Attendance

[docabel]

3335.

If we are to believe attendance numbers, then that is the difference in attendance between SMU-NWST (20083) and SMU-Memphis (16748).

[ponyte]

I wasn't at the NUU game but I would have guessed ,more at the Memphis game.

[goldenstang]

On tv it looked like Memphis was deserted. The endzone and visitor side looked like maybe 1000 people combined.

[max the wonder dog]

[quote="goldenstang"]On tv it looked like Memphis was deserted. The endzone and visitor side looked like maybe 1000 people combined.[/quote]


The print edition of [i]The Commercial Appeal[/i] estimated the crowd at 10,000. By the end of game the crowd was closer to 1,000 than 10,000 (Tiger fans bailed when there was a spot of rain in the 3rd quarter). It was homecoming and Memphis gave away lots of tickets in addition to selling them 2 for $10 on Groupon.

Some Memphis fans are calling for boycotting football until the school gets a new athletic director. There also are calls for a new president and coach, but the AD is the biggest target.

[Charleston Pony]

I'm glad we don't play in a 60,000 seat stadium

[tristatecoog]

very sad. Reminds me of Tulane games.

[CalallenStang]

I wasn't at the NUU game but I would have guessed ,more at the Memphis game.

A Memphis fan said on the CUSA board that the shape and design of the Liberty Bowl often makes people overestimate the attendance. I thought there was a good 20,000-25,000 there.

[mrydel]

Crowd looked decent to Ponyte and me from the visitor side. We both remarked that it was better than we had expected and he was sure it was better than the last time we played there. But we could not really tell how many were are our side and I guess that is where the lower number came from.

[RGV Pony]

It's worth noting that the liberty bowl and surrounding area were much better than my expectations. Cleaner and less cavernous than rice and uab. Fresh blue paint rather than the expected chipped paint and rust on railings etc. City -or whomever- does a good job taking care of it.

[mrydel]

I agree. Very nice facility. Large concourse, lots of concession areas. Of course everything seemed bigger without any people around.

[mathman]

All this leads me to wonder why their name comes up on occasion for movement to a BCS conference. All I ever hear on here is that football drives the bus. They are horrible. Their attendance is bad. Surely they don't travel well. I know they have a top 20 BB team most years but it is my understanding that that doesn't matter. Is their TV market that large and do they even control it?

[GiddyUp]

It's definitely a different shaped stadium - all the seats have a good view of the field. Between the end zones the seats go way up -- it is hard to tell actual attendance but more than I expected. Homecoming probably helped and they sell beer - 11am starts is tough anywhere. Definitely more than Tulane last year, they have to be the worst in conference.

Their video board is about a tenth the size of ours - hardly paid attention to game presentation nor really cared.

[Mestengo]

That was my fifth trip to the liberty bowl It definitely looked better

[max the wonder dog]

[quote="mathman"]All this leads me to wonder why their name comes up on occasion for
movement to a BCS conference. All I ever hear on here is that football drives the bus. They are horrible. Their attendance is bad. Surely they don't travel well. I know they have a top 20 BB team most years but it is my understanding that that doesn't matter. Is their TV market that large and do they even control it?[/quote]

Memphis is 48 or 49 in TV market size not huge, but bigger than the markets of most SEC teams. Televised football suffers at the hands of televised SEC games, but Memphis basketball almost always carries its time slot. This is a basketball town and the Tigers rule, consistently selling out the FedEx Forum (~18,000). They consistently outperform the Grizzlies attendance wise.

The Liberty Bowl Stadium has aged well and it has great sight lines. I've been going to games there since the 60s and haven't noticed any major deterioration. And, even with sellouts when UTenn or Ole Miss are in town the restrooms and food service can handle the crowds.

It's part of The Fairgrounds, but the fair relocated several years ago and they have taken out unused buildings to open up parking for football.

There are supporters of a new on-campus stadium But there also is a local faction that doesn't want assets diverted from Liberty Bowl Stadium, which, in addition to Tiger football, is home to the Liberty Bowl Game and the Heritage Classic, an annual game between Tn State and Jackson State that attracts 50,000 plus fans.