USC is one of a number of schools to see an attendance decline in recent yearsGETTY IMAGES
There were 40 Power Five teams to host home college football openers over the weekend, and in most of the locations, attendance was "down year-over-year -- and way down compared to a decade ago," according to Pat Forde of YAHOO SPORTS. Thirty out of 40 "experienced a year-over-year decline, most of them minor," while 26 of 40 "experienced a decline from a decade ago, many of them major." Some of the "biggest declines" over the last decade have been at USC, Illinois, Virginia, Cal and Kentucky. If a school is "going through an extended malaise, fans are less likely to show up and stick it out through lean times and weak opponents than they used to be." One exception to the general attendance decline "appears to be the state of Texas," as stadiums "keep getting larger, and fans keep showing up" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 9/4).
DROPPING ANCHOR: In Nashville, Adam Sparks notes Vanderbilt hosted Middle Tennessee State on Saturday, and the attendance of 25,348 marked the "smallest home-opening crowd" for the school since '81 at Vanderbilt Stadium. Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason yesterday spent "much of his opening statement" at his weekly press conference "asking fans to come" to Saturday's home game against Nevada. Mason: "I thank our fan base for coming out. I do believe there is more (potential for fans) in this city. ... It’s a fast-growing spot. It’s a hot city. I think this is a hot football team.” Sparks notes the low attendance "poses a couple of questions." Should Vanderbilt "renovate its stadium to attract more fans?" Or should fans "come to games now to show the administration that they’re eager to fill a new stadium?" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 9/5).
CIRCLING THE WAGONS: In Buffalo, Rachel Lenzi noted announced attendance for the Univ. at Buffalo's Saturday home game against Delaware State was 17,959, which "should bring some optimism." Announced attendance at UB's home opener last year "was 11,546." New UB AD Mark Alnutt said, “I’m seeing a trend already, in terms of tickets out there. We’ve exceeded the number from last year, and we’re over 2,000 (single-game tickets for the 2018 opener) more than we were last year" (BUFFALO NEWS, 9/3).
