accurate.  I will say though it was the biggest spring game crowd I can remember seeing.  

Mr. Yost

April 16th, 2017 at 9:13 AM ^

1. Why do you take these things so damn personally?

2. It wasn't even close. Those late Dave Brandon games were more like 73,000 M fans...as mentioned, this was a bunch of people who were spread out, without a visiting team/staff/admin, and without visiting team fans.

Give everyone their 22" seat and everyone would've been talking about how no one goes to the spring game, attendance numbers are down, yada...yada.

MotownGoBlue

April 16th, 2017 at 1:17 AM ^

Around 70,000 would be my guess. Only the first 40-50 rows were packed, but every section and row had substantial occupants (until halftime). Based on parking and traffic too, this was the biggest turnout I've seen at a spring game.

goblue16

April 16th, 2017 at 1:17 AM ^

What confuses me is that Michigan Indiana in 2014 seemed to have the same amount of people but somehow there were 101,000 for that game and only 57,000 for this. Am I missing something? I understand the endzones were more than half empty but do the endzones seat as much as the sidelines

Mr. Yost

April 16th, 2017 at 9:15 AM ^

Less staff, less tickets sold, and you don't have a visiting team with their players, fans, admin...

Not sure if everyone realizes, but EVERY single person is estimated in those attendance numbers. From a random housekeeper to Jabrill Peppers, they're trying to count EVERYONE.

You also have to look at the suites.

...but the main thing is tickets sold and season ticket holders. ALL schools "assume" that anyone who purchased a ticket is actually in the stadium/arena.

This is why if you look at women's basketball season ticket sales you'll laugh...because a lot of mid-majors give you WBB season tickets if you buy MBB season tickets. It's a "perk."

So for Michigan Stadium, there's always a baseline number based on the team, stadium employees, etc.

But for regular season games, you're counting every ticket sold, visiting teams, band(s), visiting admin, etc.

This is why we never dipped under 100,000 in the Brandon saga. Because the tickets were sold (or given out to students)...people just chose not to show up for games. For good reason.

Blewbz

April 16th, 2017 at 2:34 AM ^

I have always been amazed 110k get into the stadium. The bench seating makes it hard to really tell how many heartbeats are in the stadium.

JonnyHintz

April 16th, 2017 at 8:05 PM ^

Not really. The seats are numbered. Meaning they know exactly how many seats there are. There's also only one ticket assigned to each individual seat and they scan each ticket upon entry into the stadium. Which means they know down to the exact number how many seats are filled.

UMxWolverines

April 16th, 2017 at 2:38 AM ^

Being there it looked like 65,000-70,000. If they said we had 60,000 two years ago theres no way there wasn't more today because this is the fullest I've seen it including the 2009 one.

AA Forever

April 16th, 2017 at 7:51 AM ^

Or was it just general admission seating?  My guess is the latter, in which case people would not have been sitting packed close together.  Sections that looked full would not have had as many people as they would for a real game.

Saint_in_Blue

April 16th, 2017 at 9:10 AM ^

The areas immediately behind the sidelines were packed. Everything else was sparse and you could easily move around. When I took a guess at attendance I said 60,000.

jabberwock

April 16th, 2017 at 4:49 PM ^

those full-ish looking midfield rows that hold, what 25 seats each?  have about 12-18 people in them.

I think even 50k is a stretch.  

Still the best crowd I've ever seen there & I think it's fantastic for the players, the fans, & the recuits; but the dick-comparison-attendence-number mania has got to stop.

MichiganMAN47

April 16th, 2017 at 10:18 AM ^

My estimation: Sideline sections were 80% full (that's about half the sections give or take) Endzone sections were 30% full (the other half) 50% * 80%= 40% 50% * 30% = 15% 40+15 = 55% 55% * 107,000 non pressbox seats = 58, 850 I think the number was about right, give or take a couple thousand.