Attendance Call For Alarm?
November 15th, 2019
The Bucs had their worst attendance Sunday at the Den of Depression since the joint opened up in 1998.
Per Ed Encina of the Tampa Bay Times, some 40,038 fans showed up on a beautiful fall day in Tampa Bay.
Now if Joe was like Ira Kaufman and still living in the 1970s when Eric Clapton played lead guitar, and butts in seats and quarterback-wins meant something, then sure, Joe would be alarmed.
Alas, Joe lives in the 21st century. Butts in the seats do not determine financial health. Especially not in the NFL.
Yes, sellouts are important. But there is no need to freak out over small crowds.
First, in every year this decade gross revenue from gate receipts (fannies in seats) has dropped through 2017 (info not available for last season).
In fact, less than 20 percent of the NFL’s monstrous revenue pie comes from gate revenue.
Joe has written time and again if the NFL really cared about tickets sold, owners never would have gotten rid of TV blackouts.
Again, per the Times, only two teams this season have a lower average attendance than the Bucs: the Bengals and the Chargers. The Bengals are godawful and likely will have the first pick in the draft.
Simply put, the Bucs have done this to themselves. Joe has tabbed the Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway the “Den of Depression” because no NFC team in the post-Chucky era has a worse home record than Tampa Bay.
Throw in the fact the Bucs have the worst non-playoff streak in the NFC (now going on 12 years) and have only had two winning seasons in the post-Chucky era, why would anyone think there would be standing room only crowds at the Den of Depression.
Add to that the Bucs, as is their annual ritual, were out of the playoffs by Halloween, why would anyone expect there to be bigger crowds at home games?
Who would spend hundreds of dollars for the product the Bucs have put out the past decade when they can stay at home in comfort, have cheaper beer, no parking costs and can watch more games?
In some respects, Joe appreciates how people are turning their noses up at the team. In a sense, the empty seats are hollering, “Build a better team and they will come.”
November 15th, 2019 at 4:03 pm
Throw in the fact the Bucs have the worst non-playoff streak in the NFC (now going on 12 years) and have only had two winning seasons in the post-Chucky era, why would anything think there would be standing room only crowds at the Den of Depression.
yet according to the delusional optimists living in denial everything is just a ok at one buc circus tent….
November 15th, 2019 at 4:07 pm
Draft a more accurate, athletic, and dynamic QB and they will come………..
November 15th, 2019 at 4:07 pm
Stop being a joke every damn year and the fans will come.
Draft better
Play better
Coach better
It’s borderline depressing to put so much money into something for such little enjoyment
I fly down from nyc 5-6 times a year for games and this team makes it hard to justify that cost. Next year it will be tough to justify a renewal to my wife
November 15th, 2019 at 4:10 pm
This is awesome. Love to see how TEAMGLAZER has ran this entire franchise into the ground and the fans are speaking by not showing up.
November 15th, 2019 at 4:15 pm
THE CITY OF TAMPA IS SAYING…. “DUMP JAMEIS” is what they’re saying.
No one wants to pay big money to go watch the QB turn the ball over again and again, same thing year in and year out now for FIVE YEARS of his career.
Jameis is too inconsistent and people aren’t wanting to gamble with their hard-earned money to hope that they game they show up for is a “Good Jameis” game.
Why can’t you understand this???
The majority of faithful, long-suffering Bucs fans have lost their patience with Winston after 4.5+ YEARS.
Until Jameis is gone people aren’t coming back. Face the facts.
November 15th, 2019 at 4:18 pm
yeah… 10 years of losing will do that.
November 15th, 2019 at 4:18 pm
I was there and I noticed towards the end of the game the lower bowl was fuller than I’d seen all day and wondered if the let folks move into those seats…that and Arizona fans don’t travel well…so while the crowd was smaller it was mostly Bucs fans and not lowlifes that move to the area because they can’t afford to live wherever the F they came from …but still root for their old teams, crowd our fishing spots and beaches and are all around jerks
November 15th, 2019 at 4:20 pm
not an excuse, but being gone for 7 weeks could not have helped fan engagement… if I’m on the business side at OBP, I’m sending the weekly stats to the NFL with a big question mark behind it.
November 15th, 2019 at 4:21 pm
Lets..Keep It Real here Joe….People works hard for their coin. Very hard. And They are not gonna spend money on overpriced Football tickets unless the team has a winning record. We been losers for a long…long..time man. I no longer live in my birthplace Tampa. But my son does. He says dad, why pay money to see them lose when I can relax at home, get snockered, cry watching them lose, and not be worried about the DUI? Makes sense to me! Start winning…consistently and the attendance will take care of itself.
November 15th, 2019 at 4:21 pm
jugheadfla Says:
November 15th, 2019 at 4:07 pm
Draft a more accurate, athletic, and dynamic QB and they will come………..
there is no more dynamic qb in the league than tampa bay’s only hope Americas quarterback jameis winston.. you just can’t get past blind hate to see the truly wonder and dynamic young man jameis winston truly is… jameis is must see tv turnover or td… far more entertaining than that garbage offense dungy the clown trotted out each week.
November 15th, 2019 at 4:22 pm
Prices too high on airline tickets from Arizona…….and too far to drive for someone who has sun already……
November 15th, 2019 at 4:24 pm
Bucs need to start winning. At some point you need to start earning your fans attendance at home games. Start winning.
November 15th, 2019 at 4:24 pm
Damn straight. Put a better product out. Sick of this secondary getting roasted. Sick of the turnovers. Sick of the communication problems. Sick of seeing barber ran up the gut for 0 yards. Sick of some of the bone headed play calling. Sick. Sick. Sick. Sick. Of it.
November 15th, 2019 at 4:26 pm
Substandard product results in low attendance. Geez, who woulda thunk it?!
November 15th, 2019 at 4:35 pm
Maybe had the combination of the worst officiating in NFL history with the worst playacting since Greg Olsen was here ( up until the seattle game and has been much better since….too little too late though) more people would show up.
There is no more emotion in watching football for me. No more yelling at the t.v, no more paying good money to attend games. No more getting upset or being surprised because its a bunch of people being over paid to do a crap ass job. If people in and around the NFL worked half as hard as the average every day Joe it would be a phenomenal product…but those days have come and gone!!!
November 15th, 2019 at 4:36 pm
Karmas a bitch and the Glazers are reaping it’s rewards for f’ing around with soccer and ignoring our team.
November 15th, 2019 at 4:40 pm
gotta win…
simple as that…
GO BUCS!!!!!
November 15th, 2019 at 4:41 pm
I also feel like the Bucs have more fans abroad than at home. All my friends in Florida are Green Bay fans. Yet here in Montana I know of at least 15 people in our small town. We all made plans to see the Las Vegas and Denver games next year.
November 15th, 2019 at 4:57 pm
Putting a winning product on the field with low attendance and you have a problem. That hasnt been the case but we used to hear about that before Jon Gruden won the Superbowl and then you had a waiting list for 10 years to get season tickets. Please just win baby and they will come.
November 15th, 2019 at 4:57 pm
Sell the team glazers
November 15th, 2019 at 5:07 pm
I’m in town for my first Bucs game in 3 years. What’s the best way to score tickets?
November 15th, 2019 at 5:09 pm
You know the reason I don’t go to the games at the stadium….its too damn hot. Now, if they had a dome, I would definitely attend more.
November 15th, 2019 at 5:12 pm
@Joe
I’m the old dude here and worked in the industry when Ira was a pup.
You are certainly correct that attendance is 1/5th of revenue now and will continue to fall with all the streaming and increasing TV games through the week.
Having said that however I remember when the NFL was planning all of this and one of their concerns…they only saw TV back then..not streaming and internet…was how the product looked.
They need a better stage than an empty stadium. Didn’t that game look lame Sunday even though Fox did their best to use tight shots avoiding the empty seats.
So with the share of revenue at 20% and dropping rapidly…even with full stadia…the only incentive remaining is show business.
So Glazers here’s and idea….SLASH the price of tickets until you start selling out. That’s called supply and demand. Until you create demand with a winner it’s time to reduce the cost of the product. As attendance increases it will eventually cause the price of tickets to rise.
I saw this first hand with Lightning season tickets before and after the ownership changes. Used to be cheap…NO MORE
Let’s face it…forget the money for a moment…isn’t it always more fun to attend a sold out or near sold out game?
November 15th, 2019 at 5:25 pm
Lol
Stockholders my arse
November 15th, 2019 at 5:25 pm
Can’t draft a QB at 9 though. Yeah I know…Rodgers…Mahomes…yada yada
November 15th, 2019 at 5:26 pm
Been a season ticket holder for a loooong time. Long enough to have a child born when I first started and now he is in his second year of college and I have never missed a game. This is is the first year that I am sick of going to the stadium only to watch us get curb stomped. I’m tired of the losing.
November 15th, 2019 at 5:29 pm
My friends and I havent gone in awhile.
Cant support a team, whose QB has Winston’s offfield and onfield issues.
November 15th, 2019 at 5:30 pm
It’s always funny to see the other teams with full stadiums. Then look at The Den. Because you know who has done it. The Glazers. So if they are satisfied. Good for them. I will continue to sped my money on the Lightning.
November 15th, 2019 at 5:32 pm
From Wikipedia “Raymond James Stadium”:
November 15th, 2019 at 5:41 pm
Good.
This is what ownership, coaches, and even the players deserve.
The fans should NOT be there when the organization lets them down year after year after year.
Stop giving us pathetic, frustrating performances 95% of the time this team takes the field, and the fans will begin show up for the team again.
November 15th, 2019 at 6:20 pm
If it was free admission they still may not have a full house. Owners, GM, Coaches, and players need to show me more than the same old circus sideshow act.
November 15th, 2019 at 6:27 pm
tired of being punked
November 15th, 2019 at 6:33 pm
If the Bucs win fans will come … we all know they won’t show early in the season because they are basically eliminated by Halloween … the fans will come if the Bucs finish strong this year and continue it into next season say mid season … if they make the playoffs next year which is highly unlikely Fans will start purchasing season tickets at a higher rate … stop the losing Bucs and we will come
November 15th, 2019 at 6:36 pm
of course the chargers have less fans attending the game. they have a stadium that doesnt even hold 30k people! haha
November 15th, 2019 at 6:40 pm
Same old story every year!!!! Why bother? It’s a joke maybe I’ll go just to wear a brown bag on my head …..🤔
November 15th, 2019 at 6:46 pm
Win games and the city will buy the tickets.
Heck, change the uniforms and you’ll sell even more tickets.
November 15th, 2019 at 6:46 pm
Give us a real team and some shade and we’ll come.
November 15th, 2019 at 6:52 pm
Sunday’s game was not the worst attendance in the new stadium. The November 2010 game in against the Panthers drew 39,781 attendance. The Glazers started giving away free tickets to the military after that embarrassment.
November 15th, 2019 at 6:53 pm
Sunday’s game was not the worst attendance in the new stadium. The November 2010 game in against the Panthers drew 39,781 attendance. The Glazers started giving away free tickets to the military after that embarrassment.
November 15th, 2019 at 7:13 pm
Plus TEAM GLAZER gives the Bucs employees the option of getting extra tickets to try to fill the stadium just for optics
November 15th, 2019 at 7:26 pm
StPete … I agree with you 100% about slashing ticket prices to fill the stadium because that’s EXACTLY what Arthur Blank did in Atlanta a numer of years ago when Falcons attendance sucked. And it worked remarkably well.
But there’s another factor at play also … the ‘Game Time Experience’ as I call it. Put quite frankly, it sucks. We had season tickets since RayJay opened until just a couple yeras ago. Games used to be FUN, and not just because we were winning under Tony Dungy. Just as much because the ‘Game Experience’ was FUN.
After our SB win though, ticket prices kept going up 10% every year, but the ‘Game Experience’ kept getting worse & worse. And the losing gradually became more pronounced. Finally just said ‘Screw it; we can watch this on a big-screen TV with friends for a lot less money’.
The only way I’d even think about renewing my season tickets is if the prices were lowered considerably, the ‘Game Experience’ improved considerably, and the Bucs started fielding a more competitive TEAM. The Kids have pooped in the house that Malcolm built.
November 15th, 2019 at 7:38 pm
I get tired of going to certain games and there were more opposing team fans than Buc fans. Buc season ticket holders were scalping to visiting team fans. A couple we sat next to for several years got tired of the cost and poor product they started scalping their tickets and every time I had my enemy sitting next to me. And always the loudest pr|ck in my section. I got into a shouting match with two Raven fans. Had some heated words with some Packer fans. They would get liquored up and rip into all the Bucs fans because their team was kicking our @ss. You just get tired of losing in the hot sun.
November 15th, 2019 at 7:44 pm
Glazer Boys are already guaranteed certain amount of $$$$ cos of the corporate broadcast deals. So, lower the ticket and food/drink prices at RJS. If the weather reports pan out, this weekend will be outrageous for any sort of outdoor activity. If I was quite a few decades younger, I would be there, but not at the outrageous prices charged. They can get away with this sort of consumer fleecing at Walt Dismal World, but a pro football game is a rad different can of beans. Go Bucs Sunday!!
November 15th, 2019 at 8:15 pm
Anonymous Says:
November 15th, 2019 at 4:15 pm
THE CITY OF TAMPA IS SAYING…. “DUMP JAMEIS” is what they’re saying.
No one wants to pay big money to go watch the QB turn the ball over again and again, same thing year in and year out now for FIVE YEARS of his career.
Jameis is too inconsistent and people aren’t wanting to gamble with their hard-earned money to hope that they game they show up for is a “Good Jameis” game.
Why can’t you understand this???
The majority of faithful, long-suffering Bucs fans have lost their patience with Winston after 4.5+ YEARS.
Until Jameis is gone people aren’t coming back. Face the facts
Yeah we all seeing so many points scored, I really like my for the days of Bruce Gradkowski, Chris Simms and Brain Greise.
Like usual you are simply FULL OF CRAP.
November 15th, 2019 at 8:21 pm
If this were true, why do over two-thirds of Bucs fans want him back?
November 15th, 2019 at 8:22 pm
Buc believer Says:
November 15th, 2019 at 5:26 pm
Been a season ticket holder for a loooong time. Long enough to have a child born when I first started and now he is in his second year of college and I have never missed a game. This is is the first year that I am sick of going to the stadium only to watch us get curb stomped. I’m tired of the losing.
We haven’t gotten “curb stomped” by anyone this year so please use a new excuse.
A few good ones are:
Tired of being surrounded by other teams fans
It is really hot
To expensive
We always lose
The games are long
All of them are weak in my opinion but who am I to tell anyone how to spend their money, just don’t make stuff up.
November 15th, 2019 at 8:52 pm
I flew from Connecticut to see the Cardinals game. I bought 8 tickets. It was the second game I flew down to this year. I bought 6 tickets for the Giants game. I go to two Bucs game a year. I love the team and will always go to Ray Jay. Real fans will support this team when they start winning again. Very few can deal with the losing. I don’t blame them. If they start winning I will go to 5 to 7 games a year.
November 15th, 2019 at 9:04 pm
The majority of fans that I speak with will continue to follow the Bucs at least for now but have stopped attending games because they have a hard time supporting/rooting for Jameis!! His past caught up with him and people just have a hard time rooting for him…… Just the facts y’all !!!!!
November 15th, 2019 at 9:05 pm
Fans watching on tv must be of some importance also. The league knows how many are watching from their homes between the commercials onslaught.
November 15th, 2019 at 9:28 pm
My two cents, no smoking, no tickets for me and my family. As a adult if I choose to smoke and their is a section outside (duh) I can travel to, in order to have a smoke then I will attend. I don’t vape, but you can’t even do that. So I’m good, even for the Vipers as well.
November 15th, 2019 at 9:31 pm
If Crablegs is QB next year, watch how light the attendance will be! Sucks!! QB is the face of the franchise!! And fans don’t want to see JayMiss’s face no more!!
November 15th, 2019 at 9:34 pm
Yes Rob please stay away no one wants your nasty habit being forced upon them.
November 15th, 2019 at 9:36 pm
So all you morons think if we let Jameis go and we can’t score points yet still have this trash defense more people will go to games. Man you are dumber than I thought. My goodness you people are stupid with a capital S.
November 15th, 2019 at 9:59 pm
We scored a crap load of points while JayMiss was suspended last year w Fitzpatrick as QB! Draft Burrow, Hurts or TUA next year or grab Foles from Jags!! Points will be there!! How ignorant to think points only come w Jameis as QB!!
November 15th, 2019 at 10:23 pm
DeErik King or Jordan Love are late first round to second round QB’s that will both be there for us!! Teddy Bridgewater (class act)!!! A possibility! Scoring points only possible with JayMiss as QB!!! What a freaking joke!!!
November 15th, 2019 at 10:31 pm
All games in September and October that are played in Tampa, Miami and Jacksonville should be played at night.
The heat is definitely a factor in attendance.
November 15th, 2019 at 10:34 pm
Can’t Score points without JayMiss as QB!!?? Man some people on here are Stupid with a Capital S
November 15th, 2019 at 10:41 pm
But the biggest factor in attendance is winning
November 15th, 2019 at 10:43 pm
We have nothing to look forward to. QB sucks, RB is avg, defensive is a joke. And the worst GM in sports. So this week will be even lower.
November 15th, 2019 at 11:49 pm
Sec 119 always shows up at games and gets loud
November 16th, 2019 at 1:00 am
TBUC North Carolina Says:
November 15th, 2019 at 10:34 pm
Can’t Score points without JayMiss as QB!!?? Man some people on here are Stupid with a Capital S
History says otherwise you flipping idiot.
November 16th, 2019 at 5:47 am
Joe, it could be that the one third who wants him back are at the Den. The two thirds who don’t are staying away
However, my main point is until the Bucs win this and worse is what the Glasers can expect. Then again, attendance is less than 20% of gross revenues so does it really matter what the attendance is?
November 16th, 2019 at 6:51 am
The fact that the team has been downright abysmal for the past decade is a HUGE factor in the # of empty seats and large volume of visiting fans that end up in primo seating throughout the stadium…there’s nothing worse than fan apathy. That being said, the current stadium experience pales in comparison to the relative comfort and cost of enjoying the game on the hi-def, big screen in one’s living room. Sure the new video boards and cosmetic upgrades to the lounges are nice, but look at Miami’s remodel- complete with new full to near full shading across the stands and new lower level seating with integrated TVs and WiFi as a ‘what should’ve been’ upgrade to RayJay. If the on field product stinks and the venue still a decade behind what it’s more modern brethren offer, why spend hard earned $ on tickets???
November 16th, 2019 at 7:11 am
Joe. This notion of 2/3 of bucfan wanting JW3 is fatally flawed. 2/3 of readers polled on this website said they thought he should be around for at least a year.
This website is only the top 1% of bucfans in the world, many of whom have been major jameis apologists since his time @ fsu. A silly notion here. –Joe
There are many many many bucfan who put their fandom on hold when he was drafted, and more again after the desert assault (aka Joe’s hassle).
Not to mention the many many many bucfan who blame him for losing bc of the turnovers.
Expand the definition of bucfan from “readers of JBF” to “all bucfan who would consider attending a game @ RayJay” and the numbers not close to 2/3.
It’s wonderful to play with numbers, but nobody really knows how players have impacted fans and/or sponsors short term and long term. How many sponsors have the Bucs lost because of Jameis? The Jerramy Stevens mess was a massive negative for the Bucs when he arrived, and the decision and his horrible background was harped on by Steve Duemig for weeks, and that was when Duemig was in his heyday. –Joe
November 16th, 2019 at 9:30 am
40,000 fans in attendance is 40,000 more than the Glazers deserve.
November 16th, 2019 at 10:03 am
There is NO WAY there were over 40,00 there. That may have been paid tickets.
November 16th, 2019 at 10:07 am
Another 5-11 year will make it even worse.
November 16th, 2019 at 10:31 am
@TBUC North Carolina Says:
” QB is the face of the franchise!! And fans don’t want to see JayMiss’s face no more!!”
Yep, well except FSU/Bucs fans.
I doubt though, since his being here is strong connected with JL being here, and he got the extension of contract, and lately with BA being here…..
personally i got low expectation of all three leaving TB…..and that is the only way JW is going out of here.
BA = LovieS 2.0
November 16th, 2019 at 10:59 am
The Dolphins redid their stadium and engineered a new roof that shades the fans. I always said that the Bucs should do something to reduce the fans exposure to the sun. The east side of the stadium for 1PM games is unbearable to sit in Sept to early November if it’s a sunny day. That would improve the fan experience for those that have seats there.
Later kick offs would help too, all home games in Sept/Oct should be later start times.
Many fans would suffer in the heat if this team played competive football consistently and didn’t start the first half of every season losing all the early home games to inferior teams with rookie and backup quarterbacks.
Coming out flat or unprepared at home has turned off many fans. When a team has a losing record at home year in and year out its a tough sell to get the fans to pay for expensive tickets.
November 16th, 2019 at 1:01 pm
Oh NO!! We won’t be able to score any points without JayMiss as our quarterback!! What freaking idiot would think that??
November 16th, 2019 at 1:20 pm
Was watching some old Bucs games and it is obvious the difference. The crowd was louder on a 4 yard Alstott run than it was during any play during the last home game.
What do the Glazers expect when the team has been so bad for so long?
November 16th, 2019 at 1:54 pm
This is not about JW. He is not DT with EVERYTHING about HIM.
JW had a major screw up his first off season…after the suspension he’s been golden. I have no trouble cheering for JW…on some levels I hate watching him because he keeps me on the edge of my seat…but can’t say he’s not entertaining.
At any rate neither JW nor any single player is the reason.
@JeanLafitte
I feel your pain. Used to have Lightning season tickets. ONE game…just ONE game my wife couldn’t attend…a Flyers game so I scalped the ticket.
A guy from New Port Richey sits next to me in my wife’s seat.
He was ORIGINALLY FROM Philly. So he starts. This was before the Lightning became good and he was relentless and very annoying. Redundant I realize I’ve already said he was Phillyfan.
Finally I had enough and said…hey…I’m going to give you scoreboard on the ice…there is no doubt your team is better than ours. However you have to give me scoreboard on which city is best. You don’t see thousands and thousands of Floridians moving to Philly now do you. But you and your buds come down here to breathe OUR air…enjoy OUR sunshine…drive on OUR highways…you come here by the thousands so OBVIOUSLY Tampa must be better than Philly.
Dude stands up and I stand up with him…those like you Jean who have season tickets realize the camaraderie that goes with the fans sitting next to you at all the games and that’s a LOT of games in hockey. As the dude stands up…three other guys around us stood up with me.
Philly dude sat down and STFU. I still LMAO thinking about it.
November 16th, 2019 at 1:54 pm
Don’t give a crap about what you think, but it is a fact it’s getting hotter every year. Dumb arse glazer babies need to set up shades on top of Ray Jay like Hard Rock stadium for dolphins. You have no clue how many more games I would go to and probably other bucs fans also.
November 16th, 2019 at 2:03 pm
Ed
Been saying the same thing since Hard Rock stadium was built. But of course the baby Glazer’s find a way to use their money for their football and futball teams incorrectly. $500,000 on screens no one goes to. Ownership has been so pothetic since Malcolm death.
November 17th, 2019 at 11:46 am
Probably nobody is reading these comments since this post is old and on page two now but I can tell you that I have no desire to go to games. It’s not the heat are some are contending (if you don’t like the heat, get the heck out of Florida, please). I just had an awful game day experience the last time – opening day vs the 49ers. More 49er fans around me than Bucs cans which sucked but they were nice and mostly quiet. It was the drunk rednecks (rooting for the Bucs) who only attended because of that stupid pregame country music concert who ruined it for me. That gimmick still didn’t sell the game out
November 17th, 2019 at 11:50 am
…and then there was the game. One of the ugliest displays of pro football I have ever seen. Both teams had two touchdowns called back because of penalties. The turnovers. Jameis was a total mess. You knew right then it was going to be a long season of futility.