Is Fan apathy setting in?

I think you are wrong. You don't read every post we post. There are certain facets of the team that I love. I love some of the individual players that we brought in. I love the fact that Napier, despite his limitations, gets them to play for him 100%. And I have expressed that more than once. What I don't love is the coaching and the playcalling, and QB development. And that's My opinion. It just so happens that's not your opinion. But you can't let it be. In a thread about Fan Apathy, I think some negative input will be par for the course, is it not? Let's not take everything so personally.

 

Fans are starved for real information other than what coaches deign to tell us.

 

I was always taught to be gracious when someone apologizes . . .

 

He got AR to play at 100%?

 

"Let's not take everything so personally" - from the guy who felt all hot & bothered enough to jump into the middle of my exchange with another poster. Sure pal

Nothing personal, but I think you're wrong too. Turn the page

 

If it were just tickets I’d go but it’s not worth two nights in a hotel and all the expenses involved if it’s not a competitive game.

 

3k a trip from pcola. I’m not rich so that makes a dent in my finances.

 

I get it..I usually drive up and back since I live 2 hours away...

 

I would probably see most games if I was in your situation

 

Yeah was just up there for an athlete scholarship dinner..easy up..I did spend the night..rates are normal and no 2 day minimum...easy smooth trip home..

 

The 2 night minimums are a pain, but if you want to do it right you spend the night before the game and the night after the game in town. That’s 2 nights and I’d do it even if they didn’t require it. That’s minimum $250/night — not unreasonable in today’s climate especially considering that the hospitality industry is still trying to struggle to their feet after basically zero revenue for over a year. So I don’t begrudge them for that either. Problem is, that’s still $500 (before taxes and up charges) and we haven’t eaten a meal yet.

So I’m in Hogtown for a game in The Swamp and I’m going to do it right — drinks downtown, dinner at Harry’s the first night, Spurrier’s the 2nd night …..

By the time you factor in incidentals like breakfasts, lunches, the Publix raid….. this is easily a $1000 weekend. Gas getting there? Tickets?

You know, nobody is really doing anything wrong. If the hotel dropped its rate by $50/night, would that really change your decision whether or not to go? Would dropping ticket prices $20 or $30 move the needle? Replace Spurrier’s with Krystal? Sure that’ll help, but after you’re committed to this level, that’s just silly…..,

So it is what it is — a $1000+ event. A winning team helps justify it, but it still doesn’t get me to more than 2 games a year. But those are 2 really fun weekends - especially when we win. That makes a huge difference

 

Nothing you said is false but in every paragraph there's a constant "take take take" from the people in charge without any of these products getting better. I'm in my mid 30s and these people have been relying on boomers sucking it up paying fees going to games for a long time, that ship is getting ready to capsize. My parents gave up their season tickets a few years ago, for them it's just too much with a hotel and everything else.

What happens when all those people who've been going to games and willingly paying exorbitant fees get too old/throw in the towel? Theres just no plan to keep younger people filling those slots like things happened in the 90s, early 00s when every game wasn't on tv, tv quality sucked, etc. I just think there's no plan to fix these issues (not just us all over the south) for every non-top 10 matchip and the powers that be are in for a rude awakening.

 

Very good points. I will say that the hotel rooms have actually gotten a bit better. At least there are more to choose from. I’ve paid over $200/night for some straight up dumps. Rooms you wouldn’t pay $60 for on a non game weekend. Newer hotels at least give you a more decent room for your $250, but it’s still a very expensive weekend.

And yeah, we’re now talking about maybe giving up the season tickets we’ve had since the 80s. Been to some great games. Lots of memories. Like epic games against the Peyton Mannings, the close win over Kentucky in 91 to secure our first official SEC Championship, the all night street party afterward on University Ave ….
But it’s just too expensive to go to more than one or two games a year.

EDIT: Plus, I’m getting too old to scream until I see spots. 2-3 hours of that really takes it out of me anymore

 

The apathy thing has several facets. There’s clearly the cost factor. Nothing is inexpensive anymore and that really applies to hotel rooms and dining out.

But Noah makes a great point - this is a different generation of fans today.

The die-hard loyal bleed orange & Blue get out there and support your team generation is slowly moving on. To us it was always about the alma mater. Long after leaving Gainesville it was also about going back and reconnecting with where we spent 4 or 5 of the most profound years of our lives. That reads in past tense, but it’s still there today. Except as Noah points out, that generation is moving on….

….and being replaced by a more, shall I say ‘self-focused’ generation (tried to avoid ‘self-centered’ because I really don’t mean this in a derogatory way.) But values and standards change over time. Why go to the time, expense, and trouble to go to the game when you can stay home and watch it on your 75” TV?

Today I think going to the game is more about not wanting to miss a big win, and if the team isn’t good or if the opponent isn’t important, why bother going? Hell, even the students don’t take games as seriously as we used to. Some don’t bother to show up until almost halftime. Others don’t bother at all. Didn’t used to be that way.

If our team gets great again, the stands will fill because of the reason stated above - they want to be a part of something great. But it’ll be more out of self-satisfaction than loyalty to alma mater. And the stadium will still have empty seats for the lower-tier opponents - because it’s just not as important or satisfying beating College of Charleston so I’ll go do something else with my Saturday.

People are changing and so are values. It’ll never be what it used to be.

Go Gators

 

This post is several years late.

 

Oh?

 

Huh?

 

That's because our team was terrible and we have a horrible backwards offense. It doesn't help that we have no qbs and no ol. If you put a terrible product on the field people aren't going to watch. Who wants to watch a team get 6 wins with a boring offense that can't score or pass and with qbs that are mediocre at beat?

 

Whoa, you think we’re going to get to 6 wins in 2023?

 

It's been tough to watch other SEC programs rise while we've stumbled. It's frustrating that LSU can seemingly win a title with anybody at the helm and we've been throwing the kitchen sink at our problems only to continuously fall short.