BWahlberg said:
Raider said:
Glendivegriz said:
It's interesting. I don't know if any of you have followed this, but Nick Saban has been bitching lately about Alabama not being able to sell their games out. Cannot get much more consistent winning than that......
I think we're starting to see a shift in fan attendance nationally. I can think of many people like my parents who are in their mid-70's and have sat in the same seats since Wa-Griz opened. Factors like the weather has had them start to consider not going to later games in the season, I know there's 1000's of other regular season ticket holders that do the same.
On the other end of the spectrum it seems the student interest isn't there like it was before either. The Football team is a constant punching bag on social media through many student outlets and I just don't think many of them think it's something they'd have fun going to. The UM is offering all sorts of giveaways and prizes for student attendance and the football team is doing the fight song in front of them... and still the attendance there seems to be the most lacking.
I absolutely agree with you, BW. My spouse and I are in your parents' age bracket. We have been season ticket holders since the year before UM moved into WaGriz. For all those years, we have planned our autumn around Griz games, have gone to numerous out-of-town games, including two national championships in Chattanooga. I think I have missed something like four home games in that time, always with a real excuse (like having to go to my brother's wedding in Arizona). And we continue to be at every possible game. However, when November rolls around, I begin to wonder if our 70+ bodies will endure the cold of a given game. And, I look at the folks who are seated (and have been) around us - without exception, they are in our age group. There are NO 30 or 40-year-olds in sight!!!! Who is going to fill our seats when we can no longer do so?
I will, at some point in the distant future, be happy to pass our seats on to our daughter and son-in-law, but I'm not sure they really care that that is part of their inheritance, i.e. the game tomorrow will be the first one they've attended this season, and that only because a friend gave them tickets. Oh, they are nominal Griz fans, but it's not a part of their being, like it is for us.
I have no idea what the future of football in general and Griz football in particular holds. But, I will be a part of it as long as I can. And I'd sure like this ol' girl to get to see another Griz national championship.