(whichever one it turns out to be)
Every home game is a referendum on the coach/team/product.
I think when Ucla joined the B10, the thinking was, "even if SoCal residents don't like our team or our coach or our AD, fans of the B10 TOTW that we'll be playing will FLOCK to the RB and shower us with their filthy lucre...the nostalgia! The San Gabriels! Pasadena! Hollyweird! Santa Monica/Venice/Malibu!"
But then a weird thing happened. The Palisades burned to the ground, immigration raids, tariffs, affordability crisis...and next thing you know, not many fans of Ped State etc. showed up at the Grandpappy of Them All in 2025. My sense is that the UCLA AD is in worse shape than ever.
So physical attendance, with the marginal concession sales each physical attendee adds to the haul, not to mention the IMMENSE psychological impact an empty/half full/SRO crowd has on the millions watching remotely, real time or on demand, is a weekly "job approval" poll by the voting (ie, spending) public.
Personally, Chesney alone isn't enough for me to want to return to the RB. Style of play (not winning) is the most important thing to me. Being committed to running the ball and then doing it is my most desired priority. (Defending the run is 2nd. Offensive architecture is 3rd. Etc.)
I'm going to need to see the first few games before I can get motivated to get a ticket.
At least Chesney is not DOA like Foster was. Spring ball in 2024, training camp in 2024, and then the disastrous B10 media day + Hawaii game sealed DF's coffin before he could execute his Dracula moves.
I wonder if Chesney will make spring ball practices open to the public. Those would interest me a lot.