Some attendance figures from the NCAA 2019

[TwolfHerdfan]

Thought I would do some research on the 2019 FBS football attendance (pre-covid). Here' s some numbers to digest.

Average attendance for all 130 FBS schools combined was 41,129.

The SEC had the highest average with 72,723
B10 was 65.065
AAC - 29,496
WMC - 23,232
CUSA - 18,929
SB - 18,342

Notables -
Cincinnati - 30,519 in 2018 - 35,985 in 2019

2019 Figures -
Coastal Carolina- 15,019
La Tech - 20,439
Tulane - 20,271
Duke - 25,811
ECU - 33,134
Houston - 25,518
SMU - 23, 633
Tulsa - 18,741
Vandy - 26,288
Boise - 32,070

Moral of the story is, we average 24K plus a game thus far. Being located in a small, depressed area with an older, poorer population. Compared to peer institutions we do VERY WELL. Some schools in much larger markets with growth and higher standard of living would love to have our support. Folks ragging on our attendance are pretty clueless as to the factors involved.
Sure, we'd all like to have 30K plus a game but keep in mind, we averaged 28.9K in 1999, our best team ever, and when Huntington had 20K MORE in population and a few corporate partners will still around.

 

[ru4_mu2]

Am I a little surprised with the attendance so far after a coaching change, sure. But you are correct, we're still doing better than a lot of folks we compete with. Plus, folks have other stuff to do besides go to Marshall games. Just Saturday you had Fall Fest in Barboursville, Homecoming at least at Fairland and a lot of folks that I saw at the first game had Parents weekend at other Universities.

 

[BleedsGreen33]

I worry about our attendance going forward when those that are connected to the crash have passed away.

 

[Rock98Dog]

I would guess COVID fear among our disproportionately older base is costing us about 1,000 a game.

 

[Herdfan1986]

it’s almost getting to the point where we should close off the end zone seating so we don't have a half empty stadium… turning into Rice

 

[herd4life5 (HN)]

It should be turned into a patio/bar area. The upper end zone area.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

We have about 2K people in the lots and around the stadium that never come in to watch the game. Thats a real pisser!

 

[The Real SamC]

We all know that many attendance figures are, well, made up. The current leader in this department is the Pac 12, which is playing before seas of empties, but everybody, except the true elite who sell out every seat every time, is doing it.

The fact is this is mostly about technology. Every Saturday, you can watch every game there is in HD quality, at home on a huge TV, switching and switching to find action that is compelling. Or you can go to a communal setting, like a sports bar or a casino, and enjoy 20 or 30 games all at once.

Going to one game means giving up on every other game. Programs that are truly elite can still draw a crowd. Programs that have a huge tailgate tradition can live off that, places like Ole Miss or Texas or Georgia. Programs that are mostly just shows put on for the students, whose rich daddies have paid well for that, can live off mostly students.

MU is none of those things. While the live gate may zig and zag a little depending on the team’s perceived chance of actually winning the game and the perceived chance that that really matters; depending on the weather; depending on just how s***y the economy. Is going to get in the next few years, and depending on when people figure out that cowering in fear under the kitchen table is not a valid public health measure, but the reality is THIS IS THE NEW NORMAL, not just here, but at maybe 80% of I-A. You can cut prices, have palatial rest rooms, serve craft made cocktails, have a scoreboard that is the envy of the Cowboys, have all the Thunder Street ho ha, have a band of 1000 members forming elaborate artworks, whatever. The live gate is somewhere between 20 and 25 K early, and less than that in seasons, like this one, where the futility of hope is apparent.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

I worry about our attendance going forward when those that are connected to the crash have passed away.

Yep, In 10 years, it won't be pretty unless the AD has an all out blitz on getting new fans in the stands. Current attendance trends are down every where in sports with the exception of a well positioned few.

 

[HerdFan73]

It. Is. A. Pandemic.

 

[GoHerdMarshallYes]

Yep, In 10 years, it won't be pretty unless the AD has an all out blitz on getting new fans in the stands. Current attendance trends are down every where in sports with the exception of a well positioned few.

Well, the student section's been full so far and one of those games was against NCCU. Seems like they're into it. I also think they'll want to keep coming back, I know plenty alumns my age, who came in for the game from out of state.
Huntington is one of those cities that's small enough to want to work itself around home game schedules, and it actually work.
That's why it's such a nightmare for Pac-12 schools like USC and UCLA to find fans since there's literally 100 other things to do.
Huntington and MU, shouldn't close down everything else, but market itself to make being at the game THE place to be.
I think they've sort of swayed from that mentality lately.