Alabama "Small" Crowd yesterday

Probius

Hall of Fame
Mar 19, 2004
6,773
2,175
287
43
Birmingham, Alabama
I disagree... For a lot of fans there's a lot more cost involved in going to the game than just having a ticket.
Quite true. Gas to get to the game can be very expensive, gas is well over $3.00 per gallon. Parking can cost $20 to $30. Food adds up for a family with children. And for a couple with children it can be very difficult to spend a full day on the road without the youngins going crazy.
 

bamajammer

Scout Team
Nov 4, 1999
172
1
137
Tuscaloosa, AL
you either weren't there or you are kidding yourself. The student section was less than half full and the rest of the stadium was at least 80%.

Students don't have to travel, the should be there for ALL the games, not just the "big" ones. I have had season tickets for 9 years and the students section is only full for 1-2 games a year, but I have never seen it that empty. Until the students fill their section for every game they do not need to complain about not having enough tickets.
The lower bowl of the student section wasn't even 1/3 full, and their side of the upper deck was empty. The student's support was abysmal at best. My niece and her boyfriend are students and explained that noone wants to sit in the upper deck. I pointed out to them that our tickets as well as both of their parent's tickets are in U3 (where they sat before being students.) They defended themselves by saying "well that's different." Really? How? The upper deck tickets should be taken away and sold to people on the years long waiting list.

And yes I drove 3 1/2 hours both ways to attend that early morning cupcake game because I, too, went to see Alabama play!
 

bamacon

Hall of Fame
Apr 11, 2008
17,179
4,352
187
College Football's Mecca, Tuscaloosa
I shouldn't argue this but I guess I will...

...if you want to blame someone, blame the local Tuscaloosans were didn't bother looking for a scalped ticket. But I don't blame a single fan for not driving an hour or more for a glorified scrimmage the weekend before a major holiday, in a terrible economy, when most students have skipped town (and class), etc. etc.

But Roll Tide, y'all.
Yeah, blame us... Whatever dude.
 

TidePride50

3rd Team
Jan 16, 2010
296
0
0
I was there. Took my son to his first Bama game. He didn't care who we were playing, he just loved watching the Tide play.
 

RedStar

Hall of Fame
Jan 28, 2005
9,628
0
0
39
The Shoals, AL
I know it was WCU but the crowd was very light yesterday. Student section was extremely light. I was upset. Yes we lost to aTm but we had so much to play for. It did get better and then I took my shades off and so all the empty seats. I hope it changes next week, or we may lose. ;)

But seriously, what's wrong with our fans? Was the early kick, the loss, the opponent, or all
Of the above?
Sure would be nice if our fans got this upset about not packing out basketball games.

We can't even pack out a 15,000 seat arena against a big SEC opponent and we're upset that we're only a 90% capacity against a 1-9 FCS team for an 11AM kickoff?
 

CrimsonProf

Hall of Fame
Dec 30, 2006
5,716
69
67
Birmingham, Alabama
Yeah, blame us... Whatever dude.

I make my statement based on my years living and working in Tuscaloosa outside of school and even on some family who never attend games (but gump hard on gameday!). I found myself around plenty of diehards, Tide Pride members, etc. but also around tons of bandwagon fans who never darken the door of BDS or (heaven forbid) Coleman Colosseum even if tickets were very, very cheap. My wife and I had to turn down free tickets to the game because the cost of gas, food, drinks and incidentals would have just been too much stress on our budget this much. Lord knows I wish my financial house were in better order than it is now, but it is what it is. I imagine others find themselves in the same situation and I think it explains why many stay home for such games, especially late in the season.

Look, all things being equal, if you're discussing why people don't show up in large enough numbers to a weak OOC game, I think it's more fair to fuss at those fans who live in closer proximity to the venue and don't have to incur the costs of gas, meals, sitters, time, opportunity cost, etc. I just don't think it fair to lambaste our fan base across the board, but instead encourage people who can make the journey with more ease than fans who live further away. I also think that when we compare attendance to other schools - UGA, LSU, UF, FSU, etc. - we're dealing with schools that have a much larger population in close proximity to the stadium and have easier routes in and out of town. (UGA being the notable exception). I realize some of our fans don't mind the traffic or the drive or whatever, but a lot of folks do - cut them some slack.

In the abstract, I agree with every complaint. I don't like that our fans aren't loud enough or leave early or don't come to every game. But on the ground - in the day to day reality - I know that I am dealing with two young kids, a wife running her own business that she's trying to get off the ground, debt, saving for a house, a job that is tiring, I like not being exhausted on Sundays, etc. etc. etc. And if I may step up on my high horse for a moment, I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt to others.
 
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Florida Tom

All-American
Aug 15, 2011
4,449
0
0
Tampa, FL
I would love to come to every game but it's a 10 hour drive. This is the only year we have not made it up, so I'm sorry for not doing my part.
the family wanted to come to the aTm game but upper level was $300 a piece that's for 5 of us. Hey $1500 bucks plus, plus, plus is just to much.

I don't care who we play I love to see the Tide & the time is not an issue but tickets still on stub hub or aaatix was $175 for lower level.

Im not driving that distance to sit where I can not see the game, sorry but that's me.

For all of you who went & stayed, Thank You this team deserves the support.
 

Crimson1967

Hall of Fame
Nov 22, 2011
18,735
9,919
187
We were in the Swamp yesterday to Jax State take on the Gators. There were a lot of empty seats, especially in the parts of the upper deck I could see from my seat. The crowd was not nearly as loud and rowdy as they would have been if they had been playing us or LSU.

So it isn't omly Bama fans who don't turn out for glorified scrimmages.
 

Tidewater

Hall of Fame
Mar 15, 2003
22,401
13,177
287
Hooterville, Vir.
The University has sent an e-mail asking students to show up and stay until the end of the game.
The upper deck student section had about 20 people in it. The frat section was very lightly attended.
The crimson seats in the north end zone (just below the boxes) never reached 1/4 filled.
The crowd was so quiet (other than when reacting to scores) it was eerie. Like a funeral.
Very weak opponent. Early kick. Sandwiched between two highly regarded games.
 

Bamaboda1

Suspended
Sep 1, 2006
823
0
35
83
Kathleen, GA
I love Bama, just as I'm sure we all do. I'm getting old as well, but not too old to forget my time at the Capstone...and here's what I remember: as much as I loved the school and the team, football was the second thing on my mind on Saturday. Sorry. That's not likely to change.
 

RammerJammer14

Hall of Fame
Aug 18, 2007
14,567
6,564
187
UA
you either weren't there or you are kidding yourself. The student section was less than half full and the rest of the stadium was at least 80%.

Students don't have to travel, the should be there for ALL the games, not just the "big" ones. I have had season tickets for 9 years and the students section is only full for 1-2 games a year, but I have never seen it that empty. Until the students fill their section for every game they do not need to complain about not having enough tickets.
Whatever dude. All the upper decks had about 40% shiny silver showing, except where there were red chair backs. I'll split the difference and give you 30%. I've never seen such poor turnout the whole time I've been at bama for the entire stadium either, but pointing the finger at students is throwing boulders through your glass house.
 

BamaDude06

1st Team
Sep 15, 2006
928
0
0
We needed a bye week so instead we had this game. Get over yourself.
There is zero excuse for the SEC to have such a weak conference schedule this late in the season. There were three conference games yesterday. Outside of that, only Mizzou played a D-1A school (Syracuse), while the other seven SEC teams all played D1-AA. It's not entirely the schools fault. Almost every other school was playing a conference game yesterday. Playing the D1-AA teams, if it must be done, should be played in the first 2-3 weeks of the season, IMO. Give us exciting matchups this time of year.

And just for the record, I was at the game start to finish.
 

BamaJoe

BamaNation Citizen
Mar 20, 2000
96
0
0
48
Memphis, TN
I drive 3 1/2 hours one way every weekend for games. Wasn't doing that for Western Carolina. It was opening weekend of gun season. I took my son hunting.
 

MBA_99

1st Team
Jan 11, 2010
913
37
52
A, A
Please. The student section was just as empty as the rest of the stadium. The whole place was no more than 60% full. Regular seats are assigned though so it doesn't show up as easily. Lets stop blaming the students for every single empty seat in the stadium after every game. :rolleyes:

60%?? Were you near Tuscaloosa or is a Moo in order? The upper student section was sparse because of the well-documented lower-level crowding but other sections were 90-100% full.
 

CrimsonDollar

1st Team
Apr 9, 2006
741
29
52
Chattanooga, TN
Want a better crowd? Don't lose games you shouldn't and don't schedule 1-9 teams.
Western Carolina was 0-0 for the season when we scheduled them. Regardless, we needed a 'cupcake' game to break up the grind of the schedule we have to endure in the SEC. Plus, it was cool to see Blake Sims run the zone read offense with some success.

CrimsonProf said:
I'm being a jerk here, I know
Yes.

CrimsonProf said:
...but there's 100,000 people in Tuscaloosa.
True. Thirty-two percent of that population is below the poverty level, and another percentage has to help support the infrastructure that is required to host an event as large as Alabama football games are. Restaurant workers, bartenders, Police, Department of Transportation workers, etc. all have to work during these events. Furthermore, not everyone that lives in Tuscaloosa is a 'Bama fan, or even a football fan (blasphemy, right?).

CrimsonProf said:
I think it's more fair to fuss at those fans who live in closer proximity to the venue and don't have to incur the costs of gas, meals, sitters, time, opportunity cost, etc.
Though not as great as someone traveling from out of town, residents of Tuscaloosa incur ALL of these costs. In my own experience, by working Saturday instead of going to the game I was able to net ~$1200. Clearly I should have done my duty as an Alabama fan and gone to the game instead.

The point is, it's not like the [approximately] 100,000 people living in Tuscaloosa can all drop what they're doing to go to a football game.

CrimsonProf said:
Fuss at the bandwagon fans who live fifteen minutes from the stadium, but don't make blanket accusations about our fanbase.
I don't appreciate the implication that I'm being lazy by not attending the game simply because I live closer to the Stadium. And blanket statements about the residents of a city is no different than blanket statements about a fanbase.

The bottom line is that I hate seeing empty seats as much as anyone else does, and I don't like the impression that it may give recruits. But I also don't like the finger pointing and pervasive condescending attitude of fans that either a) live too far away to justify the trip but think others should feel obligated to step up in their absence, or b) have the means to go to all of the games and somehow don't understand that others can't justify the expense.

I live here. I'm as much of an Alabama fan as you'll find. I was able to go to one game this year (Michigan), and that was all I got. Every other gameday I am at work, and my case is NOT unique.
 

The Playmaker

2nd Team
Jan 9, 2011
300
0
0
T-town
Well I'm a student and didn't make the game because well it was Western Carolina, a 11 a.m. start, and it had nothing to do with us losing the week before. Since my freshman year (2010) I only missed 2 games and the other was last year against Georgia Southern when I was sick and never wanted to leave my bed again.

Some other guys I know already left for Thanksgiving, others didn't care to get up early for an easy win, and well others were hungover from night before. There's nothing to look into it's the weekend before Thanksgiving and playing a crap team at the earliest possible time.
 

The Playmaker

2nd Team
Jan 9, 2011
300
0
0
T-town
Sure would be nice if our fans got this upset about not packing out basketball games.

We can't even pack out a 15,000 seat arena against a big SEC opponent and we're upset that we're only a 90% capacity against a 1-9 FCS team for an 11AM kickoff?
As much as I love basketball and attend as many games as possible most fans aren't going to drive an hour plus to catch a basketball game when we're in football country. As much as I would love getting sell outs for basketball more often, the crowds won't appear until we start winning more.
 

CrimsonProf

Hall of Fame
Dec 30, 2006
5,716
69
67
Birmingham, Alabama
Western Carolina was 0-0 for the season when we scheduled them. Regardless, we needed a 'cupcake' game to break up the grind of the schedule we have to endure in the SEC. Plus, it was cool to see Blake Sims run the zone read offense with some success.



Yes.



True. Thirty-two percent of that population is below the poverty level, and another percentage has to help support the infrastructure that is required to host an event as large as Alabama football games are. Restaurant workers, bartenders, Police, Department of Transportation workers, etc. all have to work during these events. Furthermore, not everyone that lives in Tuscaloosa is a 'Bama fan, or even a football fan (blasphemy, right?).



Though not as great as someone traveling from out of town, residents of Tuscaloosa incur ALL of these costs. In my own experience, by working Saturday instead of going to the game I was able to net ~$1200. Clearly I should have done my duty as an Alabama fan and gone to the game instead.

The point is, it's not like the [approximately] 100,000 people living in Tuscaloosa can all drop what they're doing to go to a football game.



I don't appreciate the implication that I'm being lazy by not attending the game simply because I live closer to the Stadium. And blanket statements about the residents of a city is no different than blanket statements about a fanbase.

The bottom line is that I hate seeing empty seats as much as anyone else does, and I don't like the impression that it may give recruits. But I also don't like the finger pointing and pervasive condescending attitude of fans that either a) live too far away to justify the trip but think others should feel obligated to step up in their absence, or b) have the means to go to all of the games and somehow don't understand that others can't justify the expense.

I live here. I'm as much of an Alabama fan as you'll find. I was able to go to one game this year (Michigan), and that was all I got. Every other gameday I am at work, and my case is NOT unique.
Thanks for the response - I'm heading out the door to work, but we probably agree more than we disagree. More later.

RTR
 

CrimsonProf

Hall of Fame
Dec 30, 2006
5,716
69
67
Birmingham, Alabama
As much as I love basketball and attend as many games as possible most fans aren't going to drive an hour plus to catch a basketball game when we're in football country. As much as I would love getting sell outs for basketball more often, the crowds won't appear until we start winning more.

We've won an awful lot of basketball the last two years.
 

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