It’s time to rethink the Ohio State Football experience

The Ohio State football team has 100,000+ people watching them in the Shoe every time that is a home game. At least that’s how it used to be. Now, those 100,000+ crowds are reserved for just the best home games on the Buckeyes’ slate. It’s no longer a regular attendance number.

During some of the easier games that the Buckeyes play, they don’t see those kinds of attendance numbers. In fact, Ohio State had the worst attendance number since WWII when they took on Tulsa in 2021. They barely had 70,000 fans in attendance for that one.

So what needs to happen to make sure that the Ohio State football program packs the Shoe for every game? First off, ticket prices need to come down. They jacked up prices after the pandemic to try to make up for some of the lost revenue that they had. That’s not a smart idea.

Now the prices are so high to see a team like Youngstown State come into the Shoe that it’s a no-brainer to stay home and watch that game on TV. The university makes it so unappealing to see that game in person. That’s just one of the things that need to be addressed.

I will give them credit for one thing. They started selling alcohol at the stadium and they have made it very easy to check out. Long lines aren’t as prevalent as they used to be for concessions. Unfortunately, they still are for bathrooms. That’s something else the athletic department needs to address.

One of the things working against Ohio State is the devaluing of the regular season. With the 12-team playoff about to start next season, there won’t be as many meaningful games for fans to go to. That means that the Shoe will continue to be less than full even during Big Ten games.

I hope Ohio State works on addressing at least some of these concerns. That way, it’s easier for everyone to enjoy a Buckeye victory.