EDITORIAL: TV deal won't increase fans

An Ivy League television deal is not the answer to the empty stands at Franklin Field. If administrators want to increase attendance at Franklin Field, they need to explore other options of getting the larger community involved and excited about Penn football. A television deal isn't a solution. Penn needs to revise its football schedule and terminate its deal with the Patriot League. Students and the surrounding community just aren't as thrilled to see Penn play Lehigh as they are to watch Penn-Princeton. Administrators should examine the possibility of playing more local Division I-AA schools such as Villanova, Delaware and La Salle -- who has just started a new football program. Even playing a school like Division I-A Temple would be exciting. If they want to get more Philadelphians into the stands on a Saturday afternoon, this is one way to do it. Look at the attendance at the Palestra when Penn plays a local team such as Drexel or St. Joe's. While part of the enthusiasm is due to the tradition of Big 5 basketball, there is something exciting about watching local teams duke it out. The University has come up with some good ideas this past semester. The addition of post-game concerts and "community" games may help get more people in the stands. Administrators should also give the night game -- which had low attendance this year due to poor weather -- another chance. People aren't filling the stands simply because the caliber of Penn football has declined. They're just not coming. Administrators need to schedule games with local teams if they want the community and students to get excited about Penn football.