Major college football's regular-season attendance ended its decline in 2013 after dropping the past two seasons. But crowds continue to remain below the high-water mark from five years ago.
Among previously-existing Football Bowl Subdivision schools, crowds increased by 1 percent to 45,815 fans per game in 2013, according to an AL.com analysis of NCAA attendance figures. Technically, FBS attendance (44,211) dropped for the third straight season. But the addition of eight new schools to the FBS skewed that number.
The data counts home games and not neutral-site venues. Figures represent the announced crowds schools report to the NCAA and not necessarily actual attendance.
A year ago, major college football dipped to its lowest average since 2003. Although the figures were slightly up this year for returning FBS schools, the home-attendance average still fell below 46,000 for the fifth straight year. Attendance for all FBS home games peaked in 2008 at 46,456.
This season, 11 of the nation's top 20 attendance leaders experienced declines, although most of the dips were modest. Half of the FBS schools reported decreases in 2013, an improvement from 56 percent that declined between 2011 and 2012.
Alabama, which has experienced issues with lower student attendance, ranked third nationally at 101,505 per game. Auburn was 12th (85,657) and increased by 4 percent after its three-win season of 2012.
Troy dropped 10 percent to 18,906. South Alabama, which recently reclassified to FBS, dropped 5 percent to 15,926. UAB fell by 31 percent to 10,548 -- the second-largest decline this year by percentage -- and ranked next-to-last among FBS schools.
A recent national survey showed college football is lacking in areas such as customer service, game-day experience and affordability, Turnkey Sports Entertainment and Ohio University came to those conclusions after surveying more than 75,000 fans from 68 FBS schools, including every major conference, over the past several months.The survey ranked college football ticket buyers' satisfaction level far behind the levels for fans in many competing sports properties. Three major factors for the low satisfaction score: price, heightened consumer demands driven in part by a better TV experience at home, and college football holding less of a unique position among many fans. Winning and opponents also factor into attendance.
College football fans averaged a 7.1 on a 10-point scale for overall satisfaction from their ticket purchase compared to their expectations. Responses under 9 are considered passive or detrimental to the brand.
This season, the biggest increases among BCS-conference schools: UCF (22 percent), Pittsburgh (20 percent), Kentucky (20 percent), Washington (17 percent), Stanford (17 percent), Miami (13 percent), Georgia Tech (12 percent) and Purdue (12 percent).
The biggest decreases from BCS-conference schools: South Florida (21 percent), USC (17 percent), Colorado (15 percent), California (12 percent), Kansas (12 percent), Boston College (11 percent), Houston (11 percent) and Arkansas (9 percent).
The SEC continued to lead the nation, averaging 75,582 fans per game. That was up less than 1 percent from 2012, when the SEC had its lowest average since 2007.
The biggest increases in the SEC: Kentucky (20 percent), Tennessee (6 percent), Auburn (4 percent) and Ole Miss (4 percent). Arkansas declined 9 percent. Tennessee, which has struggled to win in recent years, is still down 11 percent since 2005.
SEC East champion Missouri and bowl-bound Vanderbilt were each down 6 percent this year. Missouri's capacity decreased by about 4,000 this year due to construction.
The Big Ten averaged 70,483 fans per game, an increase of less than 1 percent. Big Ten attendance last year was its lowest since 2008.
The Big 12, in its second season with West Virginia and TCU rather than Texas A M and Missouri, averaged 58,057 fans. That was down 1 percent and marked the Big 12's smallest average since 2005.
The Pac-12 averaged 53,619 fans, representing an increase of less than 1 percent from 2012. Crowds are down 8 percent in the Pac-12 since it set a record in 2007.
Among the five major conferences, the ACC again ranked last with 49,624 fans per game. That was an increase of less than 1 percent from 2012, when the ACC had its smallest crowds in 12 years. Pittsburgh and Syracuse joined the ACC in 2013.
The new American Athletic Conference, playing its first year without Pittsburgh and Syracuse, averaged 33,711 fans. The old Big East averaged 39,185 in 2012. The AAC's top two attendance leaders, Louisville and Rutgers, are leaving the conference.
AL.com reporter Alex Walsh contributed to this report.
by Caspio