Why even go?

I got to enjoy a great time at the K-State vs. Texas basketball game tonight with my brother. We always enjoy the opportunity to go to games together and generally wish we could do it more often. It was a great victory for the Wildcats and the game really wasn't very close at any point. We were up by 10 five minutes in to the game and it didn't get any closer as the night went on. Sometime during the 4th quarter I looked around and was bothered by something that has become one of my many pet peeves. If people aren't going to stay throughout the game, why even go?

I know things come up and people have to leave and I am not at all talking about those people. I am talking about the rest of fans. Before all the K-State haters jump on the bandwagon, don't even try to make this a K-State issue. It is not! It is an all sports issue and happens at all levels. Sadly it even happens at non-sporting events. If the game is REALLY close, people will generally stick it out until the last possible moment to bolt out of the stands and rush to their cars to wait in line for the next hour. If you are going to have to wait anyways, why the rush to leave?

I cannot imagine the frustration of those involved in the event when they look up at the end and the stands are half empty. Is it all because people want to beat the crowd? Maybe it is my frugal nature, but I feel if I spent all that money on a ticket, I am going to get my monies worth! Why would I pay $25, $40, $75, $100+ plus for a ticket and leave after 3/4 of the game is over? What a tremendous waste! To me the bigger issue is I view it as disrespectful. It is disrespectful to me as a fan that I have to look around you, move, or dodge the exiting crowd because you suddenly have more important things to do. More than that, it is tremendously disrespectful to the teams and all of those involved.

It has become a lose/lose situation. If your team is terrible and the game is statistically over at halftime a huge chunk of people won't stick around to support them. If the team is great and they are beating the opposing team to a pulp, people won't stick around. So what is a team to do? I grew up a Cubs fan, a Royals fan, and a K-State fan. I have learned to support some of the lousiest teams in history. This season I enjoyed season football tickets to K-State with my brother. It was one of the best seasons in KSU history. From what I observed from fans, there really isn't much difference in the end of the game support. Sure, when you have winning teams more people come to the games, but they don't stick around until the end no matter what.

I'll save my rantings about conduct at games for another day. For today I just question, if you aren't going to stay until the end, why even go?