My oldest son

[cockymom2boys]

My oldest son told me last night he probably will never go to another game at Williams Brice.
He's 33 and lives in Va with his wife. She had never been to a game at WB so we got tickets while they were here for Thanksgiving.
My son grew up going to games btw so I was surprised/sad when he said that. Obviously I don't know if he means it but he definitely regretted spending his last day/night home on that GameDay experience.
I don't know what the City can do to help with traffic flow but it was awful at 3pm yesterday.
Anyway, it's basketball season now, right?

 

[CarolinaBro]

As someone who also lives out of state, I feel him on this. I haven't been to a game since the first year or so of Muschamp's tenure and I used to be a GCC member. Just can't justify the expense, effort, etc. involved until the product on the field is something resembling competitive, or hell, even just entertaining. I'd come watch us if we were rolling up 500 yards and averaging 30 points per game even if we were struggling, because at least we'd be exciting to watch and there'd be hope for the future. We're currently the worst of both worlds -- bad AND boring.

 

[cockymom2boys]

As someone who also lives out of state, I feel him on this. I haven't been to a game since the first year or so of Muschamp's tenure and I used to be a GCC member. Just can't justify the expense, effort, etc. involved until the product on the field is something resembling competitive, or hell, even just entertaining. I'd come watch us if we were rolling up 500 yards and averaging 30 points per game even if we were struggling, because at least we'd be exciting to watch and there'd be hope for the future. We're currently the worst of both worlds -- bad AND boring.

I understand.

 

[viennacocks]

My oldest son told me last night he probably will never go to another game at Williams Brice.
He's 33 and lives in Va with his wife. She had never been to a game at WB so we got tickets while they were here for Thanksgiving.
My son grew up going to games btw so I was surprised/sad when he said that. Obviously I don't know if he means it but he definitely regretted spending his last day/night home on that GameDay experience.
I don't know what the City can do to help with traffic flow but it was awful at 3pm yesterday.
Anyway, it's basketball season now, right?

I live in town and feel the same way. I have relatively young kids and can't invest the time or money (time is the bigger issue). We go to one or two games a year max. Traffic is the worst so we normally choose a game with less traffic such as Northern Illinois.

 

[cockymom2boys]

I live in town and feel the same way. I have relatively young kids and can't invest the time or money (time is the bigger issue). We go to one or two games a year max. Traffic is the worst so we normally choose a game with less traffic such as Northern Illinois.

Yes this was our 1st home game this year.
We went to ECU and to College Station.
I was surprised at how bad the traffic was.

 

[andersoncountycock]

My oldest son told me last night he probably will never go to another game at Williams Brice.
He's 33 and lives in Va with his wife. She had never been to a game at WB so we got tickets while they were here for Thanksgiving.
My son grew up going to games btw so I was surprised/sad when he said that. Obviously I don't know if he means it but he definitely regretted spending his last day/night home on that GameDay experience.
I don't know what the City can do to help with traffic flow but it was awful at 3pm yesterday.
Anyway, it's basketball season now, right?

After last night's performance there're going to be a lot of people that won't go back to WB.

 

[cockymom2boys]

After last night's performance there're going to be a lot of people that won't go back to WB.

I definitely think the University/Athletic Dept is going to have to figure out a way to make the whole game day experience more enjoyable, efficient, and affordable. At least until we get more competitive.

 

[uscwatson21]

I definitely think the University/Athletic Dept is going to have to figure out a way to make the whole game day experience more enjoyable, efficient, and affordable. At least until we get more competitive.

The AD spends too much money for affordability to ever become a thing again.

 

[gamecox4982]

Attending a game with your dad should trump all the bad experiences he may have encountered….. he’s lost the real meaning of going with his dad- wish I could go with mine.

 

[Carolina Doc]

Don't forget how obnoxious and vulgar some of our fans are. Both inside and outside the stadium. No filter on their outrage or language, even with young children within earshot. It didn't used to be that way. I'm not sure if my wife and I will attend another game. It's sad that it's come to this.

 

[TAV31]

I decided going hunting and fishing is better. So I watch/listen to every football, basketball, and baseball games nowadays. Last night was still a big kick in the nads after getting our hopes up that we would compete last night.

 

[bigalsm42]

My oldest son told me last night he probably will never go to another game at Williams Brice.
He's 33 and lives in Va with his wife. She had never been to a game at WB so we got tickets while they were here for Thanksgiving.
My son grew up going to games btw so I was surprised/sad when he said that. Obviously I don't know if he means it but he definitely regretted spending his last day/night home on that GameDay experience.
I don't know what the City can do to help with traffic flow but it was awful at 3pm yesterday.
Anyway, it's basketball season now, right?

SC, is behind the 8 ball for traffic flow, other states have gotten more money to help fix and make roads better. It is progress in the works. Upstate, has same issues, money spread across the state and not enough to make new roads better. SC is probably in the bottom 10 states. Population in crease and you get money once people move in.

 

[Gamecock Lincoln]

If you're not tailgating, taking the shuttle is the way to go. Park in the CLA lots for $10..00. The shuttles take a dedicated route and drops you off and picks you up at the rocket. By passes the traffic. Not bad at all. I have done this for the past several years.

 

[Dizzy01]

It’s funny but I certainly thought things moved last night better than normal. Traffic has always sucked and I always remember sitting for an hour or so in the car. It hasn’t changed and it’s probably not going to.

 

[DeeDave]

My oldest son told me last night he probably will never go to another game at Williams Brice.
He's 33 and lives in Va with his wife. She had never been to a game at WB so we got tickets while they were here for Thanksgiving.
My son grew up going to games btw so I was surprised/sad when he said that. Obviously I don't know if he means it but he definitely regretted spending his last day/night home on that GameDay experience.
I don't know what the City can do to help with traffic flow but it was awful at 3pm yesterday.
Anyway, it's basketball season now, right?

I gave up my season tickets some 15 years ago- right before the success of the Spurrier years and never have regretted it.

I have cut back on watching all college sports significantly. At first it was hard, but it was an intentional decision I made to enjoy doing other things with my family. It has become much easier.

In fact, I found out how much I had cut back when the first game this year was on and I didn't even know it until I turned on the tv after the 1st quarter was over. I even texted a friend and said "can you believe it, i didn't even know when the game started"

Now, I still watch a few games- but have not watched an entire game start to finish in a number of years. I just do other things. In September and for most of October, I'm usually out on the lake on Saturdays. I find the crowds are less on gamedays and makes for more fun for me and my family.

For example, yesterday, I watched about half the game. I even made some comments on here during the game. But I only watched about half of it. I was busy going through some photo albums with my wife working on a family project.

I have accomplished a lot of projects, family things, etc by getting my Saturdays back.

It was amazing to learn how much time I wasted.

The only college ball I really watch these days will be some of our basketball games during the middle of the week when the games are late at night and I am just sitting around resting.

It's incredible to say but I've caught myself thinking during a game "I feel sorry for folks at the game" - and I am not referring to wins or losses- just the hassle of going to the game and wasting all that time.

 

[Lakecock1]

SC, is behind the 8 ball for traffic flow, other states have gotten more money to help fix and make roads better. It is progress in the works. Upstate, has same issues, money spread across the state and not enough to make new roads better. SC is probably in the bottom 10 states. Population in crease and you get money once people move in.

It's not the total amount of money, it's the politicians' mishandling of that money that is earmarked for improving our infrastructure that is the problem. People moving into the state will only make things worse.

 

[DeeDave]

Don't forget how obnoxious and vulgar some of our fans are. Both inside and outside the stadium. No filter on their outrage or language, even with young children within earshot. It didn't used to be that way. I'm not sure if my wife and I will attend another game. It's sad that it's come to this.

This is one of the reasons I started scaling back about 15 years ago. I took my 8 year old to an ECU game and I sat in an area I normally didn't sit in and there was so much cursing and just awful language- I vowed then I wouldn't bring my children back to a game. It was way over the top- just terrible stuff coming from people- mainly men who were drinking. I felt sorry for their wives and girlfriends- but they didn't seem to care. So I made the only decision I could. I didn't come back.

I don't mind a bad word at the right time here and there. I don't really use it myself but I don't get upset about it. But the repeated F Bombs and sexual nature of some of the comments are just way out of bounds to use in public- especially repeatedly.

and I haven't. and now 15 years later none of my 3 kids care anything about going to a game. They don't even watch it on tv. They couldn't care less.

 

[DeeDave]

It's incredible to say but I've caught myself thinking during a game "I feel sorry for folks at the game" - and I am not referring to wins or losses- just the hassle of going to the game and wasting all that time.

Commenting on my own post

but I have a Clemson friend that is in her 40s. She lives in the Columbia area. She goes to nearly every Clemson game but has work on Sunday so she has to drive back. Late night games are awful on her.

I have told her many times I feel sorry that she puts herself through that because she's always totally exhausted on Sundays - to the point where she isn't herself.

She feels she owes it to the team to support them. I've told her- and others have told her- she wears herself out for people that don't care. I mean the players don't care if any of us individually show up or not.

I haven't told her but I know every team has fans like her- and I actually feel sorry for her.

 

[gamecock stock]

I quit going about 15 years ago. I was a season ticket holder and Gamecock Club member from the 1970s on. I got tired of people walking back and forth across my aisle multiple times. If I was given $10 for every time someone walked across me, I could probably leave the stadium with $1,000. But, I'd get home at 2 am due to the poor traffic control. Now, I just watch on TV, IF I REMEMBER. Considering the product USC puts on the field (lack of competitiveness above mediocrity), boring style of play on offense, etc, it's not because of age that I sometimes forget when we are on TV. I still badly want us to win like we did in the Spurrier years. But, losing doesn't bother me like it used to. The Muschamp era took a lot of the enthusiasm out of me. The Beamer era thus far is mehhhhh. Yes, we are going to a bowl. But our offense is sooooooo boring and look poorly coached, making this year's results.... "so what?".

 

[LBGCOCK]

I plan to attend the first game at W-B next season because my 2 younger sons haven’t been, after that I don’t know.

 

[JohnnySolo]

I definitely think the University/Athletic Dept is going to have to figure out a way to make the whole game day experience more enjoyable, efficient, and affordable. At least until we get more competitive.

Please don’t say that. They’ll sell more beer and crank out more bad music.

 

[CockySC01]

That would have been a rough game to drive all that way for. I can only imagine how he must feel. The old train of thought to being a Carolina fan is that we come to party and drink. Not so much for the game. In other words, if you get sloshed it will numb your feelings to what happens on the field.
Here, have another shot, and another….. and another, aaaaaand here is ANOTHER!

 

[hobcawcreekcock]

Yes this was our 1st home game this year.
We went to ECU and to College Station.
I was surprised at how bad the traffic was.

The CU game has about as many ‘fans’ without tickets tailgating as those that do. I got there at 1:30 and drove right to my tailgate spot. My oldest son drove up from Mt Pleasant, got there at 3:00, traffic was terrible. One hour and a half difference and the traffic was totally opposite.

It’s impossible to put 80-140 K folks in a two square mile area at once, and not have traffic issues. Ever been to UGA or CU? Talk about gridlock!!!!

 

[gamecocks94]

Yes this was our 1st home game this year.
We went to ECU and to College Station.
I was surprised at how bad the traffic was.

Out of curiosity, what way do you come in from? I always park off Bluff road and get there via 77. I went to the Auburn game, my first game in three years, and got off 77 at 5:30. I hit zero traffic from that point to my parking spot and I was quite surprised.

 

[gamecocks94]

This is one of the reasons I started scaling back about 15 years ago. I took my 8 year old to an ECU game and I sat in an area I normally didn't sit in and there was so much cursing and just awful language- I vowed then I wouldn't bring my children back to a game. It was way over the top- just terrible stuff coming from people- mainly men who were drinking. I felt sorry for their wives and girlfriends- but they didn't seem to care. So I made the only decision I could. I didn't come back.

I don't mind a bad word at the right time here and there. I don't really use it myself but I don't get upset about it. But the repeated F Bombs and sexual nature of some of the comments are just way out of bounds to use in public- especially repeatedly.

and I haven't. and now 15 years later none of my 3 kids care anything about going to a game. They don't even watch it on tv. They couldn't care less.

I found myself in the same situation for the Auburn game. I took my oldest daughter to her first game and there was some a$$hole spewing just about every cuss word known to man every other play. I turned around and glared at him one time, but he didn’t care. We ended up leaving at halftime because she was freezing (ugh). Had we stayed we would’ve moved to different seats.

 

[cockhornleghorn]

Commenting on my own post

but I have a Clemson friend that is in her 40s. She lives in the Columbia area. She goes to nearly every Clemson game but has work on Sunday so she has to drive back. Late night games are awful on her.

I have told her many times I feel sorry that she puts herself through that because she's always totally exhausted on Sundays - to the point where she isn't herself.

She feels she owes it to the team to support them. I've told her- and others have told her- she wears herself out for people that don't care. I mean the players don't care if any of us individually show up or not.

I haven't told her but I know every team has fans like her- and I actually feel sorry for her.

I used to be like that until I finally had enough of Muschamp in 2019. I had been considering giving up season FB tickets ever since we hired Muschamp and I finally cut off tickets at the end of the 2019 season and before attendance was limited due to COVID. I still get MBB and WBB season tickets. If Frank doesn't turn things around, I might drop those, too. I didn't get so much as an email, letter or phone call from the Athletics Department asking why I didn't renew season tickets. They really don't care about us.

 

[cockymom2boys]

Out of curiosity, what way do you come in from? I always park off Bluff road and get there via 77. I went to the Auburn game, my first game in three years, and got off 77 at 5:30. I hit zero traffic from that point to my parking spot and I was quite surprised.

We drove in from Irmo.
We left our house at 3p. We wanted to get there in time for the Gamecock Walk but that was it. We hit some traffic on 26 going in but not too bad. We usually go in on the Bluff Road side but yesterday Map Quest told us the best route was thru town. Huger was a parking lot.

 

[jedi_mike]

When you put 80,000+ in a small area in a city,what does people expect.

 

[uscnoklahoma2]

When you put 80,000+ in a small area in a city,what does people expect.

I've been to numerous other sporting events and never have to deal with what I do at WB. Its like I literally pick the worst places to park. If I go now I just park at the giant parking lots and take the shuttle.

 

[uscnoklahoma2]

Here's what Tanner and the BOT and most don't get...we are losing younger fans by the truckloads. No one likes a loser anymore. Times are different. Almost all the younger people in my family are now taters. One literally switched during the game yesterday. If we don't get serious soon there might not be many at WB.

Times just aren't the same anymore...at all. Games are on TV now and kids have tik tok, FB, snap, etc to take their time. I've noticed sports just don't move the needle anymore.

Hell, look at the high school teams and the bands...they struggle to attract kids now. Bands are a shell of what they used to be.

 

[rogue cock]

I found myself in the same situation for the Auburn game. I took my oldest daughter to her first game and there was some a$$hole spewing just about every cuss word known to man every other play. I turned around and glared at him one time, but he didn’t care. We ended up leaving at halftime because she was freezing (ugh). Had we stayed we would’ve moved to different seats.

You can have those type of fans removed. I have done it on a number of occasions when I had my girls with me. Most are too damned drunk to even be there.

 

[Ratheolcoach]

I‘m in the same boat. For the first time as an Adult, I make enough money to have enough leftover to afford a gamecock club membership and 4 seats for my family. But, I cannot pull the trigger. I just can’t invest the money, and the money man in me says, buy low….but crap we’ve always been low.
it’s an all day affair to go down, tailgate or find food, and sit in traffic, and watch a team that honestly is unbearable to watch at times, then go home dissatisfied and disappointed. I can turn on my 75” tv and eat the food here, and flip to other games when we stink….but my heart wants to support Carolina and be there in person, on the slightest chance we play well and begin to ascend

 

[Scuba_do]

Ironically, the answer to the bad traffic problem during home games is for the team to continue sucking.

 

[JGH 35]

I don't think we lose many fans because of traffic. It's no worse here than most other schools and better than a lot of them. I remember going to a game at clemsux about 10 years ago and was stuck in traffic for 3 hours and only made it about 5 or 6 miles. We had to pull over and park and run to the stadium and barely made it to our seats by kickoff. Auburn and Georgia are worse that us too. If you aren't going to the game because of traffic you probably wouldn't go to any games anywhere.

 

[USCBatgirl21]

It’s funny but I certainly thought things moved last night better than normal. Traffic has always sucked and I always remember sitting for an hour or so in the car. It hasn’t changed and it’s probably not going to.

I agree. After the game, while the traffic was heavy, it kept moving. No real issues at all.

The majority of traffic complaints I hear are from folks coming to the game later. We are usually already waiting when the gates open, so we don't have to sit in the traffic. Of course we like to tailgate so we get there early for that. We did have massive traffic on 26 coming in from Irmo, but that's to be expected on Thanksgiving weekend. Once we got past the Charleston turnoff, it was smooth sailing to the stadium. Most weekends it's not that bad at all.

 

[king ward]

I know a guy - in good health, mind you - who was a Gamecock Club member (at ever-escalating levels of financial commitment) for 49 years.

He gave it all up this year - flat gave it up - tickets and all. He'd simply had enough.

Someone from the Gamecock Club called him to attempt persuading him to reconsider. No dice. One year short of 50 years. Knowing this guy, I never thought I would see the day.

He isn't alone. I know several boosters who are reducing the number of tickets they order because there isn't the interest in their families any longer - I'm talking about adult children who were having these tickets given to them. That's incredible to me.

 

[rogue cock]

I know a guy - in good health, mind you - who was a Gamecock Club member (at ever-escalating levels of financial commitment) for 49 years.

He gave it all up this year - flat gave it up - tickets and all. He'd simply had enough.

Someone from the Gamecock Club called him to attempt persuading him to reconsider. No dice. One year short of 50 years. Knowing this guy, I never thought I would see the day.

He isn't alone. I know several boosters who are reducing the number of tickets they order because there isn't the interest in their families any longer - I'm talking about adult children who were having these tickets given to them. That's incredible to me.

I did that a few years ago...from 4 to 2 tickets per game.