University of Nevada Reno president Marc Johnson skillfully handles a challenge from the press on the matter of the athletic department’s $1.5 million deficit.
RGJ: You mention that success leads to higher attendance. But the football team finished in the top 15 last year and was in the Top 25 almost the entire season and still only drew 19,000 per game and even had 11,000 for one game…
MJ: When you have more competitive games, that helps. When you’re winning games 50-7, I think that hurts attendance. Not as much as not winning, but when you’re winning 50-7 that kinds of gets boring by the second half so people don’t come out.
June 25th, 2011 at 4:49AM
1) Well, this explains the total lack of establishments in Nevada for wagering on sports. People there evidently have the ability to predict blow-outs, and quickly bankrupt any bookmaking operations.
2) Likewise, this explains all those empty SEC stadiums. Who wants to see Florida pummel some cupcake by 50?