A topic I posted about earlier this week is my feature story on NBC Sports Chicago today.
NBCSC: Where Are the Fans?
NBCSC: Where Are the Fans?
NBCSC: Where are the fans?
- Thread starter Anon1754760634
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Just my opinion...
Friday night games - Students are already at the school and the hype is going on throughout the day. The students go to the local hangout after school and/or their perspective practices and stay for the game that cost them nothing to enter.
Saturday games - Students are home in their comfy house and its too cold to go stand outside where they are charged $5.00 to enter. They just go to a friends house or anywhere else obviously and chill. Im sure there are other things going on too.
IHSA $5.00 student charges - Ok, so the student sections are empty(HF Student section was last week, and NC was less than half full). Your not getting those $$ anyway since nobody is there. Why not let the students in for free. You're not losing anything. just sayin
Friday night games - Students are already at the school and the hype is going on throughout the day. The students go to the local hangout after school and/or their perspective practices and stay for the game that cost them nothing to enter.
Saturday games - Students are home in their comfy house and its too cold to go stand outside where they are charged $5.00 to enter. They just go to a friends house or anywhere else obviously and chill. Im sure there are other things going on too.
IHSA $5.00 student charges - Ok, so the student sections are empty(HF Student section was last week, and NC was less than half full). Your not getting those $$ anyway since nobody is there. Why not let the students in for free. You're not losing anything. just sayin
I think lack of general interest by students and other things going on is a far bigger issue that the $5. I was at the HC/LA game and neither had a student section. The $5 is not reason kids from Hinsdale and the north shore are missing the football game.
I think it is just a sign of the times. At a lower level, I notice less people at bars also.And the ones that are there don't have the ability to interact with one another and are chained to their phones.It is becoming like that Bruce Willis movie "Surrogates"
Might not be a major reason but, Other sports have started -Basketball (girls and boys). Hockey, wrestling, etc... Plus a saturday away game, if your student doesn't drive or have friends that drive why would parents want to take their kids 45 min in the cold to watch a game they have no interest in.
Maybe the school should provide a bus to the games for students - free of charge. Or $5 and get some pizza on the way home.
Maybe the school should provide a bus to the games for students - free of charge. Or $5 and get some pizza on the way home.
As mentioned there are a lot of reasons....other school activities draw some kids away and the $5 cost is a detriment. Local live streaming of games also certainly contributes to reduced attendance.
Bottom line is that current students are way more selfish and concerned about their own lives and comfort than any sort of school spirit. They are also front runners....if things are going poorly, the weather is bad, or they think the game will be a blowout, or their friend is having a party, etc they just won’t go. Cheering for their friends at a high school athletic events just aren’t a priority for students. This extends to the parents of non-players... they generally live in the same selfish world as their kids.
There are some exceptions and I’ve seen some great crowds and student sections when all of the stars align. Student sections with strong, organized leadership make a huge difference.
Bottom line is that current students are way more selfish and concerned about their own lives and comfort than any sort of school spirit. They are also front runners....if things are going poorly, the weather is bad, or they think the game will be a blowout, or their friend is having a party, etc they just won’t go. Cheering for their friends at a high school athletic events just aren’t a priority for students. This extends to the parents of non-players... they generally live in the same selfish world as their kids.
There are some exceptions and I’ve seen some great crowds and student sections when all of the stars align. Student sections with strong, organized leadership make a huge difference.
[QUOTE="BigJohn34, post: 145065, member: 17524"]Might not be a major reason but, Other sports have started -Basketball (girls and boys). Hockey, wrestling, etc... Plus a saturday away game, if your student doesn't drive or have friends that drive why would parents want to take their kids 45 min in the cold to watch a game they have no interest in.
Maybe the school should provide a bus to the games for students - free of charge. Or $5 and get some pizza on the way home.[/QUOTE]
None of the things you listed are new "distractions". All of these things have been going on for years and did not lead to low student turnout at football games. There is something else in play.
Maybe the school should provide a bus to the games for students - free of charge. Or $5 and get some pizza on the way home.[/QUOTE]
None of the things you listed are new "distractions". All of these things have been going on for years and did not lead to low student turnout at football games. There is something else in play.
That may be true in some cases, but I really do not see that trend with my kids and their friends. I have had two kids go through JCA and two currently there. I think there is a lot of support for sports from the students as well as non player parents. JC football really struggled the last two years and still they had decent crowds at games. In addition, the other sports get a ton of support. The girls volleyball games draw large crowds with significant student sections. I know we like to bash on the younger generation and how weak and selfish they are. In my experience and the kids I see on a daily basis, I would completely disagree. The kids I see at JCA are hardworking, focused, team oriented and have a great deal of school spirit. I would imagine a lot of parents on this board would echo my statement about their "home" school and their kids and their kids friends. Just my personal observation with the kids I deal directly.on a daily basis.
None of the things you listed are new "distractions". All of these things have been going on for years and did not lead to low student turnout at football games. There is something else in play.[/QUOTE]
I got an idea, why don't we just ask the kids why they don't attend games anymore.
It's the lack of evening games. Kids love the night games. They just don't get as excited about a 1PM Saturday game against a school they aren't familiar with. I think it might be on the coaches. They all want that extra day of preparation which causes all of these Saturday afternoon games. I think overall attendance has been pretty good this regular season but when it comes to the playoffs it dwindles.
I don’t think it matters if it’s a Saturday or Friday game I think two bigger factors are the weather and the match up. This year the weather has sucked and overall the match up have been meh. The quarter finals this week has so great match ups so hopefully the weather is good.
What's more concerning to me is "Where are the parents/families?" I went to a regular season games this year and there were about 55-60 kids on the sideline and about less than 30 adults in the stands. The visiting team was in conference, less than 10 miles away, had about 45 kids on the team, and about 15 people in the stands. I know some parents work evenings but I wouldn't expect 50% of them.
Iphones, Internet and gaming systems. If we had these things in the 80s and 90s attendance would have suffered more then. Football/Basketball games where were you interacted with people on a weekend and was likely the only time you could talk to a lot of people. Now everyone just Snapchats each other 10 times a day.
One thing everyone is forgetting. People have to work more on weekends. Teenagers now have jobs too
Honestly, I think the attendance issue is that a lot of these teams although they have good records don't really play appealing football, and don't have great fan bases. The teams with Tradition and establishes bases are not having the same attendance issues. Weather permitting it will show this weekend, as the competition levels are raised another notch and there will be big matchups that attract fans from across the high school football spectrum.
$5 isn't going to keep anyone away from a playoff game that one's school is involved in. Every kid out there, even from the poorer districts, has $5 to spend.
As a fan, I disdain Saturday contests. High school football is meant to be played on Friday night. That's a bigger reason for decline in attendance, not a measly $5.
As a fan, I disdain Saturday contests. High school football is meant to be played on Friday night. That's a bigger reason for decline in attendance, not a measly $5.
Complacency from fans of perennial power houses in early rounds could be a factor. For example, Palatine fans might not have been too excited about a cold, foggy 2nd round matchup against a 26 seed when they made the semis last year.
Schools have less money to provide fan buses and are less likely to provide one for first or second round games.
Schools have less money to provide fan buses and are less likely to provide one for first or second round games.