Does Ohio State really have the best fans in the land?

Brian WhiteColumbus Dispatch
Aug. 30, 2026, 5:15 a.m. ET

Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1@dispatch.com. Letters are lightly edited for clarity.

On Ohio State football

To the editor: Aside from the band, Ohio State prides itself on having “The best damn fans in the land.” But do they? The football team struggles to sell out any game except those against a premium opponent like a Michigan or Texas, while 10-15,000 fans routinely leave after the halftime band show. Compare that to, say, Nebraska, who continues its decades-long sellout streak despite being nationally irrelevant for nearly 30 years. The men’s basketball team used to draw well in the early 2000s when it was contending for Big Ten titles and making long runs in March Madness, thus demonstrating that the Schott isn’t the problem. Now they barely fill half the arena for most games, although there are certainly signs that Jake Diebler is turning the program around. 

The women consistently draw 4-5,000 per game, but that figure is somewhat misleading since many of those fans are using free tickets given to men’s season ticket holders. Lots of school groups and parents with grandchildren in attendance – not hard-core fans.

Contrast that with the Crew, whose fans routinely sell out the stadium to watch demonstrably minor league soccer while cheering wildly for the home team. And last, but not least, consider the Blue Jackets, whose long-suffering fan base continues to show up despite only one playoff series win in its 25 years of existence.

It seems clear. Ohio State may have the best damn fans across the nation, but they sure don’t in central Ohio. Not even close.

To Dan: Keep in mind that Ohio Stadium is a gigantic place. So a near-sellout is still a pretty staggering amount of people in one place.

To the editor: It’s August, which means it’s time for every Dispatch sports reporter to burn the rule book on unbiased and objective journalism and put on a Buckeye cheerleading outfit. From now until after we win the college football championship, I want unabashed, uncritical Ohio State coverage that would make Woody proud. After every Buckeye victory, tell us how brilliant our coaches are and how heroic our players were. And heaven forbid we lose – blame the officials, the bad calls, the weather, the turf or the dirty play of the other team. Anything but the Buckeyes.

I am the true Buckeye fan. And for the next few months, I expect my hometown newspaper to be one, too.

My tongue is firmly planted in my cheek – but only about halfway.

To Michael: There are an abnormally high number of fan groups disguised as media in the Columbus market. More than in any market I’ve been involved in. The Dispatch won’t be part of that under my watch. You can count on us for even, unbiased coverage that sometimes would not make Woody proud.

To Brian: Ohio State won the inaugural CFP championship in 2015 and the first 12-team playoff in 2025. Both preceding regular seasons had remarkable twists of fate. The home loss to Michigan in 2024 was unspeakable. A decade earlier, J.T. Barrett fractured an ankle late in that Michigan game; the playoff now uncertain. Backup QB Cardale Jones, who preserved the Michigan win for J.T., probably had the greatest transformation of any college QB in history – almost overnight. He led OSU’s offense with 1,075 yards combined vs. Alabama and Oregon (the 1 and 2 seeds). Ezekiel Elliott, a double MVP, was much of the success: 476 yds., six TDs. 

We know the recent performance in ’25 had four giant wins; a stunning reversal from a world of despair. When hope hits the canvas, miracles can happen.  

On the Crew

Dear Brian: A note to the Crew, whose play has been very difficult to watch recently: Offense sells tickets, but defense wins the game. 

Chet Ridenour Sr.

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On soccer

To the editor: I don’t get it. Soccer is such a boring game to watch. Low scoring, and the timing and the penalties are mostly a mystery. Overtime is nutty.

Background: I grew up in Columbus, where Ohio State University football is king. I enjoy watching college football. Offensive plays are interesting. But I really like the huge and unexpected defensive plays. Fumble recoveries, quarterback sacks, and especially long-pass interceptions. A “pick-6” will get you on your feet!

More background: I’m a retired U-5 girls’ soccer coach, with a lifetime record of 1-0-0. I was a stand-in coach at one game. The girls were great; the parents were, in a word, irritating. Go figure.

Watching the World Cup Final was almost as painful as watching golf on TV. I’ll try again in four years. But I’ll bet that nothing changes.

To Jon: You are my pick to coach the next U.S. World Cup team. I don’t believe the U.S. has ever been led by a coach who had an undefeated lifetime record. Good luck.

On golf

To Brian: I still can remember starting to follow golf on the PGA Tour right after Jack (Nicklaus) started playing. I remember seeing the leaderboards on Sunday’s final round at the start of it. It was exactly as you would expect. Besides Jack, you saw some combination of Lee Trevino, Davis Love, Gary Player, Tom Watson, etc. In today’s world, it’s not just the leaderboard, I am seeing players actually win these PGA events that I never even heard of on a semi-regular basis. No doubt these lucrative purses are a huge factor. Any thoughts on your part of making a career change and getting those clubs out yourself?

To Rick: My frequent misuse of my clubs reinforces to me that I need to stick with my day job.

On college football

To the editor: When I saw that fans, knowledgeable or otherwise, will be able to go to a website and cast votes for the Heisman Trophy daily beginning right after teams have played only one game, I thought what a cockamamie idea. Reading further I saw that all that voting will be tabulated to be entered as only one of the 1,000 or so votes cast.  Brilliant to increase the interest of fans by allowing them to be engaged without it having the dramatic impact it first appeared it would have.  

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Maybe Ohio State AD Ross Bjork should sit in regular-guy seats, wait in line, etc.

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Why don’t girls wear helmets in lacrosse?

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Rob Oller is right, and Rob Oller is wrong

Should Rob Oller be punished for missing Ohio State football bandwagon?

Reader comes to Rob Oller’s defense, and what Is Ross Bjork doing?

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