There is "tangible evidence" that the combination of Univ. of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh leading his alma mater and matchups against rivals Michigan State and Ohio State at Michigan Stadium last year "revived what had been sagging attendance -- and interest -- the season before," according to Angelique Chengelis of the DETROIT NEWS. It is "difficult to say just how much of a financial impact" the hiring of Harbaugh has had. But based on the school's game-by-game reports, last season "had at least three games" -- the home opener against Oregon State, Michigan State and Ohio State -- that grossed more than $6M. Only the Penn State game in '14 "passed that mark." The total "gross revenue for games at Michigan Stadium in Harbaugh’s first season" was $42.68M. The year before Michigan grossed $39.7M, with seven games in each of the two seasons. The change in comped tickets after Harbaugh's arrival also "was huge." Michigan "comped tickets accounting for" 8.56% of attendance in '14, helping to "preserve the streak of games with 100,000-plus attendance, and gave away a whopping 16,923 for the home finale against Maryland." Last season, Michigan "comped 22,682 tickets for the season, a much more typical" 2.94% of attendance. The BYU game, the third home game, "featured the largest number of comped tickets at 4,238." Meanwhile, Michigan returned as the leader "in individual game average attendance last season, with a total attendance of 771,173 for nation's best average 110,168" (DETROIT NEWS, 5/8).
