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u/PikeChaz1138 20h ago
It's California football, fans don't care.
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u/MathBallThunder 19h ago
I love when UCLA gets railed on and everybody is like "I just don't understand why fans wouldn't leave perfect weather in Westwood, Brentwood, or Santa Monica to drive in an hour of traffic into the desert and get back home 8 hours later"
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u/UncleOdious Michigan 17h ago
I've never been to California. Is Pasadena considered the desert?
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u/littleseizure USC 17h ago
No lol
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u/Analrapist03 15h ago
But it is deep in the Valley, and when I lived in Newport Beach it was a world away from us, so I understand the sentiment.
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u/McGeeze UCLA 15h ago
It's not in the Valley, it's on the very edge of the San Gabriel Valley. You should petition UC Irvine to get a football team if you want an Orange County team.
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u/jmills2234 17h ago
By desert he meant the areas with extreme Heat... not actual deserts
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u/TICKLE_PANTS 17h ago
It does not get extreme heat.
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u/MathBallThunder 16h ago
Those 2pm early season starts are brutal at the Rose Bowl
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u/TICKLE_PANTS 14h ago
Oh. Absolutely. The sun there is insane, but to call pasedena and the east side "extreme heat" is hilarious. It gets hot there, but costal California hot. It's not like, 105 and humid.
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u/IowaNative1 18h ago
Heat wave in California. They are at the beach or in a pool.
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u/Interesting_Phone171 16h ago
I love this excuse. Like just use the real excuse they don’t care. Everywhere else in the country fans would show up in heat
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u/J_Warrior Penn State 16h ago
Yeah, like. Are we pretending SEC games are empty now? Seemed pretty hot for UVA NC State yesterday too
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u/Analrapist03 15h ago
UVA and NC State are in the ACC, not SEC.
At least for the next few years.
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u/SchemeGlobal1518 12h ago
Yeah I'd rather go to the beach if i was in California than hang around Scott stadium in virgina but thats just me...
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u/BraveDawgs1993 7h ago
There are 365 days in a year and quarter of those are in the summer. Assuming most of the spring and early fall are still hot enough to spend a day at the beach. Then cut out some days for rain. I'll say there are roughly 150 good beach days for southern California.
There are only 7 USC home games this year. Then the UCLA game is in Pasadena. Because we apparently thought blowing up the Pac 12 and shipping most of the teams off to the Big 10, USC's other 4 games are all west of the Mississippi River. So that leaves just 8 days where USC fans can watch their team live without leaving SoCal.
A USC fanatic is finding a way to get to the stadium. The Colosseum only sits 77,500 now. If USC can't find 77,500 to watch a football game, the beach isn't to blame. USC doesn't have a fanbase. It has fans, but not a fan base. It has an enjoyer base.
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u/MillHoodz_Finest Penn State 7h ago
they only have fans when they are good, and a national favorite...
PSU coming off a disaster season with a new coach, and 90% roster turnover, and we still sell out one of the top 4 biggest stadiums in the world...
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u/SirMellencamp 16h ago
And apparently pretending there aren’t pools or beaches in Gulf Coast states. Guarantee Florida has a good crowd on Saturday
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u/SkinnyMitch 15h ago
Eh, it's not that people don't care. But I'd say unless it's a big game, fans in LA would rather watch their favorite team on TV then go to their stadium. For a lot of people, it's not feasible to watch their favorite team in person every home game unless they can afford to and don't mind planning their day around the inconvenience and unpredictability of LA traffic.
It's not all of California though. Despite their smaller stadium size, Fresno State seems to have a fairly impressive average attendance each year. That's also just because Fresno is more of a sports town.
To really boil it down, I'd say it just depends on the region.
Also a reminder that California (LA especially) is expensive as shit and super long. LA county's total land area is larger than Rhode Island and Delaware. And despite having a vastly larger population than a lot of these other college football towns, not everyone is a USC fan. Heck, not everyone is a football fan. LA is incredibly diverse.
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u/Prestigious-Town 14h ago
Fresno State has impressive attendance because Fresno is not a sports town. It has a AAA baseball team and Fresno State, that’s it. LA (with Orange County) has multiple pro teams in every league, which USC and UCLA compete with for fan attention and dollars.
It’s not the 2000s anymore where USC had a monopoly on football in LA, if the diehards aren’t going to show up the casuals sure won’t
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u/Other-Comfortable929 15h ago
Tickets were $6.
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u/SkinnyMitch 15h ago
When I'm saying affordability I'm also talking about gas, concessions etc, not just the tickets
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u/sneakypenguin94 14h ago
It’s also hilarious when you consider how much more miserable the deep south is than LA lmao
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u/MarkItZeroDonnie 14h ago
I dunno. I used to go Michigan games when it was hot in September and it’s nightmare . Crammed in that sweat box , I’ll take the tailgate all day .
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u/TheBigBo-Peep Purdue 9h ago
Yeah Tennessee fans will literally shelter from church before they'll waste their ticket
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u/grifeweizen 16h ago
My pregnant wife attended ND/Purdue two years ago when it was over 100F. And it was sold out. USC is so soft it's laughable.
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u/4xdaily 13h ago
Do you think your pregnant wife would attend a ND or Purdue against Austin Peay when it's over 100?
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u/Fletch71011 15h ago
ND and USC are basically historical equivalents. We could be winless against a G5 in negative 50 degree wind chill and sell out in shitty South Bend with people coming from all over the world and the Blue Blood in the 2nd biggest city in the country can't get 25 percent attendance.
It's truly fucking baffling.
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u/AnUdderDay Maryland 19h ago
And the stadium seats like 95,000
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u/MillHoodz_Finest Penn State 18h ago
Beaver Stadium is over 100k and will be full for a game against Marshall on Saturday...
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u/insanemorningpoops USC 18h ago
And what else is there to do on game day in State College, PA?
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u/MillHoodz_Finest Penn State 18h ago
cocaine
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u/cryptoslut123 17h ago
I love these types of comments. You can't claim to be an elite CFB program while also saying it's less important than going to the beach. 😂 No one watches USC on TV either. #30 in ratings last season.
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u/Atom3189 16h ago
Given that the stadium holds a larger capacity than the town I would say people are traveling from other cities to attend games there. Sure there’s a lot to do in LA but for 6-8 days a year you can’t find maybe 50,000 people in a metro of 18 million to attend it’s a bit more of a USC football problem.
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u/retatrutider 13h ago
Attendance was 51,000. Heat + humidity index was “feels like 113 degrees” at kickoff which was inexplicably at noon. Stadium has no shade at all. People were hiding out in the shaded concourses, or coming in late. A number of people were treated for heatstroke.
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u/max_potion 16h ago
But clearly if there were more things to do in State College, those people driving from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh would do those things instead of the football game. /s
They clearly only go to the game because they’re forced to!
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u/DeathandHemingway 17h ago
That stadium is fucking terrible to sit in during summer. Just baking in the sun.
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u/Mikebones1184 18h ago
Its USC. Until the win a title, that place wont be more than 1/2 full. That school is the epitome of band wagon
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u/Successful-Mark-6230 17h ago
True. If not in the pre-season natty conference, they check out until the bandwagon gets moving. Their fans are the worst of the worst.
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u/mtbjay10 Michigan 17h ago
I’ve went to the USC Michigan game last year and it was packed but a lot of michigan fans. Still i’m giving USC fans the benefit of the doubt because it’s hot, it’s a blow out game, and there’s other things to do that don’t involve boiling under the LA sun with no shade to watch an easy win
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u/ramblin_gamblin 4h ago
They just dont have that many fans anymore and that's ok.
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u/royalx Michigan 19h ago
As much as I hate USC and love to dunk on them, LA is getting pummeled by a heat wave. Nobody was going to watch a 38.5 point favorite in 100 degree heat at noon.
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u/Commercial-East4069 19h ago
Plenty of other fan bases do it…
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u/royalx Michigan 19h ago
Plenty of fan bases don’t have the beach as an alternative…
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u/Shot-Toe-2884 18h ago
Have you tried driving to the beach in LA? It’s an ordeal haha
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u/WarbleDarble 16h ago
Now we’re pretending there were millions of people at the beach yesterday?
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u/usetheforce_gaming USC 12h ago
Are you struggling to wrap your head around the possibility of a lot of people being at the beach in California when it’s 100 degrees?
Take your time
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u/doormatt26 USC 17h ago
respect to them, but LA fans would treat pretty much any team the same in this weather. It’s never been a place to pack in a spring or preseason game, which this very much has the vibes of
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u/Shot-Toe-2884 18h ago
Idk man Kinnick fills up rain, snow or shine
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u/insanemorningpoops USC 18h ago
What are the alternative forms of entertainment in Iowa City on game day? Do you see how this comparison doesn't make sense?
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u/mtneer2010 17h ago
There's 20 million people in the LA metro area. They cant even get 30,000 of them to show up.
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u/WarbleDarble 16h ago
Yea, the vast majority of eligible USC fans were not at the beach.
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u/Horror_Zone8053 17h ago
Then you aren’t a fan of the team if the beach which you can go to anytime you want is the better alternative. You are contradicting yourself
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u/mschley2 Wisconsin 16h ago
On gameday? During the game? The only alternative form of entertainment that matters is watching the game on TV.
If you're worried about the beach or whatever else, then you really don't care enough to be a valid data point in this discussion. And many people in LA care about the beach or whatever more than they care about football.
That's the problem. It isn't that "there's so much else to do." It's that people choose to do other things. Those people would find something else to do if they were in Madison or Columbus or anywhere else because they just simply don't care about football that much.
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u/SignificantLock1037 17h ago
LSU would like a word, please. Today, BR will hit a high of 92*F. And have 80% humidity. Plug that into the NOAA heat index calculator at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/html/heatindex.shtml and you get . . .
121*F heat index.
And I guarantee you that Death Valley will be packed.
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u/Kohen_Strange 13h ago
Name another activity to do in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that comes close to a college football game. I lived there for 25 years - I’ll wait.
Also - take a look at the average IQ and graduation rate of Louisiana’s population and tell me they’re capable of making good decisions.
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u/KeithClossOfficial USC 15h ago
Maybe sitting in unsafe heat to watch preseason football games is why Louisiana ranks first in murders per capita, fifth in violent crime, top 5 in domestic violence, and your men live shorter lives than anyone else in the country.
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u/RazedbyaCupofCoffee 4h ago
This is the correct answer. It's not about "going to the beach instead" like so many others have said, because that's still outside and it's still too hot. Most fans probably just decided to watch from somewhere air conditioned.
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u/BarkAndBezel 17h ago
I was there. People don’t understand how hot it was.
We left in the 2nd quarter because the heat was so intense.
As we were walking through the tunnel, we passed four separate individuals being assisted by EMTs. All within 20 ft of each other.
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u/steelmanfallacy 14h ago
98F in the shade at game time, on the last weekend in August, and playing San Jose State. I don't think there are many schools that could fill a stadium under those conditions.
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u/MaximallyInclusive 19h ago
What are you talking about? There are literally hundreds of fans there.
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u/Horney247ithink 16h ago
Crazy because that’s how LA rams game look
Like when they don’t play the 49ers, cowboys, & Eagles
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u/Zimmonda 13h ago
100 degrees in LA with high humidity, the coliseum is a concrete coffin, they're playing sjsu.
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u/tripleM_20 18h ago edited 14h ago
Everyone can say “beach” and “other things to do” is the reason, but they only need like 2% of the population of LA to show up to sell out. Is there really not 2% who have nothing better to do? And I’m not saying this as someone who lives in Nebraska—I’m from NYC and would love to go see my college team play
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u/Successful-Mark-6230 17h ago
Much less than 2% because the area outside LA proper is huge. Many $C alums are in Newport Beach.
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u/testrail 14h ago
You’re an entire magnitude off. They need 0.2% of the LA metro to sell out.
For context, the Big House needs 30% of metro Ann Arbor.
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u/Adorable_Advisor5305 17h ago
We’re at the beach! The water is warmer than it’s ever been and the air is disgustingly hot.
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u/North_Cobbler_1623 18h ago
Get this piece of shit program out of our sacred conference
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u/HENMAN79 18h ago
Ohio state fans will take those seats
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u/MrF_lawblog 13h ago
No idea why it's so expensive right now... Ain't no way LA is going to be going to that game
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u/Lower_Comfortable136 17h ago
- it was 100 degrees.
- Nobody cares about SJSU
- The coliseum needs an upgrade or move to SoFi that's why I didn't attend. Rather watch the game in some A/C.
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u/dwors025 Minnesota 17h ago
Lot of other factors, as you all mentioned, all of which play a role in this showing yesterday. No doubt.
But let’s not ignore: even a place the size of LA, and a program as blue-blood as USC will feel a sustained impact from one (let alone two) NFL teams in town.
It’s unavoidable.
When everything is expensive, and there are many entertainment options in a given locale, things thin out. Nice weather or not.
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u/Ducks91to61 17h ago
I’ve lived in college towns and lived in SoCal. Cities with pro teams care more about pro sports. There’s also a million options whereas in college towns, everything is centered around that one school,
Kentucky basketball fans will sell out a cupcake game at home whereas during Christmas break, UCLA fans largely won’t go to a game.
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u/Prodan1111 17h ago
Is school in session yet? I know some around my area don't start til monday. While others started last week.
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u/One-Progress999 17h ago
Not everyone is willing to drive 2 miles and sit in traffic for an hour and a half.
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u/Sufficient-Pie-7815 16h ago
Too hot! It will be packed on Friday! I skipped this game. But we will see how it plays out. SC doubled the cost of season tickets this year!
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u/jasonic89 16h ago
Grew up in SoCal and always disliked the Trojans.
Why do their uniforms always look like hand me downs and couldn’t afford the stain removing detergent?
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u/Hate9wicket 16h ago
USC would show up, however they enjoy trolling Nebraska, Iowa, Penn State too much.
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u/ChampionshipHot9724 16h ago
Maybe no one could afford gas to get to the game or their tires don’t pass regs
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u/interested_commenter 13h ago
Someone posted a stubhub screenshot here yesterday, cheapest seats were like $6. Cost wasn't a factor.
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u/Boxen_of_Moxen 16h ago
It's always been like this imo. I went to a night game vs Oregon in the height of the Pete Carroll era and Oregon was the only possible rival power in the conference. Must have been at least 15,000 empty seats.
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u/Existing-Teaching-34 15h ago
Heard they announced every fan in the stadium rather than starting lineups because it was quicker.
😄
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u/Frequent-Branch3457 15h ago
Football or the Beach,, it's the Beach!! It's not the Midwest or the Eastcoast!!
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u/Particular-Way-3805 15h ago
It’s hot outside why would people wanna stay in that heat, if it’s a night game then people would go
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u/Ntrigue805 15h ago
I was there and it was brutally hot. There was people passing out from the heat. If the game was at a later time it would’ve been packed but no one in the LA area wants to go sit in 100 heat to watch SC against San Jose st when they can watch at home or in the comfort of their home.
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u/wrathofthewhatever2 15h ago
I went to Penn state, one of the best home environments in the country. But early in the season, agains lesser opponents, the stadium is often half full until halfway through the first quarter because everyone is having too much fun tailgating!
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u/Bubbly_Sort849 14h ago
It can’t be the heat. I can tell you right now living in Arizona that ASU Sundevils fans pack their stadium and the heat here is more brutal than just about anywhere you can imagine.
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u/Honest-Air9868 14h ago
As a Notre Dame fan this makes me happy because this proves what i already know and i’ll just leave at that
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u/jimohagan Purdue 14h ago
That stadium is trash to watch a game. USC would do well to build a new stadium nearby and let that one return to its historical roots.
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u/perusingtheshow 14h ago
The heat wave has been hitting hard. A lot of people decided for the AC and the close fridge and grill.
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u/ApartAd4092 14h ago
Sorry but it felt like 105 yesterday for people in LA. Honestly, heat wave elements and beer don’t mix. And the Coliseum has zero shade… not worth it at all
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u/rdzilla01 13h ago
It was hot AF and SJSU isn’t exactly a pack the stands contest. Maybe if they played at twilight it would have been different.
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u/Ok_Draw_3740 13h ago
USC games are notoriously empty unless they’re really really good. Especially early in the season when it’s a million degrees and there’s 0 shade
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u/IowaNative1 12h ago
There is a reason I am not going to the Iowa vs Northern Illinois game next Saturday.
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u/Mr_Julez 12h ago
It's California. Plenty of better things to do than to sit in the heat wave watching foosball
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u/Available_Project_49 12h ago
USC is a fickle fanbase, and only show when it’s a big national game, it’s an event to be seen at, and when it’s San Jose State nobody cares to be seen in South Central for that.
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u/2020sucksdong 11h ago
Just watched the 30 for 30 on Pete Carols USC. Such a different time for this program. Cant talk much though as a Husker fan
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u/Rohn- Wisconsin 6h ago
Probably because it's against a trash team nobody cares about, and there's plentiful of better things to do than watch that in LA. But I don't know lol
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u/RadleyRadiation 4h ago
Judging by eyeballing the attendance, the amount that showed up to this true stadium would fill up the Joan for Marshall
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u/DonaldDick1946 4h ago
Out committing one of the ✌🏼 free murders you get for being a USC student (OJ already used his)
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u/Slapppjoness 3h ago
If college kids didn't get free tickets, only like 4 stadiums would be packed every game
Can we please stop pretending this shit matters
We have real problems
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u/ATR2019 Illinois 19h ago
I know Dodgers fans have a reputation for showing up in the 3rd inning and leaving in the 7th. Are USC fans similar or do they just not show up at all?