CAMPAIGN – The Illinois athletic department made some mistakes in its handling of Saturday’s home football opener against Wyoming.
It was bad enough that athletic director Josh Whitman felt compelled to address the issue Tuesday.
“We apologize for what happened on Saturday and look forward to returning our fans to Memorial Stadium with an experience that meets our high standards,” Whitman wrote in a letter Tuesday.
Whitman promised a thorough review of what went wrong. It’s a good move.
Negative stories are not hard to find. On social media and brick-and-mortar outlets, word quickly spread about long lines to get into Memorial Stadium and the concession stands. Mind you the place wasn’t very full. Attendance was 37,832 in a building with a capacity for 60,670 people. That’s 62 percent capacity. Given all kinds of advance weather, it should have been easy to get everyone in and out without major delays.
They get it elsewhere in the Big Ten, even in much bigger buildings than Memorial Stadium. The nearly 100-year-old structure is the conference’s eighth-largest building.
Michigan (107,601), Penn State (106,572) and Ohio State (102,780) lead the way. Nebraska (85,548), Wisconsin (80,321), Michigan State (75,005) and Iowa (69,25) are next. Next comes Illinois, followed by Purdue (57,282), Indiana (52,656), Rutgers (52,454), Maryland (51,802), Minnesota (50,850) and Northwestern (47,130).
As a reporter, I’ve been to every Big Ten stadium for a game except Maryland. To be honest, the experience of members of the media is different from that of the general public.
Parking is free in most places. And it’s usually within walking distance of the stadium. Even in places where parking is far away, like Purdue, reporters get golf cart rides to the press box. Yes, we have a good deal. There is food and drink in the press box and convenient toilets. No waiting in long lines.
Since most reporters, including myself, can’t stand the idea of being late, we’re often in the building more than two hours before kick-off.
This is not an option for most Illinois fans. Memorial Stadium opens 90 minutes before kickoff to the general public. Premium seats are available two hours before kick-off.
And even if they could get in earlier, I don’t think many fans would want to sit there staring at a mostly empty field.
Illinois offers plenty of options to keep fans busy on the road to the ballpark. Grange Grove has been a popular entry point, with bounce houses and other things for the kids.
And there is tailgating in the lots near the stadium. Wouldn’t you rather sit in a lawn chair, eat a brat and drink a Pepsi/Diet beer with friends? Of course you would.
I’ve only been in the stands at a few other Big Ten stadiums, most recently Iowa. Kinnick Stadium is usually packed and an enjoyable experience for fans. Be aware that if you are supporting the visitor and insist on wearing their colours, you will hear bad language.
why does it matter
Football attendance has been a problem in Illinois for years. Increasing crowd size is vital on many fronts.
First, there are financial implications. The upcoming Big Ten media rights deal won’t pay for everything. Illinois needs to make some serious money from football tickets. The more the better.
There have been times in the not too distant past when the building was at its peak. But it’s a fading memory. The last shutout came in 2016 against North Carolina for Lovie Smith’s second game in charge.
Money isn’t everything when it comes to crowd size. There is also a recruiting element. Bret Bielema can’t promote fan interest in draftees very well when they can see large pockets of empty seats.
To fill them, it’s up to the athletic department to give fans a reason to show up. Of course, winning is at the top of the list. But wins alone won’t take the place.
With big screen TVs, you can watch the game at home without spending a dime (well, other than cable/streaming service fees). So it is attractive to many. Illinois needs to make the fan experience much better than it is at home. The problems in Wyoming’s game, if not fixed, make it much easier for fans to move on.
I’m guessing the management and staff at Illinois’ Sept. 10 home game against Virginia will do their best to make sure everything runs smoothly. Probably a fairly simple solution, carried out with additional workers in key positions.
Now that it has been loudly and publicly introduced, Illinois fans will be paying attention to what happens during Game 2.
As Illinois enters Big Ten home play, the crowds will be bigger. Especially if Bielema’s team follows up the win against Wyoming with wins against Indiana and Virginia.
The good and the bad
Illinois has some advantages as it tries to attract fans. Tickets are reasonably priced and there are deals to be had. A family of four won’t need to take out a loan to go to a game.
In the stadium, there is not a bad seat in the house. Friends from different states have come to the games and are delighted with the sight lines.
In the long term, there are some changes that need to be made at the stadium. And not just redoing the East and South stands.
The current student section should be converted to horseshoe priced tickets. The underclassmen did an impressive job filling out the section for the Wyoming game and seem to agree with Bielema’s regime.
They should be rewarded for their interest. Put them back on the main stands where they belong, on either side. Give them row seats between 10 and 30. The closer to the field, the better. And encourage them to disrupt the opposing team when they are on the attack.
Students will improve the atmosphere in a big way. They tend to be the most enthusiastic part of a fan base and a potential difference-maker for a program trying to end a 10-year losing streak.
Of course, the school will take care of the current season tickets displaced by the return of the students to the main stands.
Don’t forget that these students will eventually become doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers and bankers. It is important that they enjoy their college football experience. That doesn’t happen when you’re sitting in the end zone.
