No, that was Nick Saban after a midseason home game<\/a> between Alabama and Louisiana Lafayette in 2018.<\/p>\n Hmmm. Empty seats even at the royal palace of the king of college football, huh?<\/p>\n There has been much similar chatter<\/a> this week after the sports landscape witnessed a virtual ghost town at the USC opener against San Jos\u00e9 State<\/a> Saturday at the Coliseum. There was an announced crowd of 51,444 but only about half that many showed up, immersing a national television audience in a giant bowl of empty red that left outsiders in a rage.<\/p>\n They called the Los Angeles sports fans a disgrace. They said they weren\u2019t real sports fans. They whined so loudly on social media that USC embarrassingly felt compelled to issue a statement promising better turnouts.<\/p>\n Fans attending USC\u2019s season opener against San Jos\u00e9 State at the Coliseum on Saturday endured temperatures in the 90s.<\/p>\n (Ronaldo Bolanos \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n \u201cWe understand the factors that impacted Saturday\u2019s attendance,\u201d read the statement<\/a>. \u201cWe have high expectations and a premier home schedule this season, and we know the competitive advantage an electric Coliseum atmosphere can provide our program. We thank our fans who showed up Saturday and look forward to seeing increased attendance the rest of the season.\u201d<\/p>\n With all due respect, I would like to issue a second statement to all you arrogant dummies spouting lazy cliches about a market you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n Stick a foam finger in it.<\/p>\n The Los Angeles sports fans are the nation\u2019s smartest and most sophisticated sports fans, and it\u2019s not even close.<\/p>\n Start with Saturday. Hello? It was nearly 100 degrees at a noon kickoff for a struggling coach against an overmatched opponent.<\/p>\n Fans around here know better. They know USC hasn\u2019t earned a bout of sunstroke. They know the entertainment value wouldn\u2019t be worth the price of sunscreen.<\/p>\n Unlike those folks from the other side of the country who fill cold-weather stadiums for bad teams during snowstorms and brag about it, the local sports fans stay away from struggling teams in uncomfortable situations and shrug about it.<\/p>\n You have to win here. You have to entertain here. You have to earn it here.<\/p>\n In other markets, the fans exist for the teams. The fans feel it is their responsibility to support their town\u2019s millionaire players and billionaire owners as if they were needy children working the neighborhood lemonade stand.<\/p>\n In this market, the teams exist for the fans. Nobody considers it their civic duty to buy a baseball ticket. You can\u2019t just throw open the doors and expect people to show up because your city\u2019s name is on your jersey.<\/p>\n Most other sports towns in America consider empty seats an embarrassment. In this town, those empty seats are an honor. Those empty seats are a message. Those empty seats say you better start winning or you will be very alone.<\/p>\n The local teams know this. The local teams react to this. The local teams are not constantly building for championships not simply because they want to win. They are doing it because they want to survive.<\/p>\n There is a reason L.A. teams are seemingly always in the hunt for a title, always in the market for a superstar, always chasing greatness.<\/p>\n America\u2019s toughest customers demand it.<\/p>\n Rams defensive lineman Kobie Turner takes the field at SoFi Stadium before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in November.<\/p>\n (Allen J. Schaben \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n You know why the Dodgers<\/a> constantly try to buy a championship? Because the 56,000 fans who consistently fill baseball\u2019s biggest ballpark won\u2019t settle for anything less.<\/p>\n The last Dodger owner who didn\u2019t want to win caused the customers to flee. The forced departure of Frank McCourt<\/a> was completely fueled by a fan revolt epitomized by an empty stadium, something which would have never happened in other cities that treat their teams like an act of patriotism rather than an expensive hobby.<\/p>\n You know why the Lakers just sold for $12.5 billion<\/a>? Because they also sell out every game with a fan base that appreciates their consistent commitment to winning.<\/p>\n Whenever they strayed, like in the years between Showtimes<\/a> and Kobe-Shaq<\/a>, fans stayed away. It was those empty seats that helped inspire Jerry West<\/a> to sign Shaquille O\u2019Neal<\/a>, trade for Kobe Bryant<\/a>, and eventually hire Phil Jackson.<\/p>\n The Los Angeles sports fans demanded it, and the Lakers did it, and one could argue there are few tougher places to play in the spring than in the deafening Crypto.com Arena.<\/p>\n There\u2019s 12 major pro sports teams and two major college programs in this market \u2014 a greater combined number than anywhere in the country \u2014 and all are fighting for attention, and if you\u2019re not trying to win, you\u2019re worse than bad, you\u2019re irrelevant.<\/p>\n![\"Fans](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788263771_83_.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Rams](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788263772_524_.jpeg\")
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