Sean Eyman

Seeing a lottttt of chatter about empty college football stadiums lately. And that NIL is getting some of the flack. But here's what I find interesting. Michigan, Ohio St, Alabama, Texas, etc. are still averaging around 100k fans at games. Meanwhile, other programs are struggling to fill half their seats. So is this really a college football problem? Or a brand problem? I spent 14yrs building a brand and one thing I learned is that getting customers is hard. Keeping them is even harder. College football is no different. Just because you've got a football team doesn't mean people owe you their Saturday. Winning matters. A LOT. But so does the atmosphere, traditions, community, and the feeling of being part of something bigger. College athletics has been a massive biz for decades but how many athletic departments actually think like consumer brands? How are you attracting new fans? Turning students into lifelong supporters? Making game day something people don't wanna miss? There's a BIG difference between selling tickets and building fans. One gets someone through the gates on Saturday. The other keeps them coming back for 30yrs. Blaming NIL for empty seats feels lazy to me. The biggest programs have spent generations building something people want to be part of. Not every school has that luxury. But every school has an opportunity to build a stronger connection with its fans. You gotta give people a reason to give a shit.