Attendance figures in the story

If reader was there, he/she saw the crowd. If reader wasn't there, why would they care, unless it was unexpectedly high or low attendance?

 

Maybe it's a way one could report an illegal numbers game. ;D

 

The policy at our previous shop was that the attendance was not to be included in a game story unless there was a compelling reason to do so.

Here, I don't know. I haven't been working here that long. I'll have to check.

And remember when the NFL actually used to announced tickets distributed, actual attendance and no-shows? Those were the days.

Sigh.

 

There are times when it seems pretty hard to put it into the story. If attendance is announced way off of what it actually is, that seems like something pretty important for notes or something.
Or you can look at a school like Clemson, where every football game has 81,000, 83,000, 79,000, etc. Sure, it's well-known that it's an estimate, but you also know that's not exactly accurate, either.
Point being, it just seems like a waste to squeeze inaccurate info into what is supposed to be the most telling parts of a gamer.

 

box 'em about 90 percent of the time.

 

On of the Wisconsin beat writers, can't remember which one and don't want to name the wrong one, always puts it in his story, and every time I read it, I'd wonder "Why the hell do I care?" Maybe the paper made him do it, who knows. But, Wisconsin football games don't have too variable of attendance, they sell out. So, I never saw the importance of it.

 

I don't use an attendance number unless it set or broke a venue record (for DI college hoops).

I will put a figure in for auto racing at national and even local tracks, because if a Cup driver comes in to race at Podunk Speedway and 15,000 show up when the track draws an average of 3,500 on a feature night ... that's a significant figure.

 

I think it's skewed even more at colleges. I know at my school "announced attendance" generally included fans, players, coaches, band, cheerleaders, food staff. Essentially, an estimation that included every person in the building. But, that's because they were always trying to set attendance records.

 

I have yet to see a game where the crowd count influenced what happened on the field or on the court.

 

If you include the attendance in your gamer, then you might as well also write "Lugo was 0-for-4 with a walk. Pedroia was 0-for-3. Ortiz was 1-for-4 with a home run, a run scored and an RBI. Lowell was 1-for-4 with a run scored." Etc.

Agate has its place. Unless very noteworthy, attendance figures in a gamer remain the realm of Jimmy Olson on his wide-eyed first big-league assignment. It almost seems a crutch for some writers -- or I should say, some editors who seem to feel they have to cite attendance to justify coverage.

 

Yeah the thing on the MLB thread came out wrong. I think you guys thought I was saying the Japanese media didnt deserve to be there. I don't care who covers the game to be honest. I think everyone should have the right if they have an appropriate outlet.... What I was trying to say is the Japanese media brings some crazy packs of reporters and photogs out for even small rehab assignments. It's pretty crazy.

As for the soccer comment.... I've never been to a soccer game that wasn't in high school that i wasnt covering for work.
I assume 250 would be a lot of people, then again I'm not sure. I have a friend trying out for the L.A. Galaxy and he tells me how little money the players make because nobody shows up to the games.

 

I meant to say 250 would be a small number even for the MLS.