==============================

college and professional sports have phased out the families. They've done this with all the costs associated with attending sporting events.

And colleges are just NOW starting to deal with that problem. Why is that? Because it takes time to manifest.

I grew up going to college football games with my dad. I grew up watching the games we didn't attend on TV. On Saturdays, there was nothing else to do. We didn't hunt. We didn't fish. We didn't work on automobiles together. We watched college football. We talked about college football.

Because of that, I am a die-hard college football fan.

When children aren't raised on the sport then that is a problem. When they are raised only to watch on TV, because the family can't afford to attend the games...that's a BIG problem. Why is that, because the kid doesn't have any associative memories with actual game attendance. So there is little basis for the now college student to want to attend the games, especially less important games.

Colleges around the country are now reaping what they sowed. The problem at UF isn't tied to the increased SAT scores of incoming students. No. The problem is directly linked to the fact that these students didn't grow up going to sporting events because mommy and daddy didn't take them.

UF can't control for divorce or negligent parents. But it can better facilitate family attendance through measures aimed at making the games more affordable. Have a family section that sells only single-game tickets. And for God's sake, keep that section AWAY from the Rowdy Reptiles.

Just a suggestion. But more needs to be done to capturing a market that is less interested in attending college football and basketball games. The students aren't the source of the problem. The Athletic Departments need to accept at least some of the blame. Cashing in now on greed can cost you future consumers.