September 18th, 2021 at 10:46 PM ^
Probably that many in the big house today as well if they announced scanned tickets vs sold tickets
September 19th, 2021 at 7:56 AM ^
At no point in the telecast prior to the late in the game (I haven't seen the 4th qtr yet) did Michigan Stadium look anything close to that. You should pay more attention. I was actually kind of surprised when they panned the crowd before the opening kick - it was a LOT more full than it normally is. The students were even there!
September 19th, 2021 at 8:17 AM ^
This is the correct take. Bottom line: Michigan sold 30,000 more seats than OSU. Both (really all) schools count the same way. Sold tickets + press and other persons (visitors, etc.) in attendance.
With 106.000 for Michigan v. NIU, if you see empty seats those people are either (1) no shows, or (2) in the concourse, or (3) still at or left to return to their tailgate or whatever party....
The fact is that Michigan has normal attendance for non-conference body bag game and OSU was way short of a normal attendance number.
Still...OSU failing to sell 30,000 seats is fair warning. CFB is charging too much (at least for the body bag games) and making in-person attendance harder to tolerate with far too much commercial stoppage time.
September 18th, 2021 at 11:19 PM ^
Frontrunners.
September 18th, 2021 at 11:31 PM ^
Prices of tickets, concessions, parking, plus the gameday experience, bathrooms, etc. There's a justifiable limit to what someone considers "worth it" to go see a game these days when you can sit at home, watch it in 4k, eat and drink what you want and no line to the bathroom. Add in playing crap teams and the pandemic and you get people not wanting to show up unless it's a top 25 matchup.
September 19th, 2021 at 11:22 AM ^
At home with a great TV can be great. But there is something great about being at the stadium and seeing the game live too.
They are just two very different experiences, both with their own positives.
But this is simple, schools need to significantly lower pricing for the body bag game tickets.
For September body bag games, they can even go back to Canham's early 70s marketing and bring in bus loads of groups, school groups, etc., at reduced prices that include a hot dog or whatever for end zone seats.
September 18th, 2021 at 11:41 PM ^
And a lot of them likely wish they had spent their Saturday afternoon elsewhere.
September 19th, 2021 at 12:09 PM ^
If he was alive, Bob Ufer would say the pandemic has been hard on 76K truck drivers who attend OSU games…
September 18th, 2021 at 11:59 PM ^
Yeah,
Michigan Stadium looked pretty empty at kickoff. Our fanbase has weathered things pretty well, but no one is immune to bad attendance in early games against nothing opponents, especially once the season is in full swing.
It doesn't have the charm of being the first game of the season. It's not a big opponent. There are a lot of people who still enjoy going to games, but maybe don't enjoy going to every game anymore.
I'd probably be one of them if I still lived in Michigan. I went to every game for years. It was awesome. But I'm older now, I have a lot of stuff on my plate, family, house, all that. I absolutely cannot afford to attend games all the time, and I enjoy watching on my tv at home with a DVR that I can use to see what happened in the OL right after a particularly good or bad play without getting behind the game. A full day at the Stadium is great, and it's also all-consuming and exhausting.
I had ministry work this morning, got home, watched the game, rewound a play so that my son could see how fast Aidan Hutchinson could get around the corner and dive for a sack, ate some lunch, flipped to see a couple other games during commercials, and went sailing in the harbor this afternoon in perfect conditions. And I was still back home for dinner and a restful evening.
That's not bad.
September 19th, 2021 at 12:55 AM ^
How in the world did you get 20 million mgopoints?? I didn't think it was possible.
September 19th, 2021 at 1:41 AM ^
It was a glitch, long ago.
September 19th, 2021 at 12:09 AM ^
HDTV, busy lives, cheaper beer, high ticket prices, zero traffic, for some it's just worth staying home for. Every once in a while is GREAT, but multiple games a year is just a hassle anymore...IMO.
September 19th, 2021 at 12:49 AM ^
I stayed home today. I’ve got young kids and I would rather watch the game with my wife and we would rather not leave them for 6-7 weekends in the Fall when we both work all week as it is. I had a wonderful time watching from my couch. Probably will go to some of the bigger games but fine to sit this one out.
September 19th, 2021 at 9:59 AM ^
This speaks to the problem with football, and all sports really. The core fanbase is aging and has real-life responsibilities creeping in that preclude attendance at events. Meanwhile, little is being done to appeal to a new generation of sports fans.
My kids are teenagers, and despite my best efforts, they don't attend any sports. Their "sports" are video games and TikTok.
And what are the people who run sports in this country doing about that? Nothing. In fact, worse that nothing. They are only interested in chasing today's highest dollar, creating an environment that is a complete turnoff to attendance at events.
They are going to wake up one day and wonder where all the fans have gone. Attendance at events cements the bond with teams that spills over to watching them on TV as well.
September 19th, 2021 at 2:17 AM ^
Only up by 7 against Tulsa with 6 minutes in the 4th.
September 19th, 2021 at 7:00 AM ^
Yeah, but it’s a soccer school, isn’t it?
September 19th, 2021 at 9:02 AM ^
They all had tickets for the NIU game. OSU didn’t have Michigan to tether their schedule this year.
September 19th, 2021 at 9:06 AM ^
Due to the supply chain issues, there has been a shortage of poop coolers. That would explain why they didn't show up.
September 19th, 2021 at 9:41 AM ^
They only played worth 76,540 in attendance.
September 19th, 2021 at 12:27 PM ^
I have to say it’s weird here in Columbus. Of course, people love osu still and hate UM but it almost feels like “osu burnout”. Even my die hard friend/fans are at least as into the browns as they are osu right now and just seek disinterested.
September 19th, 2021 at 3:01 PM ^
Did they sell out week 1. I know they were short tix sales as late as Thursday night Game 1 I’m talking about