Attendance

[samy316]

10 hours ago, Commander PK said:

 

Yes, because the NFL grew and the stadiums are larger.  People travel in greater numbers.  The best “home field advantages” exist in places where there isn’t much else to get excited about.
 

Part of our biggest problem here is that we haven’t won a Championship that anybody under the age of 40 can even remember watching, and the Ravens who have done nearly everything right since their inception have won two.  We lost a lot of people to the Ravens over the last 27 years.  

 

This is 100% true, but I'd also like to add that this area is extremely transient in nature too.  There are people from all over the country who come to DC to live and work, from all kinds of different industries and trades.  These people coming into DC won't just abandon the teams that they root for, unless that team is extremely successful and prominent.  If I'm moving to DC from Pittsburgh or from the Bay Area, why would I stop being a Steelers fan or a 49ers fan, so I can root for the loser team in town that has sucked for the last 25-30 years, with a terrible stadium location and terrible fan atmosphere?  That goes double for any families moving into the area that have young kids who don't watch sports yet, or are just getting into sports.  

 

I can't tell you the amount of people I know as neighbors or work colleagues that move to DC, who rock their former city's team jersey on Fridays, and venture out to Fed-Ex when their team comes to town.  I know at least 3 Bills fans who scooped up tickets to the Bills-Commanders game at Fed-Ex back when tickets became available in May.  That game was always going to be 40-50% Bills fans, because the tickets went on sale before DS sold the team.  This will be the case for the remaining home games against the Eagles, Giants, Dolphins and 49er games.

[ixcuincle]

think week 1 was the only time quote true end quote dc fans occupied the stadium. rest of the home games sadly will be takeovers. maybe not this bad. at least it's packed again. 

[samy316]

1 hour ago, ixcuincle said:

think week 1 was the only time quote true end quote dc fans occupied the stadium. rest of the home games sadly will be takeovers. maybe not this bad. at least it's packed again. 

Most tickets were sold before the ownership change, so that’s why you’ll see that kind of away/home discrepancy during the rest of the home games.  Fed-Ex is also the worst stadium in the NFL hands down, so that’s why you’ll always see a good amount of opposing fans coming out to see their team.  
 

Some of this also has to do with the team, and its performance.  Days like this past Sunday don’t do the team any favors when asking home fans to come to Fed-Ex to support the team.  They CANNOT continue to have games like the one against the Bills.   That will quell any renewed fan support and enthusiasm quickly.

Edited September 27, 2023 by samy316

[hail2skins]

I think for the most part these "takeovers" of opposing fans are concentrated in the lower sections on the visitors side. I've long maintained that many of the tickets in those areas are held by larger entities (corporate or government) and thus have become more susceptible for fans of opposing teams who are from those areas of the country but work in the DC to attend. That wasn't the case for the first 10 or so years of the stadium, when we weren't that far removed from the Super Bowl area and many people in those work places had more reason to support the Redskins.

 

Those sections were filled with Washington fans for the opener because, lets be honest, who the hell cheers for the Cardinals? I expect that those sections will be full of Bears fans for the Thursday night game, as there surely are a lot of people from the Chi-Town area who work in DC. Even though the Bears suck. However, the rest of the stadium will probably be predominately Washington fans, and what will be interesting will be how full the upper deck is, considering that its a Thursday night game.

[Commander PK]

On 9/13/2023 at 3:50 PM, Captain Wiggles said:

 

FedEx Field experience hasn't changed. 🤣

 

Nope, it's much improved.  Don't let a few drunk idiots make you feel otherwise, especially one stupid enough to show up to a game that his team isn't even playing in.

[Captain Wiggles]

3 minutes ago, hail2skins said:

I think for the most part these "takeovers" of opposing fans are concentrated in the lower sections on the visitors side. I've long maintained that many of the tickets in those areas are held by larger entities (corporate or government) and thus have become more susceptible for fans of opposing teams who are from those areas of the country but work in the DC to attend. That wasn't the case for the first 10 or so years of the stadium, when we weren't that far removed from the Super Bowl area and many people in those work places had more reason to support the Redskins.

 

My dad worked for a trade group in DC in the mid 90s through the 2000s. They've owned a number of rows in the lower level since the day Fed Ex opened. Two rows right in front of the broadcast booths and another in one of the endzone sections. 

 

Seen a lot of games from those sections because nobody wanted to go since the team was such doo doo. Similar kinda deal on Thanksgiving and Christmas weekends too.

[hail2skins]

36 minutes ago, Commander PK said:

 

Nope, it's much improved.  Don't let a few drunk idiots make you feel otherwise, especially one stupid enough to show up to a game that his team isn't even playing in.

I'm just curious as to your thoughts on how you think the experience is much improved. And from when are you comparing it to? Also, what section do you sit in?

[Skinsfan1311]

2 hours ago, hail2skins said:

I'm just curious as to your thoughts on how you think the experience is much improved. And from when are you comparing it to? Also, what section do you sit in?

Speaking for Mrs. Skinsfan, myself,  and our seatmates in 204, some things stood out.

The staff is much friendlier and more competent. The POS system for the concessions are much better, and faster. The big screen picture quality is better and the sound system is better.

The entertainment is, somewhat, better. 

The sightlines, with the exception of that horrid obstructed view debacle,  have always been good.  Bathrooms near our section were cleaner..they had a worker in there keeping it clean.

We go inside ~ 25-30 minutes before the game, and entry was more organized and noticeably faster.

I can't give an informed opinion on stadium traffic, because we get there at least 45 minutes before our lot, (Red Zone), opens, and we hang around and cook hot dogs for the ES tailgate  afterwards, while the traffic dies down.

 

[c slag]

On 9/26/2023 at 10:07 PM, Commander PK said:

 We lost a lot of people to the Ravens over the last 27 years.  

Another thing the Ravens do, just this past week, is knock the Redskins off the local TV coverage, and air the Ravens instead 

I understand why this happens, and it's usually like 3-4 times a season 

[samy316]

8 hours ago, c slag said:

Another thing the Ravens do, just this past week, is knock the Redskins off the local TV coverage, and air the Ravens instead 

I understand why this happens, and it's usually like 3-4 times a season 

It’s probably because both Washington and Baltimore were on CBS at 1PM this past Sunday.  The Baltimore CBS station is obviously going to show the Ravens game if that instance occurs.

[c slag]

13 hours ago, samy316 said:

It’s probably because both Washington and Baltimore were on CBS at 1PM this past Sunday.  The Baltimore CBS station is obviously going to show the Ravens game if that instance occurs.

I miss the days before the Ravens took over the coverage like that, when every game of the season was televised, guessing before 1996, like those Norv Turner seasons 

[just654]

1 hour ago, c slag said:

I miss the days before the Ravens took over the coverage like that, when every game of the season was televised, guessing before 1996, like those Norv Turner seasons 

It happens a lot more now that the NFL got rid of “home” networks. Any team can play on CBS or Fox. This is why I still have cable and have Fios over comcast. I get both DC and Bmore stations. 

[Warhead36]

They're chanting "Lets go Lions" in Green Bay.

 

Home field is almost non existent these days.

[samy316]

10 hours ago, Warhead36 said:

They're chanting "Lets go Lions" in Green Bay.

 

Home field is almost non existent these days.

 

Yes, the days of home field advantage are long gone.  Any stadium can be taken over now, especially if the opposing team playing the home team is a major city, or a team on the rise like the Lions.  I remember a few years ago, the Eagles played the Giants at MetLife for the last game of the season, and it was a game the Eagles needed to win to keep up with Dallas in the NFC East.  The Giants were long out of it, and MetLife Stadium was at least 60-70% Eagles fans.  The cheers the Eagles fans made every time the Eagles scored were shocking.  You would think that the game was at the Linc.  Any stadium in a travel destination city like LA, Miami, Arizona, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, etc are always going to have a significant number of opposing fans invading.  More and more cities are also becoming transient cities, like Washington DC, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, etc.  Opposing fans are always going to show up in numbers at any stadium that's a travel destination, or a bucket-list stadium like Lambeau Field.  I recall seeing a healthy representation of Washington fan at Lambeau the last time they played there in 2021.

Edited September 29, 2023 by samy316

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

 

[Commander PK]

On 9/28/2023 at 11:10 PM, Warhead36 said:

Home field is almost non existent these days.

because people think it’s an alpha move to go into somebody else’s house with the opposing jersey on.  Times have changed.

[Renegade7]

There's stats backing up the slow decline of home field advantage in the wins and loses column as well, even in the playoffs.

 

Last year looks more like an outlier (9-3 home teams), compared to 7-5 the previous year (8-5 of counting the Superbowl as home game for Rams that year). Year before that was 6-6 (7-6 if you count Superbowl as home game for the Bucs).

 

It matters, but not as much as it did.

 

 

 

 

[Warhead36]

On 9/29/2023 at 8:14 PM, BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93 said:

 

But Green Bay is a transient city!!~#%

 

On 10/1/2023 at 1:18 PM, Commander PK said:

because people think it’s an alpha move to go into somebody else’s house with the opposing jersey on.  Times have changed.

Its because the year is 2023 and people/fans live all over the country. Traveling is also a lot easier than it used to be and fans of good teams that travel make weekend trips to see their team play on the road.

 

Heck even in 2021 when we were mediocre and played in Vegas it was at least 50% Washington fans.

[No Nonsense]

Did anybody catch all the red at MetLife last night? 

[Warhead36]

1 minute ago, No Nonsense said:

Did anybody catch all the red at MetLife last night? 

But but but New York fans are sooo passionate and loyal and....

 

well no it turns out once their savior HOF QB got hurt they all kinda packed it in and gave up. Like just about every other fan base would.

 

I remember Philadelphia in the late 90s had home games blacked out because noone was showing up.

[samy316]

14 minutes ago, Warhead36 said:

But but but New York fans are sooo passionate and loyal and....

 

well no it turns out once their savior HOF QB got hurt they all kinda packed it in and gave up. Like just about every other fan base would.

 

I remember Philadelphia in the late 90s had home games blacked out because noone was showing up.

 

Exactly.  There's no home field advantage anymore.  Anyone can make a weekend trip to see their team on the road vs. any opponent.  I'm making the trip to Los Angeles in Week 14 to see this team play at SoFi Stadium against the Rams.  There will be at least 60-70% Washington fans at SoFi,  Hell, If I didn't have a commitment next weekend, I was planning on taking the trip to the ATL to watch us play the Falcons.  There will be tons of Washington fans there too.  Even the stalwart stadiums that had fierce HFA's throughout time, like Pittsburgh, Green Bay and Kansas City are not immune to opposing fan takeovers.  Remember Arrowhead Stadium on opening night a few weeks back when Lions fan showed up in bunches?  MetLife Stadium looked like a Chiefs home game last night with all that red in the stands.  Home field advantage is dead.

 

The Patriots are done as a contender, and as a playoff team moving forward.  I bet you any amount of money that in the next few years, you'll see lots of opposing Jets and Bills fans take over Gillette Stadium, especially when Bill Belichick retires.  Opposing fans used to take over the old Foxboro Stadium regularly before Gillette was built in 2002.

Edited October 2, 2023 by samy316

[Busch1724]

Another factor is that when season ticket holders sell their tickets, they're not necessarily reselling to fans of the team. They're just trying to unload them. Then when you factor in everything else mentioned, it's a league wide issue. Maybe not an issue, but phenomenon. 

[Commander PK]

I know around 20 people who are going to this game tomorrow night.  For me, it’s been quite a while since I could say I knew that high of a number.  Almost all are Commanders fans.  Thursday night prime time in front of the whole country.  People seem legitimately excited for this game.  A great way that would carry over to the next one would be for the team to handle business in a convincing fashion.  
 

 

[Chris 44]

Is the game sold out?

[hail2skins]

Team sent out a tweet yesterday indicating tomorrow is sold out.