Home / Sports / Big Ten Attendance Dips: Only 3 Full Houses in Week 2
Big Ten Attendance Dips: Only 3 Full Houses in Week 2
16 Sep
Summary
- Big Ten Week 2 home attendance averaged 64,114, only 65% capacity.
- Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame led Week 1 viewership with 7.5 million viewers.
- Rutgers faces declining attendance concerns at SHI Stadium.
In Week 2 of the current college football season, six Big Ten schools were on the road or had byes, while the remaining teams averaged 64,114 home attendees. This figure represented only 65% of stadium capacity, indicating lukewarm enthusiasm during the non-conference portion of the schedule. Indiana, Iowa (against Iowa State), and Michigan were the only programs to achieve full capacity crowds. UCLA's attendance at the Rose Bowl drew scrutiny, with just over 31,000 fans in an 80,000-seat venue.
Regarding television viewership for Week 1, four of the top ten most-watched college football games involved Big Ten teams. The Wisconsin versus Notre Dame matchup garnered the highest viewership within the conference, estimated at nearly 7.5 million viewers. The Apple Cup followed with over five million viewers. Rutgers ranked fourteenth among Big Ten teams in viewership for its game against UMass, drawing approximately 370,000 viewers.
Future attendance for Rutgers football is a growing concern, particularly at SHI Stadium. A continued downward trend in team performance could lead to decreased fan turnout, impacting concessions and overall revenue. The presence of an estimated 7,000 USC alumni in the New York-New Jersey area may influence attendance for an upcoming game.
