Maybe WiFi upgrade has a drawback?

[KB_fan]

Yikes.  I know it was only a preseason game, so I shouldn't expect fans to be as engaged as during the regular season, but I was pretty shocked to see so many fans seated around me at the game sit and stare at their phones all night.  Two women in front of me spent the whole night on twitter & texting.  Don't think they ever looked at the field.  Never cheered.  Never stood.  Just sat and stared at their phones.  Why were they there?  There were no guys with them.... not like they were dragged to the game by husbands or boyfriends.

And they were not alone.  Tons of folks around me sat with phones in front of them much of the game.  It was a disappointment.

I hope we're not gonna regret the wifi upgrade at the stadium in terms of greater fan disengagement.... but then again, it's not like this game counted.  And our offense stunk.  So probably I'm overreacting.  Just very glad this was not my first experience at BoA.  I'd be very disillusioned if it was.

[outlaw4]

Being preseason doesn't help and frankly, our offense gave them too many reasons to check their phones rather than watch the on field action. You always have to keep in mind that football is entertainment. You put out a poor product, people aren't going to watch. I did hear Luke chants on TV, so at least it wasn't all bad.

[MurkN]

Maybe it's your experience living in Africa. People have to worry about being snatched up and eaten by lions and all kinds of crazy poo on a daily basis there, so they're not looking down at their phones. The fair weather fans that showed up to the game were too busy checking their next wine and cheese delivery, or maybe ordering a new Tom Brady jersey, but I'd like to think the true fans were checking @Jeremy Igo's Instagram and Twitter.

[csx]

They shouldn't have it at all. We will all be near sighted zombies.

[csx]

4 minutes ago, MurkN said:

Maybe it's your experience living in Africa. People have to worry about being snatched up and eaten by lions and all kinds of crazy poo on a daily basis there, so they're not looking down at their phones. The fair weather fans that showed up to the game were too busy checking their next wine and cheese delivery, or maybe ordering a new Tom Brady jersey, but I'd like to think the true fans were checking @Jeremy Igo's Instagram and Twitter.

I know this is a joke but have you been to Africa?

[MurkN]

Just now, csx said:

I know this is a joke but have you been to Africa?

No, I'm just drunk.

[csx]

I had better phone and data service there than almost anywhere I've been in the US.

[Jeremy Igo]

Interesting observation KBF

[0115]

Is it safe to say since we made it to the Superb Owl, there are a lot of new fans for the moment rather than actual fans?

[bigdog10]

I was on the huddle game thread for the first time from inside the stadium. 

It was much more entertaining than the game. 

[Jangler]

[csx]

27 minutes ago, 0115 said:

Is it safe to say since we made it to the Superb Owl, there are a lot of new fans for the moment rather than actual fans?

Where we're the actuals?

[goodoleboy]

The only time there was any energy from the fans was when they announced Tom Brady into the game. That was the only time crowd noise resembled a regular season game and was short lived. It was also a very late arriving crowd supposedly due to traffic accidents. The stadium didn't fill up until the end of the first quarter. Very different experience considering the last time I was there it was the NFC Championship game.

As far as the phone goes, unfortunately football lends itself to addicted cell phone use with all the breaks in the action.

[Arroz con Panther]

I'd just toss it up to being a preseason game.   While I wasn't on my phone,  I certainly wasn't standing up and banging on the chairs or anything like I normally am during the regular season.  People will be more into it when there are actual consequences behind the outcome  of the game.