Do You Prefer To Stay At Home Or Go To Games?

[JO_75]

I came across on PFT that attendance at NFL games have been dropping since 2007. In 2011, the league posted the lowest amount of attendance since 2002. 16,562,706 attended all the games in 2011 and it was lower than the 2010 attendance of 16,569,514. You average it out to 64,698 which is also the lowest per game number since 1998.

[url="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/08/after-peaking-in-2007-nfl-attendance-steadily-has-declined/"]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/08/after-peaking-in-2007-nfl-attendance-steadily-has-declined/[/url]

Seeing this data, it did prompt me to make this thread to see what everyone's preference is. Would you rather stay at home where you could be in the comfort of your own home, go to the bathroom with no lines, no need to pay for food and drinks when you have food and drinks home. No drunks other than your friends you invite over, and if you have Direct TV and have Sunday Ticket you can watch every game on Sunday. Also you have a big screen TV to watch the game on. Or do you prefer going to the game and seeing it in person? What is causing the attendance to drop and is the at home experience just so far ahead of the NFL that people are just choosing to not go to games?

[Gordo52]

The energy at the bank is unreal. If I had the money for season tickets I wouldn't miss 1 home game for the rest of my life.

[1/28/01]

Home/buddies house...

Miss too much there, IMO.

[Rav'n Maniac]

I feel the economy has more to do with it than anything. People just don't have the cash to burn right now. With the costs of tickets, food & drink, you can easily drop 3 - 4 bills on a game per couple. I use to attend every home game. My wife and I have two PSL's and her brother & wife had 2. They gave up theirs, so now we share ours with them and only attend half the games.

I enjoy going to the games except in really bad weather or extreme cold. Although you do see more at home on the tube.

[arnie_uk]

if i lived there, just like if i lived in manchester, id have season tickets, watch game live, then re watch it on the box during the week to see what i missed.

You cant match the atmosphere

[gabefergy]

You see more when attending the games, but with the All-22 becoming available that becomes less of an issue. Also I just really enjoy being at games in person. If I had the money/lived in Baltimore I would probably go to every game I could.

[codizzle]

Attendance is dropping because of the price... Ticket prices are <terrible>.. I can't justify spending all that money on tickets when I can just watch it on tv

[JO_75]

Plus, Direct TV dropped their price for Sunday Ticket and you know that is going to entice more people to buy that(if they have Direct TV or plan to switch to Direct TV) rather go to a game. I mean pay $200 which is near the price of tickets to stay home, and watch every game on Sunday. Guarantee DTV is going to see an increase in sales for Sunday Ticket because of the lower price. I think technology is too far ahead of the NFL where right now the NFL is trying to, and keyword is trying, to play catch up to make people come to the games.

[Moderator 3]

You just can not beat the gameday experience. TV is nice, but it does not rival "live". The TV cameras just follow the ball and you miss 2/3rds of the action. I even travel to away games when I can

[ravens__]

[quote name='Rav'n Maniac' timestamp='1341867597' post='1096434']
I feel the economy has more to do with it than anything. People just don't have the cash to burn right now. With the costs of tickets, food & drink, you can easily drop 4 bills on a game per couple. I use to attend every home game. My wife and I have two PSL's and her brother & wife had 2. They gave up theirs, so now we share ours with them and only attend half the games.

I enjoy going to the games except in really bad weather or extreme cold. Although you do see more at home on the tube.
[/quote]

This.

If I had the economic flexibility, I'd go to every single home game but with how much tickets cost nowadays I pick 4-5 games per year and that's that.

[K-Dog]

At home the couch is way more comfortable. The beer is colder and cheaper. The bathroom is cleaner and closer. (Add, dryer, warmer, what have you)

That said. I will go to any live game I could afford.

[usmccharles]

well considering i live in san diego and usually have the NFL sunday ticket with direct tv, i mostly stay at home. For the past two years in a row the ravens have played here in SD so i went to the games. Ill go to a monday night game out at a sports bar every now and then, but i like it better at home...

[Moderator 3]

I hate trying to watch a game in a bar. It's stadium or home for me.

[Purple Nurple]

The live experience trumps all. That said, I love making hot wings and getting trashed in my living room.

[Moderator 2]

I love the stadium , except night games in December, there is nothing like it. When I have had to miss a game because of illness I feel like dying when they show the stadium. It will be a sad day when I have to give up my PSLs because we are priced out of the market. My seats started at 39 dollars and we are now at 90-- that's crazy since 1998
I never buy food and beer so that is not an issue for me-- usually have a diet soda and a purple margarita and that's it. I have no idea how some people afford all the beer, crabcakes, chicken tenders and nachos--- I'd most likely get took worked up and choke eating them any way lol

[Hjulmann]

I've only seen 1 ravens game at the bank. 'Twas the season before the one we just ended, vs the Steelers (5th of December, the day after my birthday). We lost cause Polamalu forced a fumble on Flacco. Up until that, it was one of the better memories in my life, even though I had to go back to my hotel frowning and without motivation to do anything. I remember everyone going "no means no! no means no!" at big Ben, and my mom joined in as well - she doesn't know the slightest thing about football nor the Ravens.

edit: forgot my point, I'd much rather watch games live if I had the money for it!

[bauer77]

[quote name='Ravens<3' timestamp='1341865563' post='1096425']
The energy at the bank is unreal. If I had the money for season tickets I wouldn't miss 1 home game for the rest of my life.
[/quote]

this times like a million. this season, i managed to go to 2 games, the game against the 49ers and christmas eve against the Browns. Both times were experiences i'll never forget. It definitely blew me away.

[H8R]

The live experience can't be beaten. I always rewatch the games the next day or even the same night from my DVR. All of the little things that may not be as nice as home enrich the experience. This is a mans game (imo, and Ray Lewis'...boy!) So, yea...the bathrooms arent always the best, the beer is pricey and not always warm.. That's OK with me, if you're strapped for cash don't go or get your fill of beer/food/ w/e at the tailgate.

[K-Dog]

[quote name='Moderator 3' timestamp='1341877939' post='1096491']
I hate trying to watch a game in a bar. .
[/quote]

Oh no, bars are BY FAR the worst !!!!!!!
I would rather sit in my truck and listen on the radio than watch in a bar.
I HATE watching football games in bars.

[Alexir]

I love going to the Steelers game. Other than that, Rather watch it with all my friends at a bar or my place instead of going to a game where a bunch a strangers complain because "i'm a stander".

[Purple Nurple]

[quote name='Alexir' timestamp='1342061169' post='1097336']
where a bunch a strangers complain because "i'm a stander".
[/quote]

Holy Hell. I almost got into it with a fellow fan sitting a few rows behind me at the Texans playoff game last year. He would not stop screaming at me to sit down. Even at home I jump up off the couch all the time, lol.

[Malkavian Raven]

[i][font=trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif]The economy has more to do with than anything else. The average person doesn't have the extra money to afford to go to games and even some of the small and medium size businesses that buy season tickets to entertain customers are giving them up as well. I like to go to games at the stadiums (Lucas Oil & Paul Brown) to see the Ravens play, simply because those are the only 1-2 games I get to see them play every year. Now, if I lived in Baltimore and had the money to burn, I still don't think I'd go to every game simply because I don't see myself getting that excited. It'd become almost routine it would seem.[/font][/i]

[i][font=trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif]I much prefer to be at home with all of my creature comforts readily available where the entire family can be together and enjoy the game.[/font][/i]

[i][font=trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif]~ Malkavian Raven[/font][/i]

[Purple Nurple]

I have friends that have been to pretty much every game since the inception. They never get sick of it. Neither would I. It's a great experience to participate in.

[The Raven]

They both have their perks. The atmosphere can be crazy at the stadium, and it can be a great time. However, staying home, avoiding traffic, <[i]nasty[/i]> fans, and high priced food, while hanging out with friends watching the game can be an even better time.

[Moderator 3]

[quote name='Malkavian Raven' timestamp='1342281127' post='1098163']
[i][font=trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif]The economy has more to do with than anything else. The average person doesn't have the extra money to afford to go to games and even some of the small and medium size businesses that buy season tickets to entertain customers are giving them up as well. I like to go to games at the stadiums (Lucas Oil & Paul Brown) to see the Ravens play, simply because those are the only 1-2 games I get to see them play every year. Now, if I lived in Baltimore and had the money to burn, I still don't think I'd go to every game simply because I don't see myself getting that excited. It'd become almost routine it would seem.[/font][/i]

[i][font=trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif]I much prefer to be at home with all of my creature comforts readily available where the entire family can be together and enjoy the game.[/font][/i]

[i][font=trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif]~ Malkavian Raven[/font][/i]
[/quote]

I can understand prefering your creature comforts, but believe me, being at the stadium NEVER gets routine. There's always something special about each game.

[BmoreRav]

[quote name='Moderator 3' timestamp='1342301178' post='1098236']


I can understand prefering your creature comforts, but believe me, being at the stadium NEVER gets routine. There's always something special about each game.
[/quote]

This post just turned my jealously level up to 11!

[Moderator 2]

[quote name='Purple Nurple' timestamp='1342276825' post='1098153']


Holy Hell. I almost got into it with a fellow fan sitting a few rows behind me at the Texans playoff game last year. He would not stop screaming at me to sit down. Even at home I jump up off the couch all the time, lol.
[/quote]Can I offer another perspective? Some people can not physically stand the whole game due to medical issues, knees , back , elderly-- they have every right to watch the game also. Sometimes it helps to work with the person-- like you stand to the right or left so they can see.
I know mine is an unpopular sentiment and we changed our seats because my dad is now 74 and it's getting rough for him in the cold, the guys in front of us did stand to the side as much as they could and it was a great gesture, but in the end it was easier to get seats on the rail.

[Purple Nurple]

Well sure, if that was the case I would have gladly sat down. This guy was just being a [i]<jerk>. [/i]As soon as we started scoring he was happy. He even came down the couple rows between us and apologized. We hugged it out, lol.

[Moderator 2]

With us it's like a football 'family ', since we have all been together since the 90's. If you had broker seats it's always the great unknown, we had 3 in front of us, it could be someone awesome or someone you would like to leave at the end of the first quarter lol
Even though we moved we are with the same people, just 2 rows behind them on the rail. I love those seats BUT we fry in the summer, still the silver metallic bleacher, and when the wind blows through the tunnel YIKES!! My son has perfected stomping on the metal with boots to make a ton of noise lol

[MsMarvel73]

But seeing that I'm in Indiana now, I'll have to watch online or listen to the radio. I am seriously going to miss my crew this season.