After attending 392 Ute games I’m done!

[cobraute]

I finally reached the end. I have finally lost all interest. The direction college football is headed and the direction Utah is headed is not for me anymore.
I attended my first game in 1970 and haven’t missed many home games during that stretch. Some seasons, we’d do 2-3 road games. I’ve only missed one Ute bowl game in my lifetime. I’ve been a dedicated fan. Far more than most. Season tickets, crimson club dues, bookstore swag, concessions, game day festivities, it all costs money. It all takes time.
I simply decided it’s time to move on. It’s time to allow someone else 5 decades of Ute memories. I’ve had mine. It’s time for someone else to carry the flag. I’m done. I know my presence will not be missed by the team or the university. They will simply go to the portal and find another fan to sell my tickets to.
We will see next year if I miss Utah football, but as for today, I feel very good about my decision. I’ve seen enough. I pulled my weight while I was there and I’ve earned the right to retire as a fan.
I had it in the budget to go to the playoffs so there’s that extra cash I have to go someplace fun.

[BleedsRedUte]

Say it isn’t so. I have had been disgusted with the way we have been losing and I don’t know if I can get used to the new recruiting and transfer situation where money is involved.

The days of recruiting and developing players has changed completely. If you have enough NIL backing you can transfer and recruit in the talent and have a contender right away. If a coach is not knowledgeable of the new situation they may get left in the dust with mediocre teams.

I am 82 now. Graduated from the U in “65. I had a run of attending home games for many years, but I don’t even come close to the fan support you have shown. I didn’t think that we would win the PAC12 in my lifetime, and along came Rising.

I now always put on something “Ute” or Red at least, sit down in front of the Flat screen and watch the games.

Keep supporting Utah football.

[Anfernee]

Just a reminder: there’s plenty of parity in college football this year and PLENTY of teams without huge NIL backing that are having very successful seasons. I understand the frustrations to an extent. But I won’t give into the dramatic hyperbole of “COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS DEAD” nonsense. I’m excited for Morgan as HC. I think the NIL situation and collective bargaining agreement to happen soon will help a lot. Go enjoy some Matlock instead of Utah football. Go Utes!

[AlohaUte]

LOL, you want me to believe that if Utah comes out firing next season or the season after and is back to their winning ways that you aren’t going to another game ever?

What bull crap. Talk about soft, snowflake, fair weather fans. One bad season and it’s all hell fire and damnation. Good lord, get a grip.

[Anfernee]

💯

[2008 National Champ]

Speaking of losing their grip.,,

The man (I guess I shouldn’t assume) said that he’s been to an average of 7.25 games per year for 54 years and you are calling him/her “fair weather” and a “snowflake”. You usually have decent ideas @AlohaUte, even if I don’t always agree with them, but you’re way over your skis today. Might be a good time to step back from the keyboard

[AlohaUte]

Yep, you’ve been a fan that long and one bad season is enough to throw it all away? Give me a break.

[2008 National Champ]

You’re projecting. OP said nothing of the kind

[ProudUte]

I do not agree, but I completely understand. This is the most painful season for me in over 60 years of watching Utah football. And it is not even close. Sometimes you have to take a break.

Good luck!!!

[Ted Lasso]

Honestly, I’ve been feeling the same way, though for slightly different reasons. I love college football and sports in general, and I actually enjoy things like NIL and the transfer portal. I think they’re contributing to better parity in college football, which is exciting.

That said, I’ve realized this year that investing too much time and money into watching sports just isn’t worth it for me. I’ve spent so much time watching games, listening to podcasts, and tuning into ESPN that it’s taken away from my own productivity and personal growth. I’ll always enjoy sports—they’re a great form of entertainment—but this year has shown me it’s time to step back, watch a little less, and focus more on improving my own life.

[RoboUte]

Based

[2008 National Champ]

I’m probably late to the party but a light bulb just went on for me. Since the players are now going to be getting money straight from the schools, whether they are called employees or not, there has to be a contract involved. Seems like a standard 3 year deal for incoming freshmen and remaining eligibility for transfers would be the smart way to go.

That way you lock in a couple of years of development and have long enough to see if a kid is going to pan out but still have flexibility to fill holes out of the portal. And since the kids had signed up for that amount of time, there should be less overhauling your whole team every year. Because right now these “one year NIL deals” suck for both sides unless you are truly elite and can stay healthy.

Someone would have to figure out a fair way to get around non-competes for kids who just don’t like being at their first choice for whatever reason but if it’s mutual between player and school, there would be no restriction for entering the portal every year if necessary. Let’s face it, both sides have a pretty good idea of how the pecking order will play out within a couple of weeks on campus so why keep a kid around that doesn’t want to be there if you know you probably won’t ever use them anyway.

That was probably redundant for a lot of you but the implications just became clear to me when reading Ted’s post

[22Ute22]

Yup, I said this since the beginning of NIL and the announcement of USC/UCLA leaving the pac 12. For the last 15 years, I’ve spent all day Saturday watching CFB from 9am-10pm. But I’ve spent 3 Saturdays this years not watching any CFB live, and only watching some highlights. I simply do not care that much anymore. NIL and the P2 has killed most of my enthusiasm for CFB, and Utah being bad was just the final nail in the coffin. That doesn’t mean that if Utah has good seasons, I will never watch them, but most likely I will be watching highlights from now on. Hope the TV executives are happy with the NFL minor league they want to create.

[Author]

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