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For the second time in a month, I'm sitting in an airport, waiting out multiple delays, and there have been tons of stories about the chaos in the airline industry. Almost all teams fly by charter, but it makes you wonder how many fans will opt to stay home instead of going on the road (or air) for games.

One of the reasons I am driving to College Park from Cincinnati.

Pretty funny.

I am currently traveling. My flight was delayed almost 5 hours and according to the airline employees at the airport, we were fortunate to have any flight that day.

Doesn't help with visitor attendance especially now that conferences are so far flung. Those USC vs Penn State games will be so much fun for fans of those schools to travel to

SoCal_Pony wrote:Pretty funny.

I am currently traveling. My flight was delayed almost 5 hours and according to the airline employees at the airport, we were fortunate to have any flight that day.

I feel your pain. Mine got canceled after a cool 11 hours in the airport and countless delays, and I'm told it was a small miracle that I even got a flight today. I talked to several folks who said they were stranded until Tuesday, or in 1 case, Wednesday.

Won't affect SMU fans, they have been staying home for decades.

geezerdonk wrote:Won't affect SMU fans, they have been staying home for decades.

We have been spoiled to only have a short drive to Ft Worth to kick TCU's arses

Charleston Pony wrote:Doesn't help with visitor attendance especially now that conferences are so far flung. Those USC vs Penn State games will be so much fun for fans of those schools to travel to

I believe it was Mike Gundy who said it best, "it ain't about the fans or the players, it's about the money"
Think of the travel involved for all of the other sports; forget climate change, carbon emissions, airline delays and customer service suckage, etc just think of the expense and time away from class that is involved now that TV network executives are in total and complete control of college athletics, not to mention the loss of long-standing tradition and rivalries.

geezerdonk wrote:Won't affect SMU fans, they have been staying home for decades.

I will give the last three decades a pass. When you are playing Hawaii, Fresno State, San Jose State, East Carolina, UCF, USF, etc. etc. it is a lot to ask of a student or Dallas based fan to take on. Only the die hards would do that - and there are not alot of those anymore (but that, of course, includes everyone on this board).

In 1982 you could watch all 12 games on the schedule and never leave the state of Texas. Seems like that was our high water mark for Fan Enthusiasm.

There was travel to AR kansas.

It will be a real kick in the teeth to non-revenue sports. The money crunches have to live the idea of tennis and rowing taking trips to Washington State or Boston College.

BUS wrote:There was travel to AR kansas.

Fayetteville was like parachuting into Russia. A VERY difficult place to play and visit back in the late 70s/early 80s if you were an SWC school.

BUS wrote:There was travel to AR kansas.

They were all in the state of Texas that year.

That Arky game was at Texas Stadium. And it was a big one with a very controversial ending.

Love to hear Keith Jackson on the mic to call an SMU game...