FBS college football teams' collective home attendance this season "dipped to its lowest average in 14 years as many schools continue to struggle to fill seats," according to Jon Solomon of CBSSPORTS.com. Crowds "averaged 43,483 fans per game," down 4% from '13 and the "lowest since 42,631" in '00. This marked the "sixth straight season crowds were below 46,000 since they peaked at 46,456" in '08. The data "counts only home games and not neutral-site venues." This was also the "first year the NCAA counted attendance from six new FBS schools: Georgia Southern, Old Dominion, Charlotte, Appalachian State, Georgia State and Texas San Antonio." But even when "removing those teams from the calculation, the average for returning FBS schools (44,544) would be the lowest" since '02. However, 72% of the top 25 attendance leaders "experienced increases or remained the same." Only 48% of the remaining Power Five schools "maintained or increased their crowd average, and many schools in smaller conferences continued to decline." Attendance for the SEC was up 3%, as the conference once again "led the country," averaging "a record 78,018 fans." Average attendance for the Big Ten was 66,939, "down from 70,431 last year." That is "largely because of introducing Maryland and Rutgers attendance figures." The Big 12 saw "a slight dip" of 1% to 57,624 fans per game. Crowds for the Pac 12 dropped 2% to 52,758, down 10% "since peaking" in '07. The ACC "again was last among Power Five schools at 50,016, although its average was up" by 1% (CBSSPORTS.com, 12/15).
