Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Even $6 Tickets Couldn't Get Angelenos To Show Up To Rams Season Opener
The Rams' move to Los Angeles has been anything but seamless. After returning to L.A. from St. Louis in 2016, the opening of their new stadium was delayed by a year, they got better TV ratings in St. Louis than in L.A., they had a disastrous 2016 season (which we will soon be able to relive in season two of Amazon's All or Nothing), and they caused Mayor Eric Garcetti to make a dad joke on Instagram. And just a few weeks ago, tickets were going for as low as $7 for their pre-season matchup with the L.A. Chargers. Even with the low price tag, people weren't all that jazzed about it, partly because the game was on the same night as the Floyd Mayweather/Conor McGregor fight, and because it was, you know, a pre-season game.
So, the prices for the regular season games should be higher, and people would be buying in, right? Not exactly.
Tickets for Sunday's season opener could be had for as low as $6. It ended up being a great game, too; they obliterated the Indianapolis Colts 49-6, giving new coach Sean McVay the first win of his career. So much success and for so little money. It's hard to know what the fan experience was like, though, because the crowd was pretty sparse.
Tickets for Colts vs. Rams were $6 and still nobody showed up. pic.twitter.com/RND1DmDOof
— Jordan Heck (@JordanHeckFF) September 10, 2017
Support for LAist comes from
LA Rams set a new attendance record with 12 fans in the stadium today! pic.twitter.com/4uHJL4Cgbs
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) September 10, 2017
The Coliseum can house up to 93,607 fans. The Rams reported selling around 60,000 tickets, according to Business Insider, though it seems that the number of people who actually showed up was far fewer.
The new stadium in Inglewood will be able to host around 70,000 fans regularly, with up to 100,000 for big events like the Super Bowl. The day before, the Coliseum hosted around 77,000 fans for the USC/Stanford game.
With the Chargers moving to Los Angeles this year, and the Rams unable to fill their stadium, it's possible we may have more football than L.A. actually wants.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity. -
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
-
The weather’s been a little different lately, with humidity, isolated rain and wind gusts throughout much of Southern California. What’s causing the late-summer bout of gray?
Best of LAist