Hey, at least we aren't Idaho

[StallionsModelT]

I do think comparing attendance figures from 1982 is kind of stupid. The population of the region has nearly tripled since then not to mention the 24 hour sports news cycle. In 1982 college football was below professional baseball and basketball. Now college football is the number two spectator sport and second only to the NFL in terms of overall revenue and media coverage.

I'm not going to sit here and say we'll ever get to the point where we are selling out Ford regardless of our opponent. We have a total of 40,000 living alums in DFW. It would take almost every one of them to attend a game in order to sell out Ford. Combine that with the fact that for the majority of our alums under the age of 40 who have never seen one week of SMU ranked in the top 25 and a grand total of one victory over a Top 25 opponent in the last 30 years and you've got a fan base that has been completely and utterly zapped.

I do think it is reasonable to think that if we start playing at a level where we are winning 9 games a year, competitive against "name" opponents, and contending for an AAC championship consistently we could average 25K at Ford. I do not think that is out of the realm of possibility. But don't throw attendance figures from 1982 as a straw man. That's just stupid.

[PK]

In 1982 attendance jumped from 23000 to nearly 50,000

Think about that. We had one of the best football teams in the country if not in the history of college football and attendance "jumped" to 50,000. Ohio St. had over 100,000 at their Spring Game this year.

Ohio State much like UT Is the "Professional" team for the area. Neither of them have to compete with professional sports for the entertainment dollars of the area.

[One Trick Pony]

I do think comparing attendance figures from 1982 is kind of stupid. The population of the region has nearly tripled since then not to mention the 24 hour sports news cycle. In 1982 college football was below professional baseball and basketball. Now college football is the number two spectator sport and second only to the NFL in terms of overall revenue and media coverage.

I'm not going to sit here and say we'll ever get to the point where we are selling out Ford regardless of our opponent. We have a total of 40,000 living alums in DFW. It would take almost every one of them to attend a game in order to sell out Ford. Combine that with the fact that for the majority of our alums under the age of 40 who have never seen one week of SMU ranked in the top 25 and a grand total of one victory over a Top 25 opponent in the last 30 years and you've got a fan base that has been completely and utterly zapped.

I do think it is reasonable to think that if we start playing at a level where we are winning 9 games a year, competitive against "name" opponents, and contending for an AAC championship consistently we could average 25K at Ford. I do not think that is out of the realm of possibility. But don't throw attendance figures from 1982 as a straw man. That's just stupid.

I'm stupid - I thought I would try to put a positive spin on it lol

[StallionsModelT]

ha! No I get what you're trying to do but its a total straw man and comparing attendance figures from 1982 to now is ludicrous. Way too many variables have changed that affect those figures but hey.....its helps the grey hairs feel relevant around here.

[One Trick Pony]

I'm Ludacris - and after nine years of mustang club dues 50 yard line seats traveling around the country I know exactly what it is. I probably picked up more bar tabs at SMU events than most people here have donated in a lifetime to the mustang club

[Blunt Pony]

I do think comparing attendance figures from 1982 is kind of stupid. The population of the region has nearly tripled since then not to mention the 24 hour sports news cycle. In 1982 college football was below professional baseball and basketball. Now college football is the number two spectator sport and second only to the NFL in terms of overall revenue and media coverage.

I'm not going to sit here and say we'll ever get to the point where we are selling out Ford regardless of our opponent. We have a total of 40,000 living alums in DFW. It would take almost every one of them to attend a game in order to sell out Ford. Combine that with the fact that for the majority of our alums under the age of 40 who have never seen one week of SMU ranked in the top 25 and a grand total of one victory over a Top 25 opponent in the last 30 years and you've got a fan base that has been completely and utterly zapped.

I do think it is reasonable to think that if we start playing at a level where we are winning 9 games a year, competitive against "name" opponents, and contending for an AAC championship consistently we could average 25K at Ford. I do not think that is out of the realm of possibility. But don't throw attendance figures from 1982 as a straw man. That's just stupid.

By that logic, wouldn't our attendance figures have increased since the population has tripled in the last 30 years? Also, the 24 hour news cycle and ESPN have really hurt our attendance. 11:00 game times have not helped put butts in the seats. Conference affiliation is the ONLY thing that would improve our attendance but that is a chicken and egg argument since we need to be relevant in order to get an invite.

You paint a picture of us winning consistently and that 25k at home games is not out of the realm of possibility? If that is our future then you are making my argument for me.

I love where we are headed in basketball and it is easy to see that the path to relevance is much easier when we have an even playing field to compete for National Championships. Football is just not set up that way and I see the chasm between the haves and have nots getting bigger in the future.

Hope that I am wrong and we can catch some conference's eye.

[Stallion]

actually SWC Football was bigger than AAC Football will ever be. You're right its stupid to compare to 1982 because there will never be that type of interest in our AAC conference opponents again. As we know when SMU schedules former SWC rivals our opponents sell out Ford-but its a ghost town against the AAC. I bet AAC attendance at Ford is around 12,000-maybe 14,000. Real attendance is worse. I looked it up once-and it was horrid

[One Trick Pony]

He's not screaming I quit is he??
The stands are full lol

[sbsmith]

I bet AAC attendance at Ford is around 12,000-maybe 14,000. Real attendance is worse. I looked it up once-and it was horrid

10/5/2013-vs. Rutgers (19,436)
10/26/2013-vs. Temple (15,786)
11/16/2013-vs. UConn (14,639)
12/7/2013-vs. UCF (12,589)
2013 AAC home game average: 15,612

10/18/2014-vs. Cincinnati (16,849)
10/25/2014-vs. Memphis (19,498)
11/15/2014-vs. USF (19,463)
11/28/2014-vs. Houston (15,446)
2014 AAC home game average: 17,814

10/3/2015-vs. ECU (17,136)
10/31/2015-vs. Tulsa (18,217)
11/6/2015-vs. Temple (17,232)
11/21/2015-vs. Tulane (14,954)
2015 AAC home game average: 16,884



2013-2015 AAC home game average: 16,770

[StallionsModelT]

If we played a SWC schedule with an on-campus stadium with a team competing for a national championship we'd have 50K attendance at every home game. That would be an apples to apples comparison for the early 80's SMU to today. If we were #3 in the nation playing in the most high profile conference for college football in the nation we'd have a 24 hour news cycle, coaches shows, players up for the Heisman, ESPNDallas would have a presence at every practice, etc. None of that existed in 1982 or if it did it was in its infancy. Relax grey hairs. We will never have this problem so chill.

[peruna81]

If we played a SWC schedule with an on-campus stadium with a team competing for a national championship we'd have 50K attendance at every home game. That would be an apples to apples comparison for the early 80's SMU to today. If we were #3 in the nation playing in the most high profile conference for college football in the nation we'd have a 24 hour news cycle, coaches shows, players up for the Heisman, ESPNDallas would have a presence at every practice, etc. None of that existed in 1982 or if it did it was in its infancy. Relax grey hairs. We will never have this problem so chill.

well, one less thing to worry about....

[One Trick Pony]

They do have beer!

[footballdad]

If we played a SWC schedule with an on-campus stadium with a team competing for a national championship we'd have 50K attendance at every home game. That would be an apples to apples comparison for the early 80's SMU to today. If we were #3 in the nation playing in the most high profile conference for college football in the nation we'd have a 24 hour news cycle, coaches shows, players up for the Heisman, ESPNDallas would have a presence at every practice, etc. None of that existed in 1982 or if it did it was in its infancy. Relax grey hairs. We will never have this problem so chill.

If.....but.....if......and.....if.....THEN things would be awesome!

At least you and the bros have basketball........until Larry leaves. Hustle on over there now, before it's too late.

[mtrout]

I bet AAC attendance at Ford is around 12,000-maybe 14,000. Real attendance is worse. I looked it up once-and it was horrid

10/5/2013-vs. Rutgers (19,436)
10/26/2013-vs. Temple (15,786)
11/16/2013-vs. UConn (14,639)
12/7/2013-vs. UCF (12,589)
2013 AAC home game average: 15,612

10/18/2014-vs. Cincinnati (16,849)
10/25/2014-vs. Memphis (19,498)
11/15/2014-vs. USF (19,463)
11/28/2014-vs. Houston (15,446)
2014 AAC home game average: 17,814

10/3/2015-vs. ECU (17,136)
10/31/2015-vs. Tulsa (18,217)
11/6/2015-vs. Temple (17,232)
11/21/2015-vs. Tulane (14,954)
2015 AAC home game average: 16,884



2013-2015 AAC home game average: 16,770

Someone should take an aerial drone photo at the middle of first quarter then we can count the actual number of people.

[One Trick Pony]

Did the Gimp just say Bro's ?