FCS Attendance Update

[TexasTerror]

Pretty certain this math all adds up. Feel free to check me. Looks like the SoCon put the SWAC to pasture by 4000. The SLC even topped the SWAC this year (thus far) despite SHSU averaging 4000 less people than the last few years.

Keep in mind, the SWAC still has football to be played - though it is home games by TSU, who averages less than 4500 a game and Alabama State having Tuskegee (which is typically a decent draw, right?)...

SoCon
155813 6 App
83641 5 Ga So
65147 5 El Cid
54864 5 Furman
52713 5 UTC
48402 5 Elon
36364 5 Wofford
35488 5 WCU
32678 6 Samford
-----------------------
565110 - 47 games - 12023

SWAC
98006 6 JSU
69087 5 SU
44447 4 UAPB
25790 4 Gram
18765 3 PV
21875 5 AAMU
8464 2 TSU
20527 5 Ala St
13202 5 MVS
16274 3 Alcorn
-----------------------
336167 - 42 games - 8003

http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/2009/Internet/attendance/FCS_AVGATTENDANCE.pdf

Southland
80625 6 McNeese
73493 6 TXST
58440 5 SFA
33211 5 NWST
33550 6 SLU
27492 5 Nich
32219 6 SHSU
47184 5 UCA
---------------------
386214- 44 games - 8777

[JTCowboy]

Our game last night really hurt our numbers. Looked like 5000 there. It rained all day and into the second quarter and it was on TV. Gave many two good reasons to stay home.:(

[MountaineerNation]

there was great attendance at the App vs Western Carolina game.... I was pretty happy about that. Good game too

[Redwyn]

Wow...way for SBU to keep moving up. We were in the bottom 10 last year and we've now improved exponentially. With home games against U Mass, Hofstra, Chuck South, Coastal, and VMI, hopefully we can keep building on that.

Btw, biggest victory - we passed Hofstra to be the most popular college football program on LI! (much like being the most popular man in the desert, but I'll take what we can get xcoolx)

[TexasTerror]

Just need all FCS attendance to improve.

This is quality, CHAMPIONSHIP-level football afterall. ;)

[Green Cookie Monster]

17,126 fans watched the Sac State game.

More than the 'Brawl'.

[TexasTerror]

The SWAC was tops in attendance...yet there's something missing.

It seems that the NCAA actually counts neutral site attendance for a conference. What's the parameters in which they count it for one conference and not the other? Were there nine SWAC games played on a neutral field? Or is that coming from which team counted as the 'home team'...?

Guess this presents an interesting attendance question pertaining to all sub-divisions of play, especially as we see more and more neutral site games as people want to make BANK!

View their schools...

SWAC
98006 6 JSU
69087 5 SU
44447 4 UAPB
25790 4 Gram
18765 3 PV
21875 5 AAMU
19233 3 TSU
36159 6 Ala St
13202 5 MVS
16274 3 Alcorn
=====
362838 44 games = 8246 average

The listing says 53 games and 649,698 fans for an average of 12,258.

That's 286,860 more fans and nine more games. An average of 31,873. All from neutral site.

http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/Attendance/2009.pdf

Further research indicates that neutral site games were NOT included in the 2005 season - the year that the SWAC finished No. 3 in the nation, but included in 2006 - the year the SWAC regained their top spot. Looks like the SWAC can thank the NCAA for helping them out in some regard - being #1 in attendance.

http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/Attendance/2005.pdf
http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/Attendance/2006.pdf

Very mind-boggling numbers...the NCAA sure does have a weird way of doing things.

[TSUalum05]

Further research indicates that neutral site games were NOT included in the 2005 season - the year that the SWAC finished No. 3 in the nation, but included in 2006 - the year the SWAC regained their top spot. Looks like the SWAC can thank the NCAA for helping them out in some regard - being #1 in attendance.

Very mind-boggling numbers...the NCAA sure does have a weird way of doing things.

Thank? Isn't it up to the NCAA to choose how to determine attendance whether including neutral sites or not. In my opinion all games are NCAA sponsored events so whenever a team is listed as the home team should get the attendance counted for them. In terms of attendance, it does not matter how (neutral sites or not) University's put butts in the seats.

I think debating the attendance leader every year is petty. Really, does it matter who or how they became the attendance leader? What prize or championship does a conference or individual university receive for leading in attendance? Its just for bragging right and who really cares?

Granted it would be better if the NCAA were more consistent with their attendance count but what entity is in place to check the NCAA? No matter what it's their call.

[mmiller_34]

North Dakota State--- 82,577----16,515----5
Youngstown State---- 70,272----14,054----5
South Dakota State---66,327----13,265----5
Northern Iowa---------77,814----12,969---- 6
Illinois State------------47,866----9,573------5
Missouri State----------57,417----9,570------6
Western Illinois--------48,262----9,652------5
Southern Illinois-------62,175----8,882------7
Indiana State----------27,238----4,540------6

MVFC-------------------539,948----10,799----50



Montana----------------219,753---24,417----9
Montana State---------79,696----13,283----6
Sacramento State-----49,676----9,935------5
Northern Arizona------38,392----7,678------5
Weber State-----------32,500----6,500------5
Portland State---------36,491----6,082------6
Idaho State------------26,846----5,369------5
Eastern Washington-26,828----5,366------5
Northern Colorado----21,111----3,519-----6

Big Sky------------------531,293---10,217---52



Massachusetts--------65,322----10,887---6
New Hampshire-------45,256-----7,543----6
Maine-------------------23,154-----4,631----5
Hofstra-----------------21,299-----4,260----5
Rhode Island---------18,931------3,786----5
Northeastern---------9,577-------1,596----6

CAA North--------------183,539---5,594----33


Delaware---------------124,497---20,750----6
James Madison--------76,527-----15,305----5
William & Mary---------57,844-----9,641-----6
Richmond---------------65,888-----9,413-----7
Villanova----------------56,888-----7,111-----8
Towson-----------------31,415-----6,283-----5

CAA South-------------413,059---11,163----37

CAA----------------------596,598----8,522----70



UC Davis-----------------49,542-----9,908-----5
Cal Poly------------------47,939-----9,888-----5
North Dakota-----------42,696-----8,539-----5
South Dakota-----------40,583-----8,117-----5
Southern Utah----------24,609-----4,922-----5

Great West--------------205,419----8,216-----25



.. yah, I was bored.

[ngineer]

Lehigh ranked 6th in the country in wrestling attendance this year...:o

[busybee14]

Lehigh ranked 6th in the country in wrestling attendance this year...:o

They just love a good onezee in the Lehigh Valley.lol

[whoanellie]

The attendance for Elon during the Lembo era has taken average attendance from 6500 to just under 10,000 per home encounter... success on the field = butts in the seats. Plus 2 great home games w/ AppSt sure helped and not scheduling a home game during fall break showed some forsight.

[TexasTerror]

Thank? Isn't it up to the NCAA to choose how to determine attendance whether including neutral sites or not. In my opinion all games are NCAA sponsored events so whenever a team is listed as the home team should get the attendance counted for them. In terms of attendance, it does not matter how (neutral sites or not) University's put butts in the seats.

I think debating the attendance leader every year is petty. Really, does it matter who or how they became the attendance leader? What prize or championship does a conference or individual university receive for leading in attendance? Its just for bragging right and who really cares?

Granted it would be better if the NCAA were more consistent with their attendance count but what entity is in place to check the NCAA? No matter what it's their call.

I am a stats nut, TSUAlum.

I am not as much concerned about the "attendance champion" as I am on how the NCAA determines home/away/neutral.

In the past, I've corresponded with them about how certain schools are listed as home and away. The response I got was that the NCAA relies on the school to properly report their statistics. In the case of one school last year, they reported wrong and I am sure that happens regularly.

Saw on TSPN that people are questioning how JSU got so many home games and that the number is not right. Was it not a Southern home game when they played at JSU? Considering Memorial Stadium was not SU's home stadium, it should have been listed as a neutral site. Would figure that,right?

Oddly enough, I look at stats of some sporting events - namely volleyball - and the stats are far from balancing out. It's a shame that the NCAA does not crack down on misreporting, because we are declaring NCAA statistical champions for people who do not deserve the accolades at times.

The NCAA is not always the problem, sometimes the school. In this case, I'd just be curious how they "place" the neutral site games...

[Lehigh Football Nation]

The SWAC was tops in attendance...yet there's something missing.

It seems that the NCAA actually counts neutral site attendance for a conference. What's the parameters in which they count it for one conference and not the other? Were there nine SWAC games played on a neutral field? Or is that coming from which team counted as the 'home team'...?

I'm just going by memory here, but I believe that the answer is that it's 50/50 for a neutral-site game involving two different conferences. I believe that's how they handled it last year regarding the "MEAC/SWAC challenge": 50% Grambling, 50% SCSU. I could be wrong, though.

Personally, though, I don't see what the big deal is. Grambling/Southern is a SWAC league game, so just because it's played at the Superdome it shouldn't be counted? That doesn't make sense. It should be counted: folks are paying money to see an FCS team play another. It could be played at the Superdome or in San Giovanni... it should count in terms of attendance for the conference. Now a game at the Superdome shouldn't count as "home attendance" for Southern since it's not at "home", but it should for the conference.

[3rd Coast Tiger]

SWAC baby!!! xthumbsupx

[TSUalum05]

It's a shame that the NCAA does not crack down on misreporting, because we are declaring NCAA statistical champions for people who do not deserve the accolades at times.

The NCAA is not always the problem, sometimes the school. In this case, I'd just be curious how they "place" the neutral site games...

How and why would the NCAA Crack Down on the over 1,000 Universities and many thousands of sports under their umbrella on something as miniscule as attendance? In the grand scheme of things – does it really matter? Statistical awards are mostly for “fans” to be used to brag and see who can piss the farthest.

Since you said “we are declaring NCAA Statistical Champions” – are you saying there is $$ or awards given by the NCAA or by organizations? Furthermore, is the rowing, bowling, or fencing at each division receiving a statistical Championship?

Neutral or not, there are individuals in the seats watching NCAA games. Should the University’s not count the $$ received from neutral games attendance?

In the end, it’s about putting butts in the seats and it does not matter where the games are played as long as it’s reported to the dictatorship known as the NCAA

[DFW HOYA]

A look back to attendance at the Patriot League circa 1995. Either way you look at it, the PL isn't drawing very well outside the Leh-Laf corridor.

Bucknell
1995 (7-4): 7,067
2009 (4-7): 3,018
Change: -57.2%

Colgate
1995: (0-11): 1,805
2009 (9-2): 4,642
Change: +157.1%

Fordham
1995: (4-6-1): 2,369
2009 (5-6): 3,886
Change: +64.0%

Georgetown
1995: (6-3, MAAC): 1,549
2009: (0-11): 2,511
Change: +62.1%

Holy Cross
1995 (2-9): 7,067
2009 (9-3): 7,552
Change: +6.8%

Lafayette
1995 (7-4): 5,958
2009 (8-3): 8,289
Change: +39.1%

Lehigh
1995 (8-3): 10,350
2009 (4-7): 8,130
Change: -22.5%

[TexasTerror]

How and why would the NCAA Crack Down on the over 1,000 Universities and many thousands of sports under their umbrella on something as miniscule as attendance? In the grand scheme of things – does it really matter? Statistical awards are mostly for “fans” to be used to brag and see who can piss the farthest.

I just want the answer to the questions. Schools and conferences use these figures for a number of reasons, should not be hard to get an answer...

1) When and why did the NCAA begin counting neutral site games as part of a league's attendance?

2) What determines whether a neutral site game belongs under Conference X or Conference Y? Under FCS, Div II, Div III, etc (if applicable)?


Since you said “we are declaring NCAA Statistical Champions” – are you saying there is $$ or awards given by the NCAA or by organizations? Furthermore, is the rowing, bowling, or fencing at each division receiving a statistical Championship?

I am referring to the statistical champions that are listed in the NCAA record books and receive recognition for being #1 in a team stat or individual stat. I've seen schools honored for this that were done so unjustly because of mis-reporting.

[WrenFGun]

116% of Capacity for UNH? Wow. Clearly need some more seats or a new stadium..

[3rd Coast Tiger]

SWAC
Wins
Attendance
Championship

xhurrayxxhurrayxxhurrayxxhurrayx

Of course I'm being sarcastic but I could care less about winning this statistical category I just like to rub it in the face of some others in particular.

But for those who question the final results, I'd suggest you contact your NCAA "contacts" like you have in the past for an explanation.

[TSUalum05]

I just want the answer to the questions. Schools and conferences use these figures for a number of reasons, should not be hard to get an answer...


So wouldn't Schools and Conferences want to include every butt that was in a seat? Not by what the NCAA considers neutral or not?




I am referring to the statistical champions that are listed in the NCAA record books and receive recognition for being #1 in a team stat or individual stat. I've seen schools honored for this that were done so unjustly because of mis-reporting.

OMG