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What was the announced attendance and what was the actual turnout like at the BLVD and the game?

Official attendance was just over 15K.

15,324 announced. Looked more like 12 - 13K. Was a lot less crowded
on the BLVD. Lots of students were away at fall break I heard.

In reality probably around 12,000. I know there was a fall break and UT/OU that means more to many SMU students than SMU games, so this is not a rag on the students, but it sure is sad to go to a college football game and see absolutely no one in the student section. If I did not know where the student section was it would not have been noticed. Just another small crowd. But we have to see that scheduling like this does not occur again. I have always believed that this game was meant to be moved, but when we got the Rice game changed to national TV at the beginning of the season, I think it might have messed up this game's chances of moving.

By the way, any one know what happened involving the ambulance and paramedics on the Blvd? We can not afford to lose anyone.

mrydel wrote:I know there was a fall break and UT/OU that means more to many SMU students than SMU games, so this is not a rag on the students, but it sure is sad to go to a college football game and see absolutely no one in the student section. If I did not know where the student section was it would not have been noticed.

I counted 40 at kickoff in the student section. Pretty sad.

SMU should really have an in-out policy. Yes, we are bad, and there will always be people more interested in tailgating than going into the game, but there were probably several THOUSAND people I saw out on the BLVD after the game had started and they weren't headed towards Ford. The BLVD has been a great addition to the SMU gameday experience, and we should look at any way we can encourage people to tie the blvd with the game.

mrydel wrote:By the way, any one know what happened involving the ambulance and paramedics on the Blvd? We can not afford to lose anyone.

I was walking south on the sidewalk along Bishop, and they went past me way too fast. I figured they just got called to something outside of SMU, and was scared they hit somebody on the way out?

PlanoStang wrote:

mrydel wrote:By the way, any one know what happened involving the ambulance and paramedics on the Blvd? We can not afford to lose anyone.

I was walking south on the sidewalk along Bishop, and they went past me way too fast. I figured they just got called to something outside of SMU, and was scared they hit somebody on the way out?

No, they stopped on the south end of the Blvd at one of the spots and were there still as I was walking into the stadium. The fact they were still there after a long time either means they were having to give immediate attention for a considerable length of time or hopefully that it was a false alarm or very minor incident.

They blew by me pretty fast headed south with sirens, and lights going
south on the BLVD. Then I saw them stopped at the south end like you
said.

I was hoping they didn't nail somebody trying to get out of SMU?

"By the way, any one know what happened involving
the ambulance and paramedics on the Blvd?"

One day I want my obituary to read:

"88 years old, died of a massive heart-attack at an
SMU home football game right after SMU scored a
last second touchdown to win the game"

Small as the crowd was, it was as animated as I have seen an SMU crowd in ages.

While there was probably the smallest crowd to date in the student section. No sorority signs posted on the wall at all. However, after half time there actually appeared to be more students sitting in the section as the game progress. This must really be a first where students come to the game at the half instead of leaving.

I was certainly hoping for a better turnout, but it was louder than expected.

Would it be unethical to start paying people to show up for a game?

Pony94 wrote:I was certainly hoping for a better turnout, but it was louder than expected.

Would it be unethical to start paying people to show up for a game?

As long as it isn't the players, it should be fine.

Isn't giving away free tickets, which we do, paying people to come to the games already?