Tickets Sold vs. Actual Attendance

[Lobot]

There was a very good topic in Matt Brown's Extra Points newsletter this past week regarding the gap between reported ticket sales and actual attendance at games. Without ripping off their graphics and article I'll paraphrase the important parts.

Out of public FBS schools in 2025 that responded to FOIA and handle their own stadiums (so no serial violators like USF and Memphis here or private schools like ND etc.), the gap is the percentage of tickets sold vs. scanned tickets at the gate . There are 55 schools reporting. The bulk of the "bad" third of schools are MAC, AAC and Sun Belt programs.

Worst Gap: Toledo at 68% tickets sold and never scanned
Cincinnati : 40%
Best Gap: Michigan 13%

This puts UC squarely in the "bad" third of the respondents and leads the P4 in gap percentage among respondents

I don't think this necessary casts UC itself in a bad light. The same cannot be said for some of our fans. If you're a season, 3 pack or single game ticket holder and can't make it to the game for whatever valid reason, make the effort to put someone in your seats even if you give the tickets away. The person that takes your seats, scans at the gate, makes this number better, spends money on concessions and maybe buys some merchandise all of which benefit the program. You might even make a frequent fan out of them and they keep coming back on their own.

[bearcatbret]

We have 4 tickets and went to every game. However, I noticed as the season went on, the stands became less full each game. I think that the attendance vs. tickets sold can be attributed to the down the stretch finish that this team has become accustomed to. The sad thing is that our fans started selling their tickets to the visiting team fans for above ticket value.

[Bearcat Chris]

First game against Syracuse should draw OK, but then watch attendance shrivel up, unless the team surprises as a lot of people with a good. year.

B.C.

[bearcatbret]

Um, the first game is against Boston College.

[bearcatlifer]

Unless I'm reading this wrong this implies we have an average 40% no show at football games. I go to every home game and there is no way that is accurate. The stands are nearly all full except for the luxury boxes.
Average 40%. No way!

[bearcatlifer]

Thhat would mean only 24k in the stands.

[Lobot]

Unless I'm reading this wrong this implies we have an average 40% no show at football games. I go to every home game and there is no way that is accurate. The stands are nearly all full except for the luxury boxes.
Average 40%. No way!

It could also mean the the ushers give up and stop scanning tickets at some point. I tend to agree with you that there's more than 24k in the stands most games. I think attendance is waning a bit in the Satterfield era at this point in a similar fashion to the Tuberville era

[red_n_black_attack]

Unless I'm reading this wrong this implies we have an average 40% no show at football games. I go to every home game and there is no way that is accurate. The stands are nearly all full except for the luxury boxes.
Average 40%. No way!

The luxury box seats are empty, but the lounge is full all game long.

[London 'Cat]

It could also mean the the ushers give up and stop scanning tickets at some point. I tend to agree with you that there's more than 24k in the stands most games. I think attendance is waning a bit in the Satterfield era at this point in a similar fashion to the Tuberville era

I have had season tickets since 2021 and the gate agents are very vigilant about scanning tickets at the entrances. Whether the ticket holders sit in their seats is a different question. I'd say the ticket count is accurate as far as actually entering the stadium, though I also question the 40% number. Even when the stadium is broadcast as a "sellout," there are still empty seats but nowhere near 40%. That seems unusually high based on my observations.