College Football Attendance Drops

Nationwide, attendance for FBS football games dropped in 2018. An average of 41,856
fans attended FBS games in 2018, the lowest figure since 1996. It's hard to believe but
Clemson did not sell out a single game last year at Memorial Stadium averaging 80,400.
Only five programs averaged sellouts in 2018...Georgia, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma
and Utah. The SEC led all conferences with an average attendance of 74,185.

Any ideas why the drop?

Just like the drop in NFL stadiums (and no, not b/c of kneeling).

Tickets prices have increased
Consumers buy big screen tv's and would rather watch games at home.
Hard to access alcohol in some stadiums (why certain stadiums are starting to allow it)
Shitty non conference home games. I know you LOVE sec football but i have friends who have season tickets to a few different SEC schools who would have to travel to see their team play at home. They dont want to spend the $$$ on airfare/gas, hotel, meals, etc to see their favorite team whoop up on some 3rd tier sunbelt team.

I'm surprised Georgia made the list b/c i know of a few UGA season ticket holders who have been pissed at past schedules.

The BIG10 has the top three in stadium attendance;

#1. Michigan at 110,736 avg per home game
#2. Penn State at 105,485
#3 Ohio State at 101,947

Michigan takes a lot of pride in announcing attendance. A Wall Street Journal article in 2018 took at shot at Michigan for counting the media, marching band, and stadium workers as part of the attendance. LOL. And they claimed Michigan's streak of 100,000+ at games since 1997 looked to be broken in Hoke's last year. A Michigan article looked at attendance of Hoke's last year by viewing pic's of the stadium during games for each game. The Rutgers game was deemed questionable, all others looked 100,000+.
https://www.maizenbrew.com/football...r-fall-to-80000-last-year-wall-street-journal

I'm a Michigan fan but I have to laugh at counting stadium workers and media. Marching band? OK. When game time is close and the gates still have lines the ticket takers will forgo scanning and just tear tickets, am sure there is no accurate count. The place does fill up!

As far as drop in attendance. I blame it on multiple factors.
#1. The computer age! Hell, you can buy groceries from home, fast food from home, furniture, etc, all delivered. Big screen tv with surround sound. People don't go out like they used to.
#2. The lack of parity in college football. There are the 10-15 BIG BOYS teams and then all the rest. Same group year-in, year out. Not good when the little guys don't squeak through at least once in awhile.
#3. And of course the cost factor as stated earlier.

The Big Ten was second to the SEC in attendance averaging 65,365 last year.

The biggest problem for Alabama not selling out all home games is sorry ass
teams like Western Carolina, etc.. I've had free tickets offered many time for
those type games and said no thanks. Now if Saban would schedule UAB, I
would gladly accept the tickets.

The first season where I remember every game was 1974. Clemson's non-conference schedule was Georgia, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and South Carolina. And most teams used to do it like that.

Alabama in 1974:

Maryland (with Randy White)
USM
Florida State
TCU
Miami

Nebraska in 1974:

Oregon
Wisconsin
Northwestern
Minnesota

A lot less conference affiliations in 1974 so teams were able to play tough non conference schedules.

Very rare these days to see a power team play 2 tough non conference opponents. It’s easier to schedule a cupcake at home so the home team can make $$$$$ which is why they have such a high budget