Fan support for Colorado game

[NashvilleTNUteFan]

Tough one yesterday, truly hard to watch. That first quarter was brutal. Couldn’t tell if it was a lack of effort or if we were really getting out-classed by Arizona which sounds weird to even say. But with our injuries, it’s hard to evaluate that game and really most games this season. No excuses, but at some point it just becomes too much to overcome no matter who you are.

I’m afraid we are going to have a very weak showing at the colorado game. The crowd was not good at the ASU game nor at the Cal game. MUSS was only about 70% full for both of those, maybe even less for Cal (I think it was fall break for students). Still pathetic for a student section that claims to be the best in the nation. And the west side of the stadium had tons of empty seats. I get that the games weren’t that good and we blew both teams out, but the powerhouse programs pack their stadiums week in and week out regardless. And they are IN THEIR SEATS BY KICKOFF. This has drove me nuts for years. It’s a complete joke that those guys run out of the tunnel to a stadium that’s maybe 75% full at kickoff, with the exception of maybe 1 or 2 games a year. Sorry, but that’s not an elite atmosphere.

I love Rice-Eccles and I do believe we have a big home-field advantage but I have not been real impressed with how the fans have showed up this year. The early kicks are probably part of it, but again we can’t claim we have an elite atmosphere if that’s the reason we can’t pack the place for kickoff. Anyway, I’ll conclude my rant. I hope our fans show up on Saturday early to recognize the seniors, but I’m not counting on it. We’ve been spoiled with always having meaningful games at the end of the season the last few years. That won’t really be the case this week. I hope I’m wrong

[The Miami Ute]

I think fans will show up next Saturday. It’s the last Ute home football fix for nine months and people will show up just to see Coach Prime and the Buffs. I’m always at the stadium as soon as the gates open because I like to walk around the stadium before going to my seat, but that’s just me. I’m sure a lot of people come from far away or are pressed for time so they make it whenever they make it. The weather is supposed to be nice next Saturday so that might make a positive difference as well.

[Tony (admin)]

Perhaps there aren’t as many fans in their seats at kickoff because the lines are too long to get in and the horridly designed concourse is so full of people that nobody can move.

[Charlie]

I think part of the problem is the number of fans in the tailgate lot that are having a good time and wait to the last minute to walk to the stadium. Tickets on phones slow everyone down. Narrow concourse does not help. Need to get food and restroom lines out of the flow. Most of the mess is avoided by getting to your seat 15 minutes before start.

I expect coach prime will be a draw in SLC and everyone wants to end the regular season on a good note. Hope the students show up.

[Extra Medium]

If anyone wants to get rid of tickets I’ll be looking for 2 to take my girls.

[UTE98]

Put me in the ticket consideration line. Two of my daughters will be in Utah. They might want to go to an early Saturday game.

Let me know if anyone has tickets. They may or may not be available on short notice.

[Jim Vanderhoof]

100% true Charlie. I’ve been in the tailgating for years. Most leave 10-15 minutes before kickoff. That creates a log jamb at the gates. The early starts made it hard for youth football and soccer families.
I was late 3 games (10-15 minutes before kickoff) and missed kickoff because of the mass of tailgaters
Coming all together.

Not to mention the long food lines as the game is starting. Typical Utah fans late to arrive and leave early. We have a great hard core base but need improvement with the fair weather fans.

[Hellhound152]

The students will not be out in force for the Thanksgiving break game. However, with Deion coming to town I believe the stadium should fill up. Day games hurt attendance. Particularly on Saturday’s in Utah where youth sports are not played on Sundays. I will echo your sentiment about “big time environments”, but when I lived in Ohio and Nebraska going to the game was a duty. Here it is still entertainment.

[Tednab]

.. is the team going to show up

[Hellhound152]

Every team shows up for the Deions. Teams that can’t buy a win. I would guess Utah will be no different on Sr. day for the last Pac12 game ever.

[NashvilleUte]

We’ll be there! It’ll be our first game in person in a few years. Can’t freaking wait! The last few Thanksgiving’s we’ve been in town for were road games. It’ll still be a significant game. Our last Pac12 game, our last game against Colorado as our sudo-rivalry game, our first time to beat Dion. A win will also setup a better expectation for our bowl game.
Will be a great game!

[pedro]

A lot of this is due to ticket prices. People cannot re-sell their tickets (if they can’t use them) like they’ve been able to in the past.

[Jim Vanderhoof]

Amen!! So true

[UtMtBiker]

RES doesn’t do us any favors, and utah laws don’t either. If we sold beer inside the stadium, the tailgate crew would come earlier. The north end zone corridor is a death trap, and the rest of the stadium isn’t much better. It’s just what happens when you piece together a 55k person stadium on the footprint of a 20k person stadium and do very little to improve the infrastructure except a few extra toilets a few years back. Digital tickets are slow AF. Not sure how you could improve that. Utahs have a million kids and they like to bring them to the game which also allows everything down, chains of 5 hand holders blocking everything up. Just aren’t going to have a Tennessee, Mich, Bama kind of gameday here, but that’s okay. All things considered its a pretty good atmosphere… and a Journey song isn’t the highlight of every game.