Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL. Show all posts

Sunday, July 01, 2012

NFL attendance problems a lesson for BC

BC's faced some attendance issues the past few years. We like to blame the tailgating or Spaz or the schedule, but the reality is there are multiple factors. Just look at the attendance issues facing the most popular league in American sports -- the NFL. If they can't get butts in the seats, how can BC? The NFL has a few different solutions in play. Perhaps, BC can learn from them.

Fewer Seats
The NFL is lowering the bar, so that blackout rules don't require sellouts. Blackouts are not an issue in college, but perhaps few seats will help demand and make Alumni seem full. I don't want to tear out seats, but maybe we can replace the bleachers with actual seats. That would take up more space, eliminate seats and improve the watching experience. 

Lower prices
The internet has added fluidity to the ticket market. It used to be BC fans would buy season ticket packages to assure themselves Notre Dame tickets or some other desirable game. Now most know that they can buy the game they want without committing to others they don't. One way to win them back is to lower the investment. BC will miss out on the mark up of the premium games, but at least they will have more people invest in a whole season. BC is indirectly doing this already with their discounts of the less desirable games. If the NFL is lowering prices on parking and concessions, BC should also explore it. Like the NFL we are getting more and more money from TV. Why not make the ingame experience more affordable.

In-game experience
This has been discussed ad nauseum, but needs to be looked at again. I don't think it is as simple as the NFL's push for wireless. We need the game day experience to be inviting from the moment the gates open to the moment the last fan is leaving. It is about the music, the ushers, the video boards, the halftime, the activities during commercial breaks. I don't want BC to turn into a barrage of nonsense, but we can do more. 

I don't go to many BC games. That's mostly because of my location. But I also like the watching the game in my home. The convenience, the visuals, and the costs all factor into my decision. But live sports is still a great experience...especially college football. I just hope BC doesn't wait around until the Alumni is empty. We need to learn from what works for the NFL and what doesn't.  

Thursday, August 04, 2011

BC NFL Alumni updates

With Jonathan Goodwin leaving via free agency, Matt Tennant is now the starting Center for the Saints.


Kiwi is hoping that one big year will pay off with a bigger contract next season.


This article shows Alex Albright getting hands on instructions from Rob Ryan.


Mark Herzlich is keeping pace with the other rookies at Giants camp.


Despite reports, Rich Lapham is not with the Bills. He's still recovering from his knee issues.


James McCluskey is already missing practices with injuries. Not a good sign.