NFL: Attendance likely to fall to lowest level since 1998

[Dpantherman]

from USAToday:

NEW YORK--The U.S. economic recession that's left nearly 15 million Americans out of work is taking its toll on NFL ticket sales for the upcoming 2010 season.

The NFL expects overall attendance to drop for the third straight season, said Eric Grubman, executive vice president of NFL Ventures and Business Operations, in an exclusive interview with USA TODAY. The league expects average game attendance to drop for the third straight season, falling to its lowest levels since the 1998 season.

Grubman predicted overall ticket sales for the league's 32 franchises will drop 1% to 2% this season. Total season ticket sales will be down even more, about 5%, he predicted. But Grubman expects many clubs to make up for that shortfall by selling more single-game tickets, partial season ticket packages and more tickets in the secondary resale market

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There's another article about people saving money watching at home in High-Def rather than going to the game.

[Lumps]

Only 1%?

Besides more people watch because they have no money to do anything luckily for the NFL they are able to make advertising offset this.

[davos]

NFL forum?

[Dpantherman]

i effed up.

[c0r]

oh noes!!!1!1 this cant be! the nfl can do no wrong!!!!1!1!!1

[Zaximus]

They still make money, maybe even more. They act as if the few thousand that don't come are going to impact anything.

[Carolina Mike]

So did ticket prices go down or up this year????

[Hawk]

mine went up!

this scares me a little...it will reinforce the possibility of NFL games going to PPV events. They already do it some in the NHL!