FauxMo

November 12th, 2015 at 11:31 AM ^

This is the college football version of:

Guy: "Hey, Trisha, so the reason I am calling is that I heard you and Mark broke up."

Trisha: "Um, yes, but that happened yesterday. How did you even know?"

Guy: "Nevermind all that. What are you doing on Friday?"

Joined: 06/17/2010

MGoPoints: 137622

stephenrjking

November 12th, 2015 at 11:39 AM ^

Dude. $36 for four together in what I recall being pretty good seats. 

I remember quietly dogging MSU for attendance issues back when they were mediocre. Rivalry and stuff. We had our own attendance issues when the Hoke Brandon mediocrity was in full throat last season.

But, seriously, MSU has been a power for five years now, and had the better of Michigan since RR came in 2008. Their basketball team is still very good. They should be building a fanbase of a whole new generation of Spartan fans. Where are they?

That they are regularly having trouble getting people to attend games is a problem. I could excuse one game in bad weather; everybody deals with that. But it seems like every game that isn't a biggie like Oregon or Michigan has attendance problems there. Even when they're undefeated. What gives?

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20144176

Wolverine Devotee

November 12th, 2015 at 11:45 AM ^

We had our attendance issues because we had enough of them and forced change by doing that.

If they had a half empty stadium at MSU, it would be just another game (unless they're playing a superior program).

Why aren't they building a fanbase? Because they live and have always lived in Michigan's shadow. It's not even a shot at them. It's the truth. It's a fact. 

 

Joined: 06/29/2009

MGoPoints: 31528

gwkrlghl

November 12th, 2015 at 12:02 PM ^

If you consider this survey from a few years back accurate, then the state's fanbases are almost equal in size. So why did Michigan in 2008-2014 continue to have 100,000+ every week while MSU is getting maybe 60,000ish in their 75,000 man stadium a lot? They have no football fanbase at minimum.

You have to wonder how strong their actual fanbase is. Is it just a lot of MSU Basketball / Izzo fans or are they actual MSU fans

Joined: 04/13/2012

MGoPoints: 68

stephenrjking

November 12th, 2015 at 12:03 PM ^

Decided to check my work on the "pretty good seats" comment. They're in the upper deck near the goal line; as that Stadium goes, not great. But not awful, either--the sightlines are just fine and you aren't at all far from the field relative to more modern stadiums. 

What is really notable is that they can't sell those upper deck tickets at all. They basically have whole sections on either side of the deck unsold. The same is basically true for the Penn State game; there will be some more sales leading up to that game, I'm sure, but I would expect big sections of empty when they play. 

The contrast between the Dantonio era and the Schembechler era is interesting; by Bo's sixth year Michigan was wildly successful and had won Big Ten titles, but wasn't winning everything every year. The Big House began to fill up every game because the team was always very good, and 1975 was the last year there were fewer than 100,000 tickets distributed.

Dantonio has been at Michigan State for more time and has experienced a run of success not dissimilar to Bo's in recent years: winning rivalry games, going to and winning major Bowl games (including the Rose Bowl), you name it. Now, granted, the economic headwinds are tougher (unsold tickets list for $50 in the "cheap" seats) but they have a much smaller stadium to fill. And they are not filling it.

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20144176

HenneGivenSunday

November 12th, 2015 at 12:41 PM ^

My in-laws have season tickets in the first for at the 35 yard line in the upper deck. They have a hell of a time trying to sell them for anything. 2 or 3 years ago when they played Wisconsin at home and won on a Hail Mary, my mother-in-law had me go around trying to sell those tickets. Best offer? $80 for 2.



Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad

Joined: 10/24/2011

MGoPoints: 10983

Louie C

November 12th, 2015 at 1:04 PM ^

In 2010, the UAW was giving tickets away to the MSU/Wisconsin game. Our zone committe woman was walking up and down the floor with a thick pad of tickets and was just tearing them off and handing them to whomever wanted them. My team was full of Sparties and even they were declining them. That was a big game, and I think they were undefeated at the time too. If they were going around giving out free Uof M tickets, I'd have to pinch my damn self, and I would take one. I don't give a shit if they were playing Kendall College, I'd be there.

Joined: 11/16/2009

MGoPoints: 1132

Yard Dog

November 12th, 2015 at 12:31 PM ^

I've wondered that same thing for a long time.  Every game besides Oregon has had a smattering of empty seats.  It amazes me when they talk about lack of respect, but then cannot get their own butts in the seats to support the program.  I think the fandom in EL is not very deep, and there appear to be a lot of bandwagon jumpers.  They also don't want your support unless you went there.  Weird mix to be sure.

Joined: 10/07/2009

MGoPoints: 609

Alton

November 12th, 2015 at 1:55 PM ^

I wonder how much of their attendance problem is related to the fact that MSU's football identity is wrapped up so much in being the "anti-Michigan."  They seem to go so far in defining their football team by comparisons with Michigan that it is giving the fanbase no reason to really care about the team as a football team with a 12-game schedule. 

In other words, if forced to choose between watching the M-OSU game in 2.5 weeks or the MSU-PSU game, what percentage of Michigan State fans would be more interested in the outcome of the Michigan game than the outcome of their own game?  I suspect that the number is pretty high.  Not 50 percent, but also not 0 percent.

So MSU's ticket department not only has to get their football fans to care more about Michigan State, they also have to get their fans to care less about Michigan.

Joined: 07/05/2008

MGoPoints: 13338