Alabama Football: A Bryant-Denny re-do needs to match Saban principles
By Ronald Evans
The home of Alabama football, Bryant-Denny Stadium is being reviewed for a re-do. A good start would be to follow Nick Saban principles.
Under the leadership of Nick Saban, the Alabama football program is obsessive about detail. Nothing is considered trivial. No task is unimportant. There is no mystery to the Saban process. He wants his players to do everything the right way, every time – on and off the field.
There are no detractors among Alabama football fans but outsiders may view the approach negatively as micro-management. As in, some things are beyond a reasonable level of control. Don’t try selling that to Nick Saban.
College football attendance is down
Beyond Tuscaloosa, college football is seeing a downward trend in attendance. Attendance dropped at FBS games in 2017 by an average of 1,400 fans per game. It was the fourth straight season attendance was down across all FBS college football games.
According to ESPN, college football attendance has been down all but two seasons going back to 2008. FCS teams, as well as Division II and Division III teams, have all seen declines. Bright minds are wondering what is wrong and the schools with deep pockets are willing to spend money to stop the trend.
Changes to Bryant-Denny
Alabama football is reportedly considering several changes to Bryant-Denny Stadium. One rumor is building entertainment sections behind the scoreboards. Apparently, some live entertainment in those areas is aimed to get students to arrive at games earlier and stay later.
The most prevalent rumor is seating will be removed to allow for the construction of more luxury suites. No doubt, selling the new suites for high dollars will not be hard.
One of the best changes that could be done for Alabama football has already started. The new home-and-home series plans have been widely applauded. Bringing Texas and Notre Dame to Tuscaloosa is a great idea. Hopefully, those two games are just the beginning of a new scheduling philosophy.
We think we might have some additional very good ideas and they are consistent with Nick Saban principles. Do everything the right way should be the mission for the Bryant-Denny. Set a new standard for game experience.
Create the best fan experience in college football
The program that aspires to greatness on the field, should also aspire to the best fan experience in college football. All of the following ideas are achievable. They do not require a large investment.
- Since lowering capacity is already on the table, do it to benefit all fans. Expand the width of every seat in the stadium. In the lower bowl, remove the benches and install individual seats.
- Follow the lead of the Atlanta Falcons and lower the cost of most concession menu items. The Falcons lowered prices significantly and increased total sales revenues as a result.
- Provide a strong wi-fi signal for everyone.
- Build more restrooms.
Given traffic and parking issues are near impossible to improve, going to games takes determined effort. For too many fans it is becoming viewed as a chore for all but the top games. The solution is making it more fun inside the stadium.
Next: The Top 25 Tide recruits since 2000
Create the best fan experience in college football. Do everything right, every time. That is what has made Alabama football great.