From The State: Hotels, Restaurants, and Retailers Not Raking in the Dollars on USC Game Days
From
thestate.com (10/10/09):
Shrinking attendance at USC football games this season is changing the playing field for Columbia-area businesses.
Despite winning all three home games, official attendance at Williams-Brice Stadium is down more than 7 percent so far from last year’s season average of 80,529.
Many Columbia-area hotel, restaurant and souvenir store operators say their football-weekend sales have dropped around 10 percent from last year.
They blame the recession that has lasted long enough to make even some of the most die-hard Gamecock fans close their wallets.
Average attendance at USC home football games in the past decade generally has been lower in recent seasons. Lou Holtz coached the team from 1999-2004, and Steve Spurrier took over in 2005. Attendance peaked during the last recession in 2001, which also was the team’s high-mark for wins in a season this decade.
2009: 74,602*
2008: 80,529
2007: 78,467
2006: 76,552
2005: 79,853
2004: 80,367
2003: 80,844
2002: 82,138
2001: 82,614
2000: 81,814
1999: 78,273
Click here for the full story: – USC wins don’t open fan wallets | GoGamecocks (view on Google Sidewiki)
About Christian Stegmaier
Senior Shareholder
Christian Stegmaier is a shareholder and chair of the Retail & Hospitality Practice Group at Collins & Lacy in Columbia. He is also active in the firm’s professional liability and appellate practices. Stegmaier welcomes your questions at (803) 255-0454 or cstegmaier@collinsandlacy.com.
