Accounting for Saturday’s Head Count
Before Saturday’s kickoff at the Wake-Baylor game, I took a look around BB&T Field and saw what I pretty much expected to see.
Or so I thought until the official attendance was announced in the third quarter at 27,905, which was surprisingly low given it was a season-opening game played on a bright and beautiful late summer afternoon by a team in the sweet spot of the most successful era of football in school history. As I noted it my game story, it was the smallest crowd for a home opener at Wake since 2005.
Today I found out, as Paul Harvey used to say, the rest of the story.
Steve Shutt, Wake Forest’s director of media relations, said that the attendance Saturday was actually 30,958. The number given Saturday was a mistake stemming from a scanner problem at BB&T Field. In recent years, Wake has scanned all the tickets for the permanent seats and guesstimated Deacon Hill at 3,500 to come up with the total. This year the plan was to scan the tickets for Deacon Hill as well to come up with a more precise count. Tickets for the hill were scanned, and those charged with determining the final attendance thought those tickets had been accounted for. As it turned out, there was a malfunction in the scanner and the Deacon Hill tickets were not included. Hence the incorrect original annoucement.
All that I understand. Mistakes are made, especially on the opening day of a season.
What I’m still having trouble understanding though is why the stadium was at best half full late when the Deacons still had a chance to pull out a win.
I realize the sun was bearing directly down on the seats on the east side, where the exodus was most obvious. I realize it had to be uncomfortable. And I realize that any criticism I levy is coming from a guy who watched the game from air-conditioned comfort of Deacon Tower. It’s also indisputable that football is far more important to some people than others.
On the other hand, there’s a bottom line to pretty much anything and when half of a 31,500-seat stadium empties by the middle of the fourth quarter out it’s telling. What is being said is that the support for Wake Forest footbal, while deep in certain troughs, is not very wide anywhere. I never forget that Wake, with scarcely more than 4,000 undergraduates, is the smallest school playing in one of college football’s power conferences, Nor can it be overlooked that such a large percentage of students are from other areas of the country who often return home or to other opportunities elsewhere. So I know the program will never have a fan base similar to that of Florida State or Clemson, or even North Carolina or N.C. State. But you want those who do show up to really care.
I didn’t see enough Saturday who really cared. And given the mountains that Jim Grobe has moved in his eight years at Wake, and how the Deacons are good enough to win an ACC championship three years ago and contend for one the past two years, that’s what I don’t understand.
Maybe somebody can help me with this. As usual, I need all the help I can get.
Back to the main page.
By Dan Collins on 09/08/2009 (1:36 pm)
Comments
While all these comments are from those attending, let me give you a take from an alumn who will go on espn gameplan, 360.com, or to a bar with or without kids if I can see Wake play.
You’re a bunch of spoiled little winers if you are more concerned about another week at the beach, or 80 degree weather, boo hoo. Try going back in history and realizing that none of us alumni ever had anything great to cheer about up untilt he last 4 years. Yes I was in Miami in 07, crying as the flyby happened, and lost my voice screaming for the Deacs. The last 4 years have been some of my proudest, because once you graduate all you have is your job, a family, and a WF flag to fly outside your house.
So take heart the comment below from Jon on 9/09 and maybe then you’ll stop embarrassing Wake Forest when those of us who can’t be there have to watch you on TV acting like a bunch of spoiled rich kids. Everyone who sits on their hands, doesn’t scream, and leaves early should remember the Wake/Maryland game from 2 years ago then maybe you’ll appreciate what you have.
Steve on 09/15/2009 (6:10 pm)
I’ll vouch for those who went to the beach. We had a beach trip planned for Labor Day weekend all year…and then the football schedule came out. So instead of missing the game, we came, but left early in the 4th so we wouldn’t get to the beach so late. Also, I agree with the comments about the sun and heat in the east stands. Having 5 of the 1st 6 games at home sure doesn’t help either during the hottest part of the season and not giving you some free weekends between games.
Chris on 09/10/2009 (9:52 pm)
Let me add to the comment about how the “blue collar fans” are treated in 2007 during the ARMY game all of my tail gating gear was stolen. I reported this to Wake Forest Police, Ron Wellman, and the person at the time in charge of hiring the clean-up crew. Try and quess what happened? I was ignored, treated like I was the criminal, not taken seriously. Basically laughed at. By the way I have attended games since 1979 and my late brother-in-law was the PA annoucer for basketball and football for 20 years until he lost his life to leukemia.
Doug on 09/10/2009 (2:00 pm)
Dan-
This is a constant problem that both Wake basketball and football face. What I think you left out in your blog is the issue of who people go to the game with.
Normally you go to an athletic event with people you like. Why leave early when you could spend more time with them at the game. That’s the thing I don’t understand the most. I stay at the game even if we’re losing by 50. I enjoy the company.
Not to mention that in college sports there’s almost always a chance at a comeback. I’ve seen much crazier things. A comeback was definitely possible Saturday, and actually believed it would happen. Skinner’s 3rd int (which was not his fault) REALLY hurt us.
Fan issues will continue to plague us. I don’t see it changing anytime soon, as it has been the trademark demon deacon fan. Grobe should come out and say something like Skip always did about the fans.
Aaron on 09/10/2009 (10:27 am)
It isn’t hard to figure out why so many of the students left. It was 85+ degrees, we were directly in the sun, and it wasn’t a good game. I stayed until about a minute before it was over (so that I wouldn’t have to wait for a bus), and I am glad I did. But I hardly blame other people for not doing so.
I think it’s just a bit too easy for those of you sitting on the other side, sitting in the shade or in the AC to judge.
Tim on 09/10/2009 (9:33 am)
I agree with you, Dan. An increase in community support is critical for the future of the football program. My single greatest concern is that Jim Grobe and his staff—which have done great things for the program—will be lured away by a university community that does show a strong commitment to its football team.
If things continue to go south at Virginia, we may have to work awfully hard to keep Jim Grobe’s alma matter from calling him home at year’s end. I’m of the mind that losing Grobe and company would be a tragedy for Wake Forest, and the best thing we can do to keep him here is to show up, be loud, and stay late!
Jerod on 09/09/2009 (1:23 pm)
I can take the old folks leaving early - don’t know why they do but I can take it. But what I cannot take is the the students leaving before the players - as they always do - go to the student section after the game to sing the alma mater together with them. That I do not get. How disrespectful. There weren’t 50 students in that section after the game when the players arrived.
Dick on 09/09/2009 (11:30 am)
Labor day weekend had lots of folks going to beach one last time instead of coming to the game. I came all the way from Four Corners to see us however.Go deacs
durango kid on 09/09/2009 (9:19 am)
I can attest to the fact that it was pretty darn hot on the east side. We didn’t leave, but can understand why some other folks may have chosen to do so.
Also, when comparing home opener game attendance to prior years, it should be noted that both the 2007 & 2008 openers were subsequent to Labor day.
Steve on 09/09/2009 (8:40 am)
I think this has something to do with it: true sport loyalty is something that I think really takes a generation to “set”, fully, and a dozen years or so to get true grips into people. Wake Football as an attractive institution has basically existed for three years, since the Orange Bowl run got everybody’s radar up, and bandwagoned on. But it will take a while still to get everybody fully indoctrinated.
Also, the second half was painful. I say that as a guy living in Raleigh who DVR’d the game, and turned it off partway into the fourth quarter because I just couldn’t take it any more, and resolved to look up the score and go back if things went better. I don’t think I’d leave a game, but I understand the feelings of those who did. When you do care, that’s when seeing your team struggles hurts the most.
Jon on 09/09/2009 (1:58 am)
Dan - I could not agree more! The majority of Wake fans drive me crazy to with there library style of watching football.- See those fans at the FSU-MIAMI game, now they were into it. We need more people who want to stand up than sit. We need more people who will come to a game andd paint there face or wear a jersey instead of in khakis and a green polo shirt. We need people who will get out there and start tailgating on a friday night instead of getting to the game 30 minutes before kick off and call wine spritzer and a cheese tray tailgating. I dont care how many people are there in number I just want the ones who are there to let loose and get warpped up in this team that we support. - And it is a big misconception that fans always think the players should give them something to cheer for, but i think vice-versa our cheering will give them something to play for. Its past time for deacon fans to step up and loose there sanity on gameday. I know most of the base has public-eye type jobs and fear to let down there gaurd as in fear to being deemed normal by others. Maybe its time Wake marketing dept started catering more to the average blue collar football fan instead of always catering to the few guys in tuked in polos just becuase they have deep pockets. THE TIME IS NOW - WAKE THE NATION. Keep it coming Dan. The truth hurts and thats is the only reason you will here some slack from others about this.
Chris on 09/09/2009 (12:25 am)
Better yet those of us that do really care and are seriously passionate about Wake Football get told to sit down about a min into the game! This actually happened. The peeps behind us yelled at us the entire game to sit down. The wine and chz crowd I can do without
Chris on 09/08/2009 (6:30 pm)
Dan: Why don’t you leave the comfort of the Tower and sit down with us regular folks. Come on down to our section (we are on the West side about mid field)and listen to and speak with those around you. I am not suggesting that you are not in touch because I know you are from what you write but spend the second half or just the fourth quarter in the stands and speak to those fans that are left and listen to their comments. Come incognito!
Gary
Gary on 09/08/2009 (6:17 pm)
I will tell you why so many people left they are probally tired of watching our offense. Its like watching paint dry. No creativity at all since lobo took over, our offensive production has worsened each and every year. Love coach grobe, like lobo as a person but he hasn’t got it done in the play calling or coaching the lineman. Just my opinion disco dan thanks
joe smith on 09/08/2009 (4:02 pm)
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