Attendance Record Saturday?
So I was starting to think about the attendance for this game and how it might compare to the record setting game against UConn. I feel like we should be able to break it again as there could be more away fans than the first game. Is it possible to approach 115,000?!?!
This is a going to be a great game against a big rival (3rd biggest?), what does the MGoCommunity predict for numbers?
I say north of 114,000.
October 5th, 2010 at 3:30 PM ^
yes.
October 5th, 2010 at 3:35 PM ^
is what? 114,001?
October 5th, 2010 at 3:38 PM ^
I'll take the over
October 5th, 2010 at 3:38 PM ^
It will be broken for a game because Iowa the week after for homecoming will bury the state game.
<br>
<br>Over 114,001 for msu
<br>Over msu attendance for Iowa HC game
<br>Over Iowa HC game next year ND night game
<br>Over nd night game for osu next year
October 5th, 2010 at 3:45 PM ^
Sadly, whatever record we set this year is most likely going to stand for a while. In the next 3 years around 1,000 more seats are going to be taken out to widen the aisle ways and install railings. This was already done to the east side of the bowl and is going to be done to the west side next year. So even though those games next year will be more meaningful due to the night game and being OSU I doubt we will be able to eclipse whatever record we set this year due to the removal of seats.
October 5th, 2010 at 4:21 PM ^
checking the previous records at the Bentley Historical Library online
the largest differential between actual seats and total attendance is 5,554 for the overall record of 106,255 set for the OSU game in 1979. Stated stadium seats was 100,701
compared to the recent record with UConn, the differential is 3,189
prior to the UConn record, all other records were set for the OSU game.
MSU is the usual secondary game coming close. So since the differential is based on how many TV people show up, bands, and other "non-seated" VIPs, I don't see how it won't eventually be the OSU game, as history projects.
And of course as Bouje stated, who of course probably is also very familiar with the previous records and the reason for the differential in attendance above the actual seats.
So my question is what made 1979 different in having the largest differential between total attendance and the true seat count?
because it's not like we ever go without selling all the seats.
October 5th, 2010 at 4:52 PM ^
...towards the attendance. I don't know if they had fewer people in the booths or on the fields or at the concession stands that year, but everyone who goes through the gates gets counted. So if we set the record this weekend, you can thank Matt Millen and Mark Dantonio for helping us do that!
October 5th, 2010 at 3:46 PM ^
I believe ND night game next year might break it next year, but it will also be harder to break records next year with the widening of the seats. Yeah its not a lot, but when we're cramming that many people in the Big House of glory, every seat counts...
EDIT: beat me swim
October 5th, 2010 at 3:47 PM ^
I'm not so sure about that. The top 10 attendance games (other than UConn) are basically all OSU and MSU games. I expect Saturday's game to set a new record, which will last until whenever we expand in the endzones.
October 5th, 2010 at 3:48 PM ^
100% agree.
October 5th, 2010 at 5:34 PM ^
Maybe I should really try to make it.
I've attended the Cold War and will attend the Big Chill
I've also attended the Basketbowl between UK/msu
And attended UofM/ohio -2003, as well as the UofM/UConn game this season
I'm sure there are a few people around here who have attended all three but I enjoy saying I've been to them all...
Where would one go to break a college/professional baseball attendance record???
October 5th, 2010 at 3:52 PM ^
That is right during the University's fall break. A lot of students will be leaving campus and won't be going to the game. I see no way more people go to that than MSU.
October 5th, 2010 at 3:59 PM ^
The record will be broken
<br>
<br>Barack it
October 5th, 2010 at 4:02 PM ^
That actually doesn't matter, because our attendance figures are a combination of tickets sold and non-paying people (media, band, invited guests) in attendance. They are not a turnstile count.
October 5th, 2010 at 3:39 PM ^
I don't know if 115,000 is attainable although the State band, cheerleaders, ridiculous amounts of media will be present as well as every seat full. That said, the record from the UConn game will get smashed.
October 5th, 2010 at 3:43 PM ^
Without a doubt, this will smash the previous record. 5-0 against 5-0 and instate rivalry? This will be the most packed game of the season.
October 5th, 2010 at 4:09 PM ^
Plus Dantonio and his medical staff will make it closer to 115K.
October 5th, 2010 at 3:43 PM ^
115,302
October 5th, 2010 at 3:54 PM ^
I'm assuming the 2 is because you've given a seat to Bo. Well done.
October 5th, 2010 at 4:04 PM ^
It will be broken, but we're not going to have 2,000 more people in the press box/on the field than for UConn. It'll be like 113,500.
October 5th, 2010 at 9:51 PM ^
I once had the completly useless streak of guessing the attendance to the hundreds place in 5 games during the Year of Infinite Pain.
113,416
October 5th, 2010 at 4:10 PM ^
Hopefully we will, at the UCONN game we had 2 rows of empty seats behind us and next to us and that is 20 rows back behind the endzone opposite of the student section
October 5th, 2010 at 4:14 PM ^
113,851. Plus, if we are good as I think we will be next year...they might still find a way to break the record again for the OSU game.
October 5th, 2010 at 4:42 PM ^
No green please. It makes me laugh.
October 5th, 2010 at 4:49 PM ^
And it will be loud. I was there in 2004 against MSU for what is still my alltime #1 game I've attended and the place rocked. I can only imagine how loud it's going to get the next time we have a game like that again thanks to our new friends the luxury boxes.
Just thinking about having a game like that again kinda gives me chills......
October 5th, 2010 at 5:19 PM ^
I see 2009 ND-Mich-like end of game noise levels. Which in my four years was the loudest I ever heard the stadium. And I'd have to agree, it doesn't matter whether we win or lose - the Iowa game won't break the record set this weekend.
October 5th, 2010 at 5:56 PM ^
It is absolutely true that whatever attendance records we can make/break this year will be in place until the end zones are expanded, due to the widening of seats and isles as others have pointed out here many times.
As I have calculated before, the previous record of 112,118 ('03 vs. OSU) was exactly 4,617 bodies more than the former capacity of 107,501. The extra bodies comprised of players, coaches, bands, working press, University President, AD, Regents and their respective invitees, stadium gameday "Event Staff", public safety and first aid personnel, concession personnel, and, if you recall, the many former players who lined the path from the tunnel to the banner that day -- in other words anybody and everybody that didn't use a ticket to plant their seats in a seat. At no other time in the history of 107,501 did the list of "extras" grow this large.
The upgrades around the stadium, including the several new points of sale and the new sideline structures and suites have required several additional stadium support personnel inside the gates of Michigan Stadium in order for these new facilities to be properly serviced.
A fact that will probably surprise most people is that the new press box portion of the west structure (the white area at the southwest corner of the top floor) is no larger in capacity than the press area of the former press box. The new press area merely provides more room to walk around. If fact, there is a net loss in the number of media on the field for each game as U-M has decided to eliminated the vast majority of field photographer assistants. This was done to allow more room for the working press on the sidelines. And having been on the receiving end of the additional elbow room, I must say it is rather nice. Any fan who has ever watched the activities on the sidelines will be able to notice how bare the sidelines are this year. And this is not going to change anytime soon.
Knowing the new record of 113,090 is 3,189 more than the capacity of 109,901, I will also agree with the other sentiments here that the MSU game is a hotter draw than UConn. However, a sellout is still a sellout. There are only so many seats inside the gates. The wild card in all of this is how full the suites and club seats will get. If you recall, not ALL of the suites and club seats have been sold. The University used these extra spaces for its benefit for the UConn game, yet there were still some empty seats up there.
With these simple known details, we can have a little more understanding of what to anticipate for a gameday attendance at the Big House this year.
I will say that the 113,090 will be history. But I do not think there will be an additional 1,000 inside the stadium gates (in whatever form). Frankly, I predicted the attendance for UConn was going to be slightly higher, so the prospect of topping 114,000 is a real stretch.
My prediction for the State game: In addition to the 109,901, I believe there will be more than 3,189 of "extras" as there was for UConn, but not as many as '03 OSU. Saturday's new record crowd will be 113,387, but I'd like to be wrong.
EDIT: Don't forget to bring your maize shoelaces!!!
October 5th, 2010 at 5:38 PM ^
I got 114,217.
October 5th, 2010 at 6:09 PM ^
I also think we'll be on our feet for the game (sitting only during tv timeouts). I hope everyone there realizes that this is a BIG GAME .... while this is a stupid comment considering both teams come in unbeaten - there are always some "fans" there that would be better served watching at home on their couch. These games are why we buy season tickets !!!
Lets be loud and lets Go Blue !
October 5th, 2010 at 9:03 PM ^
like the game you played where you guess how many gumballs are in the machine
i bet 114,212