As a member of the UCLA marching band, I get two tickets to give
away to each UCLA football home game.
Usually, no one is allowed to sit in front of the band at
halftime. But when games sell out or approach selling out, some of
those who received tickets from band members are
“forced” to sit in front of the band next to the
student section, rather than sit very high up in the stadium.
Before last week, I informed my parents (to whom I almost always
give my tickets, so don’t bother e-mailing me just to get
tickets) that they would likely get to enjoy the UCLA-Oregon State
game up front.
It was probably the biggest misjudgment I’ve made since I
predicted at the beginning of the year that the Dodgers, under the
new and improved leadership of General Manager Paul DePodesta,
would run away with the National League West.
It still boggles my mind that fewer than 50,000 people turned
out for last week’s game. UCLA was the No. 8 team in the
country. Oregon State was coming off a shocking victory over
California and seemed a worthy opponent. Matt Moore was returning
to the Rose Bowl, it was the homecoming game, the weather
wasn’t hot.
All of these factors added up to a big turnout in my mind
Let me put into perspective how pathetic Saturday’s
attendance was.
UCLA has not had lower attendance at a Pac-10 game since 2001
against Arizona State after the Bruins had lost four games in a
row.
Fans totalling 64,249 showed up for the Bruins’ matchup
against lowly Washington earlier in the year. Even the 44,808 who
went to the Rice game could have rivaled last Saturday’s
crowd had the students been around.
I know Los Angeles is known for its fair-weather fans, but when
the team is doing well, aren’t bandwagon fans supposed to
jump back on the bandwagon?
Maybe it’s not that simple.
“The numbers are not as large as people would expect
because a lot of tickets come from season ticket holders, and that
takes continued success,” said David J. Lowenstein, Central
Ticket Office director. “If the Bruins have continued
success, you’ll see the numbers rise.”
This is the best explanation I’ve heard so far from
anyone. In 2002, the year the Trojans won the Orange Bowl after
coming off a dismal 2001 season, USC averaged only 66,853 fans a
game.
It was an improvement over the 57,743 they averaged in 2001, but
a far cry from the 90,316 the team averages this year, after three
years of continued success.
Nonetheless, the poor showing by UCLA fans at the Oregon State
game actually dropped UCLA’s attendance-per-game figure this
year (60,064) below last year’s (60,515).
I guess it was unreasonable to expect UCLA to sell out against
Oregon State, but I still think that it was more unreasonable for
the Rose Bowl to be only half-full when the Bruins are doing so
well.
Though Saturday’s game was an enjoyable victory, my pride
took a hit looking around the stadium. If UCLA fans won’t
show up to a game like last Saturday’s, maybe they
don’t deserve to have a top-10 team.
E-mail Azar at bazar@media.ucla.edu if you too were upset
with the turnout.