Generous Number Counting at A Day....

i doubt a smaller than usual crowd at the spring game will have a whole lot to do with wins and losses this fall.

I was at the game and 78,000 seems about right.

78,000 for a practice game is still outstanding. I wonder how many teams even have stadiums that big?

Were you there? 78,500 was the attendance I was there and I spoke to Saban and he said that he did not talk to you.

The lower bowl was about 95% full. The west uppers were about 75% full. The east uppers, north and south uppers probably added another thousand total. My estimate (and I was there too) was about 75K. I thought the 78K was generous, and that 75K (plus or minus a couple thousand) was only in the stadium for about a full quarter or so before folks started milling about and leaving.

I was disappointed only in that we've had such wonderful turnouts the past several years, but 75-78K is nothing to sneeze at, nor is it (IMO) a sign of complacency. It just is what it is. When you build a HUGE stadium, you're going to have empty seats for regular games, much less spring games.

I'm pretty sure we're gonna be just fine. The sky is not falling.

I'd have thought 65 -70K myself.

I'm thinking $4 per gallon gas has put a dent in road trips for alot of folks. I wouldn't classify the turnout to a lazy fanbase.

I wouldn't sweat it. Come fall, support will be strong as usual.

For me this! Plus a 2P kickoff meant I would get back around midnight.

Dogtown Darren said:

I'm thinking $4 per gallon gas has put a dent in road trips for alot of folks. I wouldn't classify the turnout to a lazy fanbase.

I wouldn't sweat it. Come fall, support will be strong as usual.

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I really wanted to be there, especially having a good time with the family there last year. Gas prices had nothing to do with it.

The old "count everyone in the stadium" (including players, support staff, etc.) attendance trick might have been in effect as well.

lbsportswriter said:

At the risk of sounding like a Saturday Night Live skit....78,000? Really?

I guess there were always 30,000 in the bathroom at any given time....

I guess those Harry Potter invisible cloaks are selling like hotcakes...

I guess they were counting drivers within a six block radius too...

I guess they sat in shifts....

Nick Saban's greatest fear for the team is already evident in the fans... Complacency....

Instead of showing up to support a team that is defending a national championship, the fan base is already showing signs of not putting forth the extra effort....

Saban fears the team is next....

Are we getting ready for another 2010 campaign with 3 losses to teams we should have beaten?

Only time will tell, but I know Nick Saban, have spoken to him personally on this subject, and know that he was disappointed with the light turn out...

Larry

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I dont care if you ride a motorcycle with him. I was NOT there but I just wrote my check for season tickets just like I did last year and the years when Stallings was there, when Shula was there, when Price was there, well you get my point. I will continue to be there thru the good times and bad times. Dont call us out, or him for that matter, cause I was not there yesterday. Times are tough for people, people have to work, have families etc. We are just fine, but thanks for your concern.

I would 100% agree with you if this was the first home game of the year but, it was a glorified practice. I have complete confidence that come Sept. 8 every seat in BDS will be filled.

there seems to be less interest this year in spring ball . not just at Alabama, but everywhere. ESPN didn't cover it like they did in the past, no college football analysis after the games on espnu , they had college bowling instead. I thought they would have at least one saturday evening show dedicated to CFB spring practice. I guess I will have to wait until monday.

I dunno. It looked to me like there was only 77,500!

I think the Bama fanbase will do their part this year just fine.

I was disappointed in the turnout. I was hoping for more, and to see the upper end zones never really fill up did annoy me.

But, if you were not there you wouldn't get it. It was not just really hot, there were no clouds and there was no wind. It was brutal. I know a lot of people with kids and what not got up and left, and I can't blame them. Would you sit there and let your child become ill because they can find no respite from the heat? It was that bad, I was starting to get chills sitting in that unforgiving sun. I'm pretty sure that's not a good thing. Last year it was kind of bad in the sun, but I could take it. This time I couldn't, around halftime we went over to the other side and found seats. It became a pretty stark contrast as one side was pretty much full and the other side became abandoned.

So, when I saw that the upper end zone seats never filled out, I can understand why. After the long trek up, I'm not sure how long one could stay there. I was in those seats for the home opener last year, and I know one person had to have medical help once they got to the top (and it wasn't nearly as bad as A-day). I think we can do better, we should do better, but if you weren't stuck in that sun for hours you don't get what it was like.

I thought/hoped 80K, and that was pretty close to the actual number. Others were saying/have said 70K, but I think that was a bit low. Most of the seats were full, there was a lot of people around the fences, and I know some people even took to the tunnels and the like to avoid the heat. I'm thinking the number was pretty accurate, but it wasn't accurate for very long as not everyone could last.

Anyway, my wife and I drove there from Mobile. We rented a car (why put all those miles on your personal car?), paid less than $30 for the rental. It got pretty good mileage, so the rental, gas and food that day come out to less than $100. Not really a bad way to spend a day, and it's not like it broke the bank. We printed out a pass for free parking, and we could have taken a couple more people without being out another dime. I guess may be we'll have to drag some people along next year that think gas is too expensive (gas was less than a single ticket usually costs).

I suppose one could criticize the locals if they didn't show up in large numbers (and I know plenty of sidewalk alums in Tuscaloosa), but it anyone wants to make too strong a criticism of fans for not making the journey with gas at its highest point in decades, they're parking up the wrong tree.

RVTIDER said:

I dont care if you ride a motorcycle with him. I was NOT there but I just wrote my check for season tickets just like I did last year and the years when Stallings was there, when Shula was there, when Price was there, well you get my point. I will continue to be there thru the good times and bad times. Dont call us out, or him for that matter, cause I was not there yesterday. Times are tough for people, people have to work, have families etc. We are just fine, but thanks for your concern.

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Got to remember OP gets in free at all the games...where us paying folks are paying for him to come in free..

lbsportswriter said:

Only time will tell, but I know Nick Saban, have spoken to him personally on this subject, and know that he was disappointed with the light turn out...

Larry

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Larry-- please refrain from the parenting skills you are trying to put on us regulars and visitors for Tidefans.

I'm glad you know Nick Saban. Did you ask him about the salary increase the fans gave him this year and continues to contribute to the overall best for the University?

I would have loved to have been there...but it was a scheduled military drill weekend for most, if not all, Guard units in Alabama....so couldn't attend.