End Zone: Sense over cents for UT, Rockets

10/17/2013

Saturday's home game against Navy won't draw a crowd exceeding that of the last time Toledo hosted Navy. It's impossible, actually.

After the 2001 season in which a record 36,852 fans packed the Glass Bowl for Toledo's 21-20 win, the university chose sense over cents. Auxiliary bleachers rolled onto the sideline for additional seating were rolled away over safety concerns. Short of stadium expansion the attendance mark is as safe from being broken as Wilt's 100 points, Barry's 73 homers, and the 2008 Lions' 16 losses.

Three crowds in excess of 34,000 rocked the Glass Bowl in 2001, supporting a team that finished 10-2 and won all of its home games under first-year coach Tom Amstutz.

This is not intended as a cheap shot, but there's no temptation for additional seating at the Glass Bowl. People are busy, and many games are available on one of ESPN's 46 channels. If not, watch it live on ESPN's Web site. The rise in midweek contests has been an attendance killer, evidenced by just 18,211 fans last against Ball State. That was with UT ranked in the Top 25 for the first time since — you guessed it — 2001.

Times have changed at Toledo. As a result, so has attendance.