You don't go to college football games any longer just for the football. It's about tailgating, socializing and what's being called the "entertainment experience." Oh, yeah, and Fresno's State's Pat Hill is putting a competitive football team on the field every Saturday in the fall.
But much more is needed to put people in the seats at Bulldogs Stadium. That's why there will be a new football scoreboard this year costing $1.6 million. The scoreboard will include a 24- foot by 32-foot video screen. Athletic Director Thomas Boeh told our Editorial Board Tuesday the scoreboard will be funded totally by advertisers, who'll get space on the high-tech device. The project will also include a new video marquee on the corner of Cedar and Barstow avenues.
"What you'll get is a better entertainment package for the fans," said Boeh.
The problem is that fans these days need to be stimulated at all times. So between plays, they must see cool video on a scoreboard -- it's like being at home, with commercials, too. The idea of waiting 30 seconds for the next play apparently is just too excruciating. No wonder we think everyone has attention deficit disorder.
I used to enjoy playing football but watching it is unbearable. If ever a game was devised to sell advertising this would be it.....a 1-hour game that takes 3 hours to play!!
And while on the subject, how is it possible that people in this community are surprised at brisk ticket sales for a futball game at grizzly stadium? Any soccer game ever held in this town had similar success. Smells like racism from the whitebread promoters.