• Hi Guest, want to participate in the discussions, keep track of read/unread posts and more? Create your free account and increase the benefits of your eGriz.com experience today!

2017 Attendance

PlayerRep

Well-known member
"This past season took a nose dive from 2016’s numbers. In Bob Stitt’s second season at the helm, Montana averaged 25,367 in announced attendance — an average of 1,715 more than 2017." "Truthfully, that certainly played into the decision to make a head coaching change."

"By season’s end, Montana announced that 141,913 tickets were sold for an average of 23,652 per game. Even though Montana still led the FCS in average attendance, that’s the school's lowest average since 2007."

"No game in 2017 had more than 21,000 people in the stands and only twice were there more than 18,000 people in attendance. That hasn't happened since at least 2012." The tickets scanned numbers for 2017 were shockingly down and low, compared to even 2016.

"One reason Haslam feels good about the renewal rate is based on how many new season ticket holders have come into the fold since Hauck was announced as the next coach."

Very good and interesting article. The article probably should have mentioned that there was a stadium expansion prior to the 2008 season.

http://missoulian.com/sports/college/big-sky-conference/university-of-montana/attendance-at-montana-football-games-lowest-it-s-been-since/article_d4118484-5726-5f06-a8eb-c06b413d4928.html
 
After the debacle in Bozeman I was planning to drop part of my season ticket package. Hiring Hauck made me change my mind and I will fully renew.
 
The growing gap between the reported (sold) numbers and the butts in the seats number is a big issue. Most of these are season ticket holder no-shows. While there is little financial impact at the time other than reduced concessions and town revenue, longer term season ticket holders who no-show at some point make a decision about renewal. Hauck and Idaho back should reverse this trend.
 
'Who you going to believe, what you say, or my lying eyes.' Look at the stands and tell me it's a sellout. The tickets may be sold, but...nobody is there. The analogy is to the Kibbie Dome(max. 16,000)when announced attendance was +14,000, when clearly, as the pictures show, there were less than 5,000 butts in the seats. The tailgates cannot be that great. People stay away, physically, because the quality of football SUCKS, and has sucked, at WGS , since BH left, with a few variations. Tell me the halftime vacancy rate seen at EVERY GAME is just an anomaly. The quality of Griz football has been allowed to slide to abysmal depths thanks to Haslam and his boss(s). Hopefully, we will see a turnaround under BHs second coming.
 
It’s not rocket science. Kent is not very good at scheduling non-conference games. And with the bloated number of teams in the Big Sky, there is a good chance many conference games aren’t that compelling either. Combine all that with the fact that just about every game is now televised and it’s really not surprising that more and more folks are staying home.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
MMMM...I think the decline had much much much more to do with the product on the field other than any of the above mentioned factors.

Back when we were still scheduling D2 schools we were still packing the stadium because the team was always a top ranked team in the country.

The hiring of Stitt who was not a "Montana guy" I think had a much larger impact on the attendance than what most people, including myself thought.
 
I went to one game last year and the past 18 years I've lived in Missoula I've maybe missed one game a season. For me, it was the product on the field wasn't worth the price of admission and the home schedule wasn't good at all but for me and my kiddo to go to the game runs about 100 dollars. Id rather spend that money on us somewhere else.... And after the Eastern game, I made up my mind that I wasn't going to another game at home until something changes in regards to coaching staff. I had zero confidence in them after that 2nd half meltdown. A game we shouldn't have lost. I am though looking forward to this coming up season and will be attending a lot more games at home this year.
 
MiningCityGrizFan said:
It’s not rocket science. Kent is not very good at scheduling non-conference games. And with the bloated number of teams in the Big Sky, there is a good chance many conference games aren’t that compelling either. Combine all that with the fact that just about every game is now televised and it’s really not surprising that more and more folks are staying home.
Your point about the diluted BSC is right on, but your criticism of Haslam's OOC scheduling is way off. Maybe you think every good FCS team around is just chomping at the bit to travel to Missoula. Not the case, especially if it's a one-off and not a home and home. He has to maintain a minimum of six home games per year which means two OOC. That limits the number of home and homes he can schedule. Money games have been scheduled with UW and UO, which is more a factor of the financial state of the University than anything else. Finances also limit the amount he can pay a team to come to Missoula. And of course, FBS teams are not allowed to play at FCS venues. Haslam has to work hard to maintain his revenue stream and keep his expenses down because more than the AD depends on it.
 
kemajic said:
MiningCityGrizFan said:
It’s not rocket science. Kent is not very good at scheduling non-conference games. And with the bloated number of teams in the Big Sky, there is a good chance many conference games aren’t that compelling either. Combine all that with the fact that just about every game is now televised and it’s really not surprising that more and more folks are staying home.
Your point about the diluted BSC is right on, but your criticism of Haslam's OOC scheduling is way off. Maybe you think every good FCS team around is just chomping at the bit to travel to Missoula. Not the case, especially if it's a one-off and not a home and home. He has to maintain a minimum of six home games per year which means two OOC. That limits the number of home and homes he can schedule. Money games have been scheduled with UW and UO, which is more a factor of the financial state of the University than anything else. And of course, FBS teams are not allowed to play at FCS venues. Haslam has to work hard to maintain his revenue stream, because more than the AD depends on it.

What? You mean he can't just get NDSU and JMU to come here every year? :lol: :lol:

Some people's expectations regarding scheduling are so ridiculously over the top it's laughable. Haslam has done a great job balancing revenue with quality opponents...people got tired of D-II's, so he schedules winnable FCS games and people bitch about the quality of FCS opponent. He honestly can't win.
 
AZGrizFan said:
kemajic said:
MiningCityGrizFan said:
It’s not rocket science. Kent is not very good at scheduling non-conference games. And with the bloated number of teams in the Big Sky, there is a good chance many conference games aren’t that compelling either. Combine all that with the fact that just about every game is now televised and it’s really not surprising that more and more folks are staying home.
Your point about the diluted BSC is right on, but your criticism of Haslam's OOC scheduling is way off. Maybe you think every good FCS team around is just chomping at the bit to travel to Missoula. Not the case, especially if it's a one-off and not a home and home. He has to maintain a minimum of six home games per year which means two OOC. That limits the number of home and homes he can schedule. Money games have been scheduled with UW and UO, which is more a factor of the financial state of the University than anything else. And of course, FBS teams are not allowed to play at FCS venues. Haslam has to work hard to maintain his revenue stream, because more than the AD depends on it.

What? You mean he can't just get NDSU and JMU to come here every year? :lol: :lol:

Some people's expectations regarding scheduling are so ridiculously over the top it's laughable. Haslam has done a great job balancing revenue with quality opponents...people got tired of D-II's, so he schedules winnable FCS games and people bitch about the quality of FCS opponent. He honestly can't win.
He also has an objective of scheduling to enable a pathway to the playoffs. He did that in spades last year; team didn't deliver.
 
Aging fan base, students less engaged nationally, increasing ticket prices, less than compelling conference schedule, "been there done that" factor all contribute as well.

I've been there, done that for 30+ years now. Still love the games and keep the season tickets....used to miss maybe one home game a year...now it's two or more....and harder to find someone to take my tickets when I don't go.
 
Mousegriz said:
Aging fan base, students less engaged nationally, increasing ticket prices, less than compelling conference schedule, "been there done that" factor all contribute as well.

I've been there, done that for 30+ years now. Still love the games and keep the season tickets....used to miss maybe one home game a year...now it's two or more....and harder to find someone to take my tickets when I don't go.

I spent the weekend in Coeur D'Alene and got drug into a conversation about Vandal football and regional sports. My fault because I let them talk about everything from UNLV getting to play in the Raider stadium, Reno football, etc. (Pretty sad they were discussing how the Raiders needed to get a younger running back than Blount not realizing Chris convinced him to go to Philly...and all this does is demonstrate to me how disconnected this part of the country is with the reality of what this conference is distance wise).

Fullerton screwed up the MSU athletic department and his parting shot was to destroy the conference. I just can't wait to go with my kids this fall to watch our surrounding state's commuter or directional schools play. 😂 I could not resist after listening to one of them continually slam ISU and the Vandals having to play them compare what it would be like in Montana were Western, Eastern or Northern to get a boom going and all of us in Montana to have to watch what was a junior college in their state not too many years ago leave them behind.

We have a good, sound eight or nine team conference within driving distance of all of us but but...the only feasible solution to the scheduling nightmare is to use some common sense. Smaller is better in this case. Eliminate some of the schools or form another conference.
 
some good points here. i found it frustrating that the price of tickets rose at a rate that seemed vastly out of line with normal inflation rates. the idea of the "marquee" games that were priced higher than regular games also chapped me. i felt like the athletic department had an attitude of "lets see how high we can raise ticket prices before people stop coming...." to some extent. for me and my family, the price was making it unreasonable for us to all attend. because of this, we go to 1 or 2 games a year as opposed to 3 or 4 (+ playoffs) a few years ago. cost prohibitive.
 
MissoulaMarinerFan said:
Clearly, these numbers didn't include all the people that were jammed into the suites / boxes, concourses and restrooms. :mrgreen:

And the Canyon Club. Ever been up there during a game with cold or bad weather? Big party going on in there.

The numbers include all this, but the eyes which try to estimate number of people in the stands can't see them. When the Canyon Terrace in front of the Canyon Club looks sparse, you can bet that virtually every ticket there is being used, by the holder or a friend. I have never had trouble giving away those tickets. I am out of my Canyon Terrace seats more than I am in them, because, in theory, you're only supposed to drink in the Club and on the side terraces.
 
CatGrad-UMGradStu said:
Eliminate some of the schools or form another conference.
Unfortunately, it's a lot like entitlements. Once they're in, they stay in because there are no balls to launch them.
 
CatGrad-UMGradStu said:
... I spent the weekend in Coeur D'Alene and got drug into a conversation about Vandal football and regional sports. ... I could not resist after listening to one of them continually slam ISU and the Vandals having to play them compare what it would be like in Montana were Western, Eastern or Northern to get a boom going and all of us in Montana to have to watch what was a junior college in their state not too many years ago leave them behind.
...
The talkers must be really, really ancient if they think that Idaho State and Boise State transitioned from junior college status "not too many years ago." The Pokie school went four-year in 1947 ... I'm an old geezer, but I was about four years old. They became Idaho State University in 1963 -- that's over a half-century ago. Boise College (four-year curriculum) came into being in 1965 ... also more than a half-century ago. They became Boise State University in 1974. So, in a lot of cases, the parents of many current students hadn't been born yet, or were perhaps in kindergarten. :lol: :lol:
 
IdaGriz01 said:
CatGrad-UMGradStu said:
... I spent the weekend in Coeur D'Alene and got drug into a conversation about Vandal football and regional sports. ... I could not resist after listening to one of them continually slam ISU and the Vandals having to play them compare what it would be like in Montana were Western, Eastern or Northern to get a boom going and all of us in Montana to have to watch what was a junior college in their state not too many years ago leave them behind.
...
The talkers must be really, really ancient if they think that Idaho State and Boise State transitioned from junior college status "not too many years ago." The Pokie school went four-year in 1947 ... I'm an old geezer, but I was about four years old. They became Idaho State University in 1963 -- that's over a half-century ago. Boise College (four-year curriculum) came into being in 1965 ... also more than a half-century ago. They became Boise State University in 1974. So, in a lot of cases, the parents of many current students hadn't been born yet, or were perhaps in kindergarten. :lol: :lol:

I'm not that old really. Did get to see some real talent play against (and for) MSU when I was young. I was referring specifically to Boise State. The folks I was talking to needed a just a bit of humble pie in my estimation after they were looking down their nose at ISU. And yes, when I was young I vividly recall how angry people in the MSU administration was that they were going to have to play a junior college now! If it helps any, I got to watch Larry Chaney play basketball for MSU, saw Wayne Estes and Mike Lewis play in high school...and the folks I was with were definitely older than I am...😂
 
CatGrad-UMGradStu said:
IdaGriz01 said:
CatGrad-UMGradStu said:
... I spent the weekend in Coeur D'Alene and got drug into a conversation about Vandal football and regional sports. ... I could not resist after listening to one of them continually slam ISU and the Vandals having to play them compare what it would be like in Montana were Western, Eastern or Northern to get a boom going and all of us in Montana to have to watch what was a junior college in their state not too many years ago leave them behind.
...
The talkers must be really, really ancient if they think that Idaho State and Boise State transitioned from junior college status "not too many years ago." The Pokie school went four-year in 1947 ... I'm an old geezer, but I was about four years old. They became Idaho State University in 1963 -- that's over a half-century ago. Boise College (four-year curriculum) came into being in 1965 ... also more than a half-century ago. They became Boise State University in 1974. So, in a lot of cases, the parents of many current students hadn't been born yet, or were perhaps in kindergarten. :lol: :lol:

I'm not that old really. Did get to see some real talent play against (and for) MSU when I was young. I was referring specifically to Boise State. The folks I was talking to needed a just a bit of humble pie in my estimation after they were looking down their nose at ISU. And yes, when I was young I vividly recall how angry people in the MSU administration was that they were going to have to play a junior college now! If it helps any, I got to watch Larry Chaney play basketball for MSU, saw Wayne Estes and Mike Lewis play in high school...and the folks I was with were definitely older than I am...😂


...and I graduated from high school in the 60s...and there are many posters here on this site much older than I am...young punks...😉
 
I had a friend in town for the Northern Colorado game. He usually gets to one game per year. One thing he mentioned was how many fewer people there are in the tailgate areas. We graduated in '06 together, for reference (I'm one of the young punks).

You used to have to fight your way through the crowd on Campus Blvd. Now you can take a leisurely stroll from one end of the tailgates to the other and not even have to worry about spilling your beer.

People used to be able to sell unused tickets. Now, you have to beg people to take them off your hands. Attendance is noticeably down over the past 5 years.
 
Back
Top