There's Really Only One Way to Get UW Fans Back in the Stadium
Chances are, you've heard that attendance for the first two University of Washington football games wasn't very good. Dismal, in fact. The greatest setting had plenty of seating.
The opener at Husky Stadium was perhaps two-thirds full against Kent State from the MAC, maybe just over half full for the Big Sky's Portland State last weekend.
Reasons could be many for the no-shows as the Huskies prepare to play 11th-ranked Michigan State on Saturday afternoon at home, hosting the Spartans for the first time in 52 seasons.
There might be pandemic residue, with fans still not comfortable sitting among large groups of people, or those who vowed to never come back after being forced to wear a mask and show proof of vaccine have done just that — not come back.
Fans might need more convincing the Huskies have overcome a 4-8 downturn from last season, the worst record in 13 years since Tyrone Willingham's last UW team ran the table to finish 0-12. It's hard to sell a stale product.
Some fans, of course, might be weary of the seat licenses on top of the ticket prices in order to have a premium view of all things Montlake, making for a big financial outlay, at least until winning becomes a regular habit again.
Students haven't started classes yet and consequently have avoided Husky Stadium, but they could be just as disinterested in their end-zone seating area after they had it good with their designated section located behind the Husky bench for so long.
However, one factor, and one factor alone, in our estimation after decades of watching, is most responsible for a cavernous and neglected Husky Stadium:
The UW scheduled Kent State and Portland State.
Yawn.
College football is rapidly changing, where everyone is being sized up for their value, image and pedigree these days, and those lower-tier opponents do nothing to move the needle for the serious sports fan to come out and watch.
Husky followers were fully aware those games were going to be serious mismatches — and they were. Those contests were over by halftime. There was no mystery regarding the outcome and there wasn't supposed to be. Seventy-two Huskies got to play last weekend.
Fans aren't interested in helping out Big Sky programs by supplying them with a payday to support all of their athletic teams, though Jimmy Lake proved far more generous than that last fall.
People paying for high-priced tickets don't want the Huskies to ease into the meat of their schedule with cupcake opposition or turn these games into playing opportunities for the UW's third- and fourth-stringers.
Give them Power 5 football, in and out of the Pac-12.
New Husky coach Kalen DeBoer, who's worked at every collegiate level, says he's an advocate for keeping the overall game healthy, which would include helping out the smaller schools. He's also grateful the less-demanding schedule enabled his staff to get off on a positive note. Yet he also understands the counter argument.
"There are going to be seasons I think coming up where looking at the schedule where it will be more difficult and more challenging — that's something we're all for," DeBoer said. "We want to compete at the highest level and our fans want to see great games. We want to find that fine line being able to build our team every year while making it entertaining for the fan base."
It's a whole new world out there with super conferences coming more into play and TV networks demanding a bigger return for their huge rights contracts.
So while the UW reportedly has hired more people to improve the fan experience with ticket access, concession access and the like, the bottom line is the athletic department needs to schedule better non-conference football games.
Let the league games provide the blowouts. At least there's uncertainty and a lot of tradition coming in to them.
Of course, the Huskies took this suggestion a little too much to heart in 1969 when they opened with road games at Michigan State and Michigan, not even bothering to come home between them, and followed up that Midwest doubleheader with a home game against Ohio State. Yes, the UW began that season 0-3.
DeBoer appears to be building a competitive program again in Montlake and the crowds ultimately will come out for a look. This Michigan State game should provide a big-game, large-crowd experience.
Yet in the seasons ahead, the Huskies have games scheduled against UC Davis, Eastern Washington, Eastern Michigan, Tulsa, Colorado State, San Jose State and Weber State.
Like we said before, expect plenty of good seats to be available.
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