Possible Sellout?

[AlumniWSU]

Bet this thread subject will certainly apply to the SUU game next Sat. Noticed they have had some 10K+ crowds a couple of times in Cedar City. Don't know what their stadium capacity is but definitely a "Possible Sellout?" Get the win Wildcats!

 

[PurpleBlood]

I’m a bit confused about the Standard article. Anyone who knows anything about FCS football would not have written that. I was expecting an article thanking the community. Doesn’t the picture in the article contradict what he is saying? Our attendance and environment crused every FCS game yesterday, except Northern Iowa. I was sitting near the student section and we had at least 15-20 rows of loud students. However, I do agree we should not stop now. #17500Strong

 

[WILDCAT]

I feel Hein was trying to make a point that it deserved better attendance being what it was, which I agree. But under the circumstances & playoff game structure, there were plausible reasons it wasn't. Season tickets sold are apparently fully included in the regular season attendance count, whether actually there or not, then they must add in the ticket stubs thru the gates(?). So the count here couldn't include that first aspect and maybe not the students (free pass). Certainly it seemed more students than Hein alluded to & as he mentioned, the atmosphere was great!

I remember an article in the SE by Garside, similar to Hein's column, but on basketball attendance. They both were trying to make a point on it all being "worth supporting". Valid points!

It's just preaching to the choir on this forum (avid fans here), but I get tired of several in the community ( even a few in the student body) who expect nothing but freebies & handouts before they'll even consider attending a Weber State sports event!! Yes, I know student fees count...I've been one.

I am a subscriber to the SE & it isn't "fake news"...perhaps more often than not maybe some "faulty news". But my take is that both of these sports columnists are avid fans as well & I appreciate that & most of the time like their articles.

As I posted earlier on the other thread...no matter how big or exciting, some people just are plainly not interested in attending Weber State sports, except maybe to watch/read it online or in the paper. :twocents:

The picture in the article clearly debunks his whole argument. Could the crowd have been bigger? Yes it could have, but his statement of "lack of a crowd" is a lie........aka Fake News!

It would be like me saying Weber won while wearing thier black helmets and then showing a picture of the team wearing purple helmets. If he wanted to make a case for his argument he should have posted a picture of the stadium just prior to kickoff when it was mostly empty. The picture he showed in his article did not help his case.

 

[WILDCAT]

BTW, that far right end that is empty is the visitors section, it's not Weber's fault that Western didn't bring more fans. This was easily our largest crowd of the year, I don't know where they got that attendance number from but in my opinion it is complete and total :bs:

 

[WSUfan1]

Who can get me some screenshots of the crowd being panned on ESPN3? I will seriously count section by section, and debunk this stupid notion that the stadium was only 38% full. To seriously think there were only an average of 3,000 on each side, is stupid. We all know that attendance announced is never accurate or close to the real thing, either too much or too little. If the stadium holds 17,500 that means roughly each side holds 8,750. There is no way that you could put everyone that attended the game yesterday on one side, with one section still empty. That would mean only one side would be 79% full, 6,876/8,750. Each side has 7 sections, so roughly 1,250 per section. There is no way that only 79% of one side would have been filled for the game. If you believe the reported number, then you are an idiot.

 

[SWeberCat02]

I think the problem is that with all the past attendance numbers that the university reports, which are obviously inflated, no one really knows what 10,000 fans really looks like and we're all trying to compare yesterday's crowd to past crowds that have been reported as 8,000-10,000. For all we know, yesterday's attendance report may actually be accurate, but in the past the university would have reported it as 10,000+, which has caused everyone to question it. But numbers are numbers, all I know is I was pretty happy with the size of the crowd yesterday, and really happy with the atmosphere they created.

 

[WILDCAT]

I think the problem is that with all the past attendance numbers that the university reports, which are obviously inflated, no one really knows what 10,000 fans really looks like and we're all trying to compare yesterday's crowd to past crowds that have been reported as 8,000-10,000. For all we know, yesterday's attendance report may actually be accurate, but in the past the university would have reported it as 10,000+, which has caused everyone to question it. But numbers are numbers, all I know is I was pretty happy with the size of the crowd yesterday, and really happy with the atmosphere they created.

Yet the NAU announced attendance was 4,068 and the Skydome was EMPTY. There is no way that there was only 2,808 more fans in Stewart last night, From what I saw while watching the NAU game there were more fans on the eastern side of Stewart Stadium than NAU had alone in their whole Stadium.

 

[hawkssb04]

Regardless of the attendance count and what the actual attendance was, it's not fair to take Hein to task here. Perhaps it could have been worded a little better, but his point was that if there were ever a game worthy of completely filling the stadium (beyond debate), it should have been this one. And to that point, I agree. I don't think there's any one person or group to blame for this, as attendance is obviously a complex issue, but let's take a step back and breathe a bit before busting out the pitch forks.

 

[hawkssb04]

I think the problem is that with all the past attendance numbers that the university reports, which are obviously inflated, no one really knows what 10,000 fans really looks like and we're all trying to compare yesterday's crowd to past crowds that have been reported as 8,000-10,000. For all we know, yesterday's attendance report may actually be accurate, but in the past the university would have reported it as 10,000+, which has caused everyone to question it. But numbers are numbers, all I know is I was pretty happy with the size of the crowd yesterday, and really happy with the atmosphere they created.

I think you nailed it here. I'm willing to bet that for NCAA purposes, they were only allowed to count paid attendance here, because of the profit-sharing dynamic of hosting playoff games (after expenditures, including the bid). Before, season-ticket holders were counted in that, but they were only given first dibs to buy their regular seats for this game before they forfeited them to the general public on Tuesday. Obviously, you can't count students, faculty and staff for paid attendance either, as they got in for free.

 

[SWWeatherCat]

I think the problem is that with all the past attendance numbers that the university reports, which are obviously inflated, no one really knows what 10,000 fans really looks like and we're all trying to compare yesterday's crowd to past crowds that have been reported as 8,000-10,000. For all we know, yesterday's attendance report may actually be accurate, but in the past the university would have reported it as 10,000+, which has caused everyone to question it. But numbers are numbers, all I know is I was pretty happy with the size of the crowd yesterday, and really happy with the atmosphere they created.

Yet the NAU announced attendance was 4,068 and the Skydome was EMPTY. There is no way that there was only 2,808 more fans in Stewart last night, From what I saw while watching the NAU game there were more fans on the eastern side of Stewart Stadium than NAU had alone in their whole Stadium.

That's for damn sure, it looked similar to the DEC for the exhibition games, all three of them.

 

[SWeberCat02]

Regardless of the attendance count and what the actual attendance was, it's not fair to take Hein to task here. Perhaps it could have been worded a little better, but his point was that if there were ever a game worthy of completely filling the stadium (beyond debate), it should have been this one. And to that point, I agree. I don't think there's any one person or group to blame for this, as attendance is obviously a complex issue, but let's take a step back and breathe a bit before busting out the pitch forks.

I think the surprisingly low attendance number, as well as his article, offended some fans, including many on this board, who were at the game and felt like their support wasn't being fully recognized or appreciated. It was good to see a tweet tonight from the football program thanking Wildcat Nation for their support.

https://twitter.com/weberstatefb/status/934979696705470464

 

[Webergrad02]

Things that baffle me:
1. We call 2,000 fans for a mens B-ball game 6,000 official fans
2. We call 10,000 - 12,000 fans for a football game 6,500 official fans
3. Why didn't Hein report that it looked like more than the reported total. He was there and could see that the "official" reporting was not accurate. Instead we get the yearly fan support guilt trip article. Yes more people should have gone and watched our first home playoff game and more people should have come out to see Bolomboy and Dame. I don't see what he was trying to accomplish.

 

[hawkssb04]

Things that baffle me:
1. We call 2,000 fans for a mens B-ball game 6,000 official fans
2. We call 10,000 - 12,000 fans for a football game 6,500 official fans
3. Why didn't Hein report that it looked like more than the reported total. He was there and could see that the "official" reporting was not accurate. Instead we get the yearly fan support guilt trip article. Yes more people should have gone and watched our first home playoff game and more people should have come out to see Bolomboy and Dame. I don't see what he was trying to accomplish.

Perhaps there's opportunity for another article, that dives deeper into athletics attendance reporting figures, providing us with the official "word" and details from the department. What gets counted? What doesn't get counted? Does the nature of the sport and game (conference, non-conference, playoffs, etc.) change how things are tallied? Why? Why not? If Brett Hein is reading (which I assume he is), maybe he can fill us all in.

 

[n.ogdencat]

Brett wrote an article in the SE as a fan. He was upset by the turnout; something we all should be upset by. Just tells us how little this community cares about the university in its midst. I figure close to 2M live along the Wasatch Front. So, within 60mins of Stewart Stadium there is a population greater than Montana and we can't get more than 15K to the most important home football game in our schools history? I get it. He should be pissed. He just didn't call out the right people.

 

[WILDCAT]

There was less people there than I wanted, but more than I expected.

There was a big crowd there, no sellout but easily over 10K and I will challenge that at every turn. I got to the game 40 minutes early and the place I usually park (that is normally empty) was PACKED. The Dee parking where the shuttle takes you over to the Stadium was PACKED. The area where tailgaters usually park was PACKED. I actually stayed in the Stadium for a while so I wouldn't have to wait for traffic.

I really wish they could do a recount and yes I now this shouldn't really bother me but Damn it it does.

 

[WILDCAT]

Just something to think about. Stewart Stadium holds 17,500. So each side has to hold AT LEAST 8,000 people.

 

[Webergrad02]

Just something to think about. Stewart Stadium holds 17,500. So each side has to hold AT LEAST 8,000 people.

There is 6,000 people in this picture if not more.

Tal were you there? As soon as I saw the official attendance figure I thought that is way wrong. It was a good crowd. I imagine anything less than a sell-out to Brett was a disappointment, but the only figure mentioned in the article was the way low official number.

You read the tone in his article and you think hardly any fans showed up. You can't compare the attendance on Saturday to the NDSU game where we gave away way more free tickets than paid tickets.

 

[SWWeatherCat]

Just something to think about. Stewart Stadium holds 17,500. So each side has to hold AT LEAST 8,000 people.

There is 6,000 people in this picture if not more.

Tal were you there? As soon as I saw the official attendance figure I thought that is way wrong. It was a good crowd. I imagine anything less than a sell-out to Brett was a disappointment, but the only figure mentioned in the article was the way low official number.

You read the tone in his article and you think hardly any fans showed up. You can't compare the attendance on Saturday to the NDSU game where we gave away way more free tickets than paid tickets.

I think 6K is a good estimate for the East and from what I remember staring at on the West 4K in the seating area seems about right and another 1K in the boxes. That would match my guess about 11,000 (or should we make it 11,007?) :lol:

 

[WSUWildcat]

Just something to think about. Stewart Stadium holds 17,500. So each side has to hold AT LEAST 8,000 people.

There is 6,000 people in this picture if not more.

Tal were you there? As soon as I saw the official attendance figure I thought that is way wrong. It was a good crowd. I imagine anything less than a sell-out to Brett was a disappointment, but the only figure mentioned in the article was the way low official number.

You read the tone in his article and you think hardly any fans showed up. You can't compare the attendance on Saturday to the NDSU game where we gave away way more free tickets than paid tickets.

I think 6K is a good estimate for the East and from what I remember staring at on the West 4K in the seating area seems about right and another 1K in the boxes. That would match my guess about 11,000 (or should we make it 11,007?) :lol:

Given that the school even sold the row in front of me that they claimed would never be sold to anyone ever, I say 11037.

 

[WSUfan1]

Just something to think about. Stewart Stadium holds 17,500. So each side has to hold AT LEAST 8,000 people.

There is 6,000 people in this picture if not more.

Tal were you there? As soon as I saw the official attendance figure I thought that is way wrong. It was a good crowd. I imagine anything less than a sell-out to Brett was a disappointment, but the only figure mentioned in the article was the way low official number.

You read the tone in his article and you think hardly any fans showed up. You can't compare the attendance on Saturday to the NDSU game where we gave away way more free tickets than paid tickets.

Yes, this is where Brett lacks common sense. Each side has 7 sections, and each section hold 1,250, and each side holds 8,750 fans. He honestly believes that you could have put everyone at the game on one side, and still have 2,000 open seats. The reported total means only 38% of the entire stadium was filled. :willybs: :willybs: :willybs: :willybs: :willybs: :willybs: :willybs:

Like I said early, we just need some screen shots of the stadium and we can count.