What will be the ratio of Michigan:TCU fans at the game?

Submitted by Malarkey on December 26th, 2022 at 5:10 PM

TCU has a stadium capacity of 45,000, which is pretty small for a school in a major metro area in Texas 

 

anyone know how many fans they have and how they travel In general? Are we expecting a heavy Michigan crowd?

dallas-blues

December 27th, 2022 at 9:10 AM ^

Well then allow me to be more specific:  Myself and my brother are going with my two sons.  Since he and I are Michigan fans since the early 1970's and my boys are TCU fans (my youngest got his masters there).  Our tiny little section, row and seats will be 50-50. 

Having adopted TCU as my Texas team since I moved to Texas in the early 80's from Michigan and raising my 2 boys to love college football-this trip is a dream come true.  What I have seen; especially for such a smaller private School -TCU really seems to travel well and I really expect TCU to have close to 50% if not more IMO.

Go Blue!

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Team 101

December 26th, 2022 at 5:23 PM ^

At the bowl games I've been to there have always been more of them than there are of us but we usually play in Florida against a SEC team or in the Rose Bowl against USC or UCLA.  In any event there will be more of us at the Fiesta Bowl than there were in Columbus for the Game and you could hear us in the Shoe so I am confident we will be heard. 

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TeslaRedVictorBlue

December 26th, 2022 at 5:37 PM ^

Michigan fans are used to playing in bowls in the other fucking teams area. We play Florida in Orlando, Alabama in Georgia and Florida, usc/UCLA in the rose bowl.

I really wish we could have played in Atlanta. I would have gone too. Grrr

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Bambi

December 26th, 2022 at 5:43 PM ^

I feel like there were more Michigan fans than Georgia fans last year, and that was in Florida when most of us expected to lose. Especially considering the size of TCU, I can't imagine it's not 65%+ Michigan fans.

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Michigan_Math_Alum

December 26th, 2022 at 6:23 PM ^

I agree that there were definitely more Michigan fans in Miami last year, and heard some Georgia fans commenting on that after the game as well.  I am not sure if potentially closer/cheaper flights will help TCU with attendance this time around.
 

I wanted to go to the Fiesta Bowl, but decided not to based on the how much more flights around the holidays are.  (I would be flying from Maryland.). Flights to LA around the championship game look to be more reasonable, but I have to decide how much I am willing to pay for a ticket on the secondary market since I was about 20 priority points too low get them from the department.

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BKBlue94

December 26th, 2022 at 10:54 PM ^

I'm concerned that this could be a reason we end up outnumbered in Phoenix, and why Georgia had fewer fans last year. Fans that expect to win the semi may focus on making a trip to the final instead, if they don't have the ability to go to both. The size of fan base difference is a good counterpoint though.

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wildbackdunesman

December 26th, 2022 at 5:56 PM ^

Are we expecting a heavy Michigan crowd?

The state of Michigan has an obesity rate of 34.4%, so by global standards it is quite likely to be a relatively heavy Michigan crowd.  However, Texas's obesity rate is even higher, so it is quite possible that they have a heavier crowd.

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BLUEinRockford

December 26th, 2022 at 6:16 PM ^

TCU is a small private school with a fall of 2022 enrollment of about 12,000 students.

I have driven through the campus many times in the past 5 years and it reminded of a small MAC school. Older brick buildings with manicured courtyards and walkways. Very picturesque. The sports complex looks newer as you head west into the residential areas of Fort Worth.

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Michfan777

December 26th, 2022 at 6:22 PM ^

Wondering this myself. Here in Orange County this holiday, I’ve seen tons of TCU gear being worn.

Ive probably seen 10x the amount of TCU gear on people here in the past few days than the entire 7 years I was living in Texas

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Perkis-Size Me

December 26th, 2022 at 6:42 PM ^

I think Michigan (ever so slightly) outnumbered Georgia fans last year. And that was in Florida, right in the heart of SEC country. That bodes well for this year.

It’s not going to be overwhelmingly pro-Michigan. This is TCU’s first ever trip and their fan base won’t disappoint. They’ll want to be there. But I’d guess 60-65% Michigan fans. There will be a ton of West Coast fans who will show up in droves for this game.

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LSA84

December 26th, 2022 at 6:50 PM ^

How about some facts:

STUDENTS

U of M:  44,000+

TCU:  11,000+

 

ALUMNI:

U of M:  574,000

TCU:  90,000

 

If you think the distance to Phoenix gives them an edge, you're mistaken.  Few will drive from TCU - it's a 15-hour drive (I live in Austin and have done the drive to Phoenix).  It's a 4.5 hour flight from DTW, a 2.5 hour flight from DFW.

Do the math.

 

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I'mTheStig

December 26th, 2022 at 7:32 PM ^

The math is actually quite perplexing.

The poster seems to imply Michigan's superior alumni and student base will directly correspond to more M fans in attendance.

But...

The students won't have the same access to tickets as alumni.

The alumni number quoted reflects world-wide alumni rather than people in reasonable travelling distance to the game.

So I guess the "do the math" part is the numbers pan out for Michigan travelling to the game?!

Until...

The poster showed it's easier for TCU fans to get there based upon a flight that is only about half as long as for people flying from Michigan.

So... if I'm "doing the math" and two trains leave stations 2,000 miles apart and one train travels at 75 and the other train miles per hour while the other travels at 85 miles per hour, how long will it take for my wife to schedule plans for us on NYE so I'll miss the game?!

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LSA84

December 26th, 2022 at 10:36 PM ^

You were picking apart a post when you didn't get it?  Allow me to help you:

U of M has far more alums and students.  Got it?

As jmblue points out, TCU isn't close enough to drive, and the flight length isn't enough to make a difference.  

Still with me?

Conclusion:  with more than 6x the alumni and 4x the students and travel about the same difficulty from the two primary fan locations, who's more likely to have more people in the stands on Saturday?

C'mon, take a shot.

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FrankMurphy

December 26th, 2022 at 7:00 PM ^

Probably 65-70% Michigan and 30-35% TCU. TCU is a relatively small school (total enrollment of around 10,000 compared to our 45,000) with a much more limited profile than Michigan (they weren't even Power 5 until just a few years ago). On the other hand, Dallas is closer to Phoenix than Detroit.

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