Page "Silicon Valley Football Classic" Paragraph 8

The 2004 Silicon Valley Bowl game itself was a disaster from the start, in part because of a severe thunderstorm that caused many local fans to stay away from the game.

Also, just prior to the opening kickoff, the driving rain and wind caused an electrical transformer outside the stadium to malfunction, causing two light stanchions inside the stadium to fail.

There also were persistent problems with the television feed that included starting the game 23 minutes late.

Game attendance was a dismal 5, 494, which represented approximately 18 % of Spartan Stadium's capacity of 30, 456.

Even though the play by both teams was competitive and exciting, the inclement weather, empty stands and bad lighting amounted to a very unattractive national television broadcast.