The 2015 Taxslayer (Gator) Bowl: Another dog game

[Tacachale]

Here's the listed attendance figures (all Bowl Games track attendance by "tickets sold") under the current tie-in agreement:

2014: 60,712 (Georgia vs. Nebraska)
2013: 48,612 (Mississippi State vs. Northwestern)
2012: 61,312 (Florida vs. Ohio State)
2011: 77,497 (Michigan vs. Mississippi State)

2010 was the last year of the old ACC-Big East tie-in; we picked 6-6 FSU vs. West Virginia. It attracted 84,129, but it infuriated the ACC as FSU was picked over higher-ranked teams. And obviously West Virginia later left the Big East. Attendance had varied widely in the previous years, and the agreement was a sinking ship with the conferences declining, and the Big East subsequently collapsing.

So we started over; we're lower on the totem poll, but not so far as some think.

By comparison, here's the other attendance figures from last year:

BCS:
Rose Bowl: 95,173
Orange Bowl: 72,080
Sugar Bowl: 70,473
Fiesta Bowl: 65,172

2nd tier:
Cotton Bowl: 72,690
Chick-fil-A Bowl: 67,946
Alamo Bowl: 65,918
Outback Bowl: 51, 296

No other bowls seem to have cracked 60k.

This suggests two things: (1): Better records do not necessarily mean better attendance, and (2) A Gator Bowl drawing 60k+ fans for weak matchups is not so far behind its peers, especially if the new sponsorship agreement leads to an increased payout.

[edjax]

Not related to this bowl but attendance in general is the attendance for playoffs.  I think if they eventually go to 8 teams the first round will have to be played at the home stadium of the four highest seeds.  In a 8 team playoff you would ha e 3 games to reach the finals.  That would be extremely expensive for the fans of a team to fork over the bucks for 3 high priced games and destinations in a short period of time. Especially for northern and teams from like Oregon.

[BD51]

The whole college bowl system needs to be revamped. Start by not making a team who loses just as many games as they won "bowl eligible".

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-saddest-college-bowls-duck-commander-taxslayer-famous-idaho-potato-2014-12-05?dist=countdown

[I-10east]

CNN is running a photo of the Jags-Texans game at halftime when it looks like 20 people are in the stands

Since you wanna be such a mouthpiece for the national media, let me set the record straight...

A 2-10 team that still had an announced crowd of over 61,000. The game was played in unexpected crappy weather (chilly mist/rain) that the metrologists didn't mention, and hardly anyone had raingear. The stadium has lots of areas to hide for people that aren't expecting sudden Seattle weather in Jacksonville. The Jags 2nd half ineptness certainly didn't make anything better.   

[spuwho]

Dont expect Northwestern to be invited again. Poor sales. Existing Alumni dont travel. Poor press coverage during the game itself. I heard they only brought a total press pool of two. 1 was the Chicago Tribune.

Lowly Northern Illinois from the MAC sent more people to the Orange Bowl against FSU.

[FSBA]

Dont expect Northwestern to be invited again. Poor sales. Existing Alumni dont travel. Poor press coverage during the game itself. I heard they only brought a total press pool of two. 1 was the Chicago Tribune.

Lowly Northern Illinois from the MAC sent more people to the Orange Bowl against FSU.

Northwestern fans don't even care about Northwestern. The only time Northwestern ever comes close to selling out is thanks to 20,000 Ohio State or Michigan fans buying tickets.

[Westside Guy]

The heyday of the bowl games (early 90's- 2000's) when every town had a new bowl game (Humanitarian Bowl etc) then it was all good. Then it rapidly became watered down, as many fans didn't care about these 'consolation games'. I used to watch many of these 'Wacky Weed-Eater, Delaware vs Arkansas State' type bowl games, but unfortunately in the internet age with so much to do, no one cares anymore. I compare the expansion of bowls to the 'dot com boom', both were unsustainable.

Most of the C list bowl games are owned and operated by ESPN. They're just designed to give ESPN more programming.

Do you think it would help if they reduced the number of bowl games? There are so many of them that pit 6-6 teams against each other and are pretty much pointless.  Who wants to go see that?

[Charles Hunter]

If you live in Ohio, or Michigan, or Wisconsin - wouldn't you want an excuse to go to Florida, Texas, Arizona, or SoCal?
But, yeah, there are too many bowl games.

[spuwho]

Do you think it would help if they reduced the number of bowl games? There are so many of them that pit 6-6 teams against each other and are pretty much pointless.  Who wants to go see that?

Holiday week armchair sports junkie who does special exercises with his index finger all year just to be prepared for the exercising of the remote control.

For them....Travel? Pfft! Care less about empty seats, just give him a good replay!   

[ProjectMaximus]

Does everyone really think that fewer bowl games would mean higher attendance for the remaining ones? I don't think it would make much difference. Yes there are way too many bowls but I'm not sure you blame attendance woes on that.

Most of the C list bowl games are owned and operated by ESPN. They're just designed to give ESPN more programming.

Not "owned" since they are non-profits, but yeah. Basically right.

[Gators312]

UT's president is Happy about the trip!   


https://www.youtube.com/v/XAzI8cT29HU

[02roadking]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/ranking-the-bowls-1-38--excluding-the-national-championship-233337590.html

[urbanlibertarian]

^^ They ranked the games by watchability and Taxslayer Gator Bowl is 18th.  I think the arrow is pointing up for the future of the Gator Bowl but then I'm just a glass half full kind of guy.

[Downtown Osprey]

The Bowl Game structure is simply to watered-down. The fact that a team can win 6 games and qualify for a bowl game is laughable. 6 games, really?

I get that it is good for the players to get a chance to play an extra game, but attendance at most of these games are piss poor. Not just the Gator Bowl.

I expect the Playoff system to expand to to 8 games sooner rather than later, especially with the controversy it's already caused this year, making these bowl games even more pointless.

[I-10east]

^^^Yup. Like I said earlier, the apathy just isn't a small school thing, as many big school fans don't care when their team underachieves, and are put into a lower bowl, ie the Gators in the 2012 Taxslayer Gator Bowl.

This skit is still relevant; One of the best things that way past it's prime SNL did in recent memory. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTtJ60mcfFw