Nick Saban Goes Full "Crabby Baby Boomer who Needs a Nap" about Student Attendance

"I don't think they're entitled to anything, either" says person complaining about other people not doing something for him he thinks he deserves simply by deign of existing.  

Where is RollDamnTide when we need him most??

I was actually at that game.  At no point were there any more than 60k people in a stadium that fits 100k fans.  It's kind of like the Braves experienced when they won the NL east for like 12 years in a row earlier in the decade and could not sell out NLDS payoff games.  Here's some advice for Mr. Saban:  stop scheduling glorified high school teams and maybe people will come to / stay at your games.

A couple of random thoughts on the experience while I am at it since it is always fun to view another school's traditions as an outsider:

The tailgating setup on the diag, which is a massive tree lined space on campus, was really really nice.

Having the stadium on campus - just a block off the diag - was a real plus and really added to the game day experience.  The stadium itself is nice enough but they need new video boards.  The current ones are like the first set we had at Michigan in terms of size and quality.  There are four - one in each corner of the stadium.  I hear they are installing a jumbo jumbo screen for next season.  it will be interesting to see how they configure it since the stadium is a bowl so I assume they are taking out seats.

The "elephant stomp", which is basically a pep rally held on the steps of the library on the diag where the band plays the fight song and other traditional songs was very impressive.  After that, the band kind of just walks over the stadium which was strange.

We attended the walk of champions" which is the team walking from the buses to the stadium.  Saban had his full grim game face on even though they were playing an obvious patsy

Damien Harris is really an amazing physical specimin.  He walked right past us at the walk of champions.  On a related note, it was kind of sad seeing Najee Harris fight for scraps in garbage time as the third string running back.

Bama's song at the start of the fourth quarter is the band playing Green Day's Basket Case with the fans waving four fingers.  The song has a great energy and (now don't shoot me) I prefer it to the song that we prance around to in the Big House.

All of their goings on during breaks - field goal kicking for prizes, family of the game, etc - are basically just tacky commercials sponsored by the local car dealer or feed and grain store.  Did not seem fitting for a national power.

Big Al, the elephant mascot, is a pretty big deal.  Well conceived and definitly a rallying point for the student an fans.  I am not really in favor of a mascot at Michigan, but Big Al works for them.

They do not put the commercial break time on the scoreboards.  Instead they make the TV time out guy hold a board on a stick (which he turns around for all to see) with a countdown clock on it.  I think this is sweet justice that I would love to see us do to the evil little man in the red hat.

The game was ho hum so we spent a lot of time sitting.  However, I am told that for SEC games fans basically stand throughout the game.  I have witnessed that at another SEC stadium that I have attended games at.  This is definitely in stark contrast to my 25+ year experience at the Big House.

The student section seems about the same as ours -- no better, no worse.  The arrived slightly late, left slightly early and made more than their fair share of noise when they needed to.

Overall, it was a great experience but I really need to get back down there for an SEC game.

Alabama is one of the frattiest schools ever.  Putting Louisiana-Lafayette at a noon start infringes on prime day drinking time.  I assure you those students were out and about partying during that time but just didn't go to the game.  They would be more likely to go if the game was at night.

Also Saban is the guy that whines about gas mileage when you gift him a new Ferrari.  

I think he likes to complain and there is only so much complaining he can do with that team he has.  Perhaps, as ridiculous as it sounds, the Alabama fans are just starting to take it all for granted.  They have dominated for a decade now.  

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/sec/2018/10/04/nick-saban-alabama-football-coach-rants-poor-student-attendance/1518732002/

I haven't been to a game since 2012 and can say I have not missed it. I would not mind going to one game a year if I lived closer, but watching on TV is the better experience.

I don't know if this applies to this game directly, but in general, the amount of commercials are killing games. It just makes the game go on forveeeeever. And when it's 100 degree Bama heat versus a tomato can where you're watching the man in the red hat half the time in a game Bama is 99.9% going to win by 40+, I can't say I blame students for not going

Sports are for entertainment. If no one is showing up, maybe look at why instead of just blaming them for not being there

While tickets are expensive, it seems that most of the big schools are still selling out, or close to it.  The problem is getting people to actually show up, especially against bodybag opponents.  The game experience needs to be improved.  Step 1 is to cut down on the media timeouts.

TV contracts, cellphones, live-streaming are definitely giving more options than the stadium to experience game-day.  Many students go to the pre-game parties but never set foot in the stadium, but they still watch the game.  Attendance in the stadium is no longer required to experience the game itself, while all the other activities are still very robust ... tailgating, frat parties, off-campus parties, etc ... those require attendance to enjoy.

At the risk of sounding sexist, women don't tend to be big football fans and Alabama's female enrollment has been climbing for decades, now 56.5% female and 43.5% male. Plus, they have been trying to get out of state students rather than in-state ones because it looks more diverse and brings in more cash. I think this may have something to do with it, combined with the other factors listed here.

Winning all the time is boring and undemocratic.

My 4K HDTV and the ability to eat and drink without breaking the bank is good enough for me.

The only way to reverse the attendance drop is to blackout home games and schools won't do that.  Since that would damage TV revenue for the schools, that will never happen.

To paraphrase James Carville:

"It's the commercials, stupid."

The game is far less fun to watch live,  either on TV or in the stadium, because of the crass commercialism associated with it. 

*Nick Saban complains*

You don't say?

They should lose more and make it more interesting.  But, yes the cost of attending games is too high, as is the cost of cable.  Both suck.

I am 39 years old.  I don't keep track of what generation that makes me, but I'm pretty sure I am to old to be a millenial or any of the age groups being blamed for attendance decline.  However, I am of the same mind.  I would rather watch the games at home all day every day.  There are exceptions of course, but not many.   

Schedule a decent opponent if you want people to come. 

He should pony up some of his dough and pay for them to go. Reminds me of the multi million dollar actors on tv begging for YOU to donate. 

Let's see, watch 5 or 6 plays, stand there with nothing going on for 5 minutes. Kickoff, stand there, a few plays, stand there. Stadium experience sucks because of commercials. I don't even understand how players can get tired anymore with all the breaks.

They play shit opponents and the games are way too long.

Also, it's still hot outside in the South.

For me it's not worth driving 6 hours, spending $500 for tickets and a room, packed like sardines in the stadium and paying for over priced food anymore.  When i was in my 20s i didn't mind. Im 40 now and im more busy. Hell most of the games i dont even watch live anymore. 

The choice to go or be at home is damn near a coin flip. If you ask me to pay $50-$200, then the wavefunction of my indecision inexorably collapses to big "fuck no".

Seat licenses co$t

The constant concert level audio gives headaches

You know what always works to get people over whom you have no control to change their behavior so that it is more pleasing to you?  Yelling at them.  This is especially effective with people in their late teens and early 20s.

Never missed a kickoff and never left until the game was over to support my classmates... Not my classmates any longer but still never changed. It's embarrassing to see empty seats with opposition fans pointing it out.

Also, never sold a ticket to the opposition. I really don't understand why you would act differently.

Not loyal? 

I have friends that have kids that go there, games are basically free, if they dont show they get docked points to a point system they have, too many missed games and they take away the free part...no reason they cant go for the 3 qtrs thats mandatory...

I could touch on many of the points already addressed but I have a solution. Why not just package the tickets to the games that students want to attend (IE Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Ohio State) and sell them for the same price as a season ticket? The rest of the uninteresting or "cream puff" matchups sell all those tickets to the general public.

Same goes for Alabama and their students not attending easy games dilemma.

I am sure a quick survey can be done to gauge interest from the students prior to the sale of tickets. BONUS: You still provide students an experience they desire to cement their love for the university while offering the public more opportunities to attend and still make profit!

I’d rather watch it at home on my hdtv where I can go pee at one of the 46 commercials, eat my own food and drinks, save $300 and also not waste 7-8 hours of a day vs 3-4 hours watching on tv, 3 hours if on btn, 4 hours if on fox or abc 

last game was Maryland 2016, fans come in late stand in front of u so u can’t see and knee u in the back, then pay $5 for a water and can barely see the players cuz too far away, I’ll stay home 

Baby boomers have ruined our country. Ruining it politically, financially and now morally. The children of the greatest generation are the worst generation. Ironic.

Maybe Alabama should schedule less Texas Southerns and Arkansas states...

With travel time and game time it's an entire day (or more) to go to a game. You're typically out at least a few hundred dollars after food, tickets, gas/airfare, parking, and more if you need hotel costs. And that's for crappy opponents. Double or triple that for good opponents and the whole thing has gotten way past ridiculous.

Since games can be reduced to less than 30 minutes of anything happening that is a LOT to ask of people for 30 minutes.

Now add in alabama heat and humidity against a shitty opponent with no doubt about the outcome and it's a no brainer as to why people aren't showing up.

Lower costs, shorten games, schedule better opponents. Or, kiss it all goodbye.

Kids aren’t going to show up the whole game to watch you annihilate Louisiana Tech or Chattanooga State, especially when they can’t drink in the stadium. Just a fact, pal.

Also, when you’ve won 5 of the last 10 national titles, I have to imagine a lot of your fans completely take these games for granted. Not that I blame them. Alabama seems to be the only team in America that is fully upset proof in these types of games.

Want students at games? Make it a more enjoyable experience. Right now, attending football games is like a chore, not an escape or entertainment. 

I can go to every single DCFC game for the cost of a shitty seat at Michigan Stadium. Food and beer is cheaper too. I know student tickets are not all that expensive, but hardly seems worth the time or effort. I imagine a ton of students tailgate and then go home. 

This is like the articles headline “millenials are killing Applebee’s” or some other place that can’t keep up with changin demands. 

Yep, going in person is not worth the money and time any more. Once more teams and stadiums start to follow the new “actually affordable by non-billionaire “ route with snacks and tickets, people will come back.