There is also the fact that Alabama is vastly improved since Saban arrived. Games that were somewhat competitive before are now 40 point blowouts. Heck, fans always had at least a little bit of worry about a game, even against lesser opponents. That simply is not the case anymore for Alabama fans.
Add the cost of attending so many destination games and Alabama fans face a situation unique to the sport.
And I think this is part of it, too.
If you're an Alabama fan but live a long way like I do, it's a case of, "Well, it's easy to get to Atlanta from Dallas (either by air or by car - you just get on I-20 and drive). I'd really like to see one of the championship games."
Consider how the post-season as really done us in with Dallas.
We lost to Ohio St the year the national title game was here or I'd have gone.
Last year, we wound up with Oklahoma and wanted to cut their speed and cut out any home field advantage, so we chose Miami.
I was actually going to go to the Clemson title game in Tampa (where we lost to Watson) because my sister's house was four miles from Raymond James. But two days before the game, I came down with a bad flu bug. Let's just say that's not a fun way to spend your week vacay, and it's worse when you lose the way we did.
But given my distance, I'm now to the point of "have I seen them play that team" or "is this the biggest reg season game" or "I'd like to go to a playoff game."
And then you have the fact that since the last couple of games in Atlanta have been against Georgia, the cost is insane.
I DID go to Michigan here in 2012 (and took my son).
I didn't go to the Mich St playoff, mostly because I worked that day and have a real reluctance to be out on the road on New Year's Eve. (Had the train system run close to Jerry World, I'd have gone to that game as well).
As far as USC, my son was the new mascot at high school and we were placing him first (including saving to send him to the Citrus Bowl).