Syracuse Football: Football attendance saw a significant boost in 2019
By Ryan Lee
Syracuse football used a 10-win season for a major bump in attendance in 2019. A report from the NCAA puts SU with one of the biggest jumps in Division I.
Syracuse football saw an average increase of more than 5,000 fans at games in 2019, as compared to 2018. According to an NCAA report, it was 5,121 more fans per game. In 2018 the football program won 10 games for the first time since 2001, likely driving up some fan interest. So just as the Orange did the last time after winning 10 games, Syracuse averaged over 40,000 fans per contest.
According to Syracuse.com, the football team also had a sellout against Clemson, their first since 1998. The sellout came in the first home game of the season, which helped anchor the Orange in the right direction.
This early momentum was important as Syracuse sputtered to an underwhelming 5-and-7 season. However the 5,000-fan increase still equated to the 8th largest jump in attendance in the nation. A wave of new season ticket sales led the Orange to their jump in 2019.
Kansas led all FBS teams with more than a 14,000-fan increase after the hiring of former LSU coach Les Miles, who is known nationally in coaching circles. The Jayhawks averaged less than 20,000 fans in 2018 after not winning more than three games since 2009.
Other teams with big increases followed the same pathway as Syracuse and Kansas. Cincinnati, Memphis, and Minnesota joined Syracuse, jumping up because of strong 2018 seasons that brought hope in 2019.
North Carolina like Kansas did not have a great 2018 but hired a legendary coach to energize their fan base. For the Tar Heels it was Mack Brown, a blast from their past who returned for the first time since 1997. In addition to his success with North Carolina, Brown coached Texas when the Longhorns captured a national championship in 2006.