While I've passed the time before the Orange Bowl by rewriting the lyrics to an awful song, the Chronicle's Tom FitzGerald has reexamined Stanford's inability to sell out its home football games.
FitzGerald touches on some of the most common explanations for the sparse crowds at Stanford Stadium in recent years, including the variable starting times, the years of losing under Buddy Teevens and Walt Harris, and a small local alumni base. He also quotes a couple of sports marketing consultants who suggest that the problem stems from the limited resources that Stanford has devoted to selling tickets.
"You don't flip a switch on and have it happen instantaneously," said Andy Dolich, who has worked with several Bay Area pro teams. Dolich suggests that Stanford's salespeople target youth groups and expand their reach beyond the Peninsula and South Bay.
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