NCAA Basketball Attendance figures through 2022-2023 season

[shizzle787]

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/2024/Attend.pdf

A couple things of note:

Attendance at Division 1 NCAA tournament games up on average 1,047 a game from previous year
Attendance at Division 1 games overall up on average 142 a game from previous year

Big East had highest average attendance of all conference tournaments at 19,812

Top 10 leagues by average attendance (relative to previous year):

1. Big Ten 12,063 (-457)
2. SEC 11,344 (787)
3. Big 12 10,703 (101)
4. ACC 9,949 (290)
5. Big East 9,907 (851)
6. MW 6,624 (421)
7. Pac-12 6,373 (14)
8. AAC 5,737 (-20)
9. A-10 4,354 (41)
10. MVC 3,634 (354)

UConn was not in the top 30 in average attendance.

Top 30 by conference (as of 24/25):
Big Ten: 10
Big 12: 6
ACC: 5
SEC: 4
Big East: 2
MW: 2
A-10: 1

 

[manbyrd]

Just FYI regarding the top 30 - Ohio state was #30 at 12,181. In 22-23 Gampel maxed out at 10,167 and XL 15,564 averaging 12,865 with an even split. So a full season of sellouts would get UConn to 29th nationally. We averaged 11,446 and had 7/9 games sell out for Gampel and 5/8 at the XL center.

 

[superjohn]

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/2024/Attend.pdf

A couple things of note:

Attendance at Division 1 NCAA tournament games up on average 1,047 a game from previous year
Attendance at Division 1 games overall up on average 142 a game from previous year

Big East had highest average attendance of all conference tournaments at 19,812

Top 10 leagues by average attendance (relative to previous year):

1. Big Ten 12,063 (-457)
2. SEC 11,344 (787)
3. Big 12 10,703 (101)
4. ACC 9,949 (290)
5. Big East 9,907 (851)
6. MW 6,624 (421)
7. Pac-12 6,373 (14)
8. AAC 5,737 (-20)
9. A-10 4,354 (41)
10. MVC 3,634 (354)

UConn was not in the top 30 in average attendance.

Top 30 by conference (as of 24/25):
Big Ten: 10
Big 12: 6
ACC: 5
SEC: 4
Big East: 2
MW: 2
A-10: 1

Useless stat. Percentage attendance per building capacity would be useful.

 

[shizzle787]

Useless stat. Percentage attendance per building capacity would be useful.

Not really. Baylor is moving to a smaller arena (7,000). If they sell it out, does it mean their fanbase is larger? No.

 

[superjohn]

Not really. Baylor is moving to a smaller arena (7,000). If they sell it out, does it mean their fanbase is larger? No.

What?

 

[Waquoit]

There's a simple way to increase UConn's attendance numbers significantly.

 

[aburks41]

If we played all of our games at one arena we would sell out in 5 minutes. I wonder what % of our fanbase buys season tickets at only XL or only Gampel.

 

[EricLA]

What are the chances Gampel ever expands seating? I know the building saddles up against 2 roads on 50% of it's exterior, but could they remove the roof and expand up and out without encroaching on the streets?

 

[Chin Diesel]

There's a simple way to increase UConn's attendance numbers significantly.

Yep. Expand Gampel to 14K.

 

[nadav]

What are the chances Gampel ever expands seating? I know the building saddles up against 2 roads on 50% of it's exterior, but could they remove the roof and expand up and out without encroaching on the streets?

It cost 80 mil to build a 2500 hockey arena. How much you think pulling the roof off would cost in CT? 3 Billion?

 

[auror]

There's a simple way to increase UConn's attendance numbers significantly.

Play every single game at XL? Bold and likely unpopular suggestion!

 

[Storrs South]

What are the chances Gampel ever expands seating? I know the building saddles up against 2 roads on 50% of it's exterior, but could they remove the roof and expand up and out without encroaching on the streets?

I don't even know how you would do it, except...

The only solution I can think of is build out a concourse around exterior of the arena then fill in seats where current inner concourse runs today and then have staircases to seats under each section (similar to what is used today for the corners). Don't even know how feasible that would be.

Otherwise the building needs things done that would likely reduce capacity (box seats, convert bleachers to seats).

 

[NowInStorrs]

What are the chances Gampel ever expands seating? I know the building saddles up against 2 roads on 50% of it's exterior, but could they remove the roof and expand up and out without encroaching on the streets?

The ceiling is the roof?

 

[Waquoit]

Yep. Expand Gampel to 14K.

That's not simple. They already expanded. I bet any reno there loses seats.

 

[UCAlumDE]

Useless stat. Percentage attendance per building capacity would be useful.

Exactly what I was thinking!

 

[CL82]

I don't even know how you would do it, except...

The only solution I can think of is build out a concourse around exterior of the arena then fill in seats where current inner concourse runs today and then have staircases to seats under each section (similar to what is used today for the corners). Don't even know how feasible that would be.

Otherwise the building needs things done that would likely reduce capacity (box seats, convert bleachers to seats).

Exactly. Then build our the corners with improved concessions in bathrooms.

Of course the other option is use the dead space in gamble that's currently being used to house the golf simulator etc.

Definitely agree that the interior concourse can and should be used to expand seating.

 

[Chin Diesel]

That's not simple. They already expanded. I bet any reno there loses seats.

Is it that simple and you are also probably right about actually removing some seating. It would take all of $75-$100 to try to get Gampel to 14k in its current foot print.

 

[SamIamCassell]

It cost 80 mil to build a 2500 hockey arena. How much you think pulling the roof off would cost in CT? 3 Billion?

They should have expanded 5-6 years ago when they replaced the roof at gampel. Problem was the program wasn’t where it is today.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Is it that simple and you are also probably right about actually removing some seating. It would take all of $75-$100 to try to get Gampel to 14k in its current foot print.

Whoops left off the million. Should be $75m-$100m.

 

[Palatine]

Is there information about the % of availabale seats that teams and the conferences sell?

 

[mjmoney23]

If a concourse was added to Gampel, would it be possible for the upper bowl to be moved up where the internal concourse is and potentially have an overhang like the end zones are at the xl center? Not sure if that is even possible, but theoretically it could add a decent amount of room for additional rows. Think how MSG was remodeled a decade ago.

 

[uconnfan68]

It cost 80 mil to build a 2500 hockey arena. How much you think pulling the roof off would cost in CT? 3 Billion?

Should have put a roof on the Rent.

 

[Scrutineer]

Just FYI regarding the top 30 - Ohio state was #30 at 12,181. In 22-23 Gampel maxed out at 10,167 and XL 15,564 averaging 12,865 with an even split. So a full season of sellouts would get UConn to 29th nationally. We averaged 11,446 and had 7/9 games sell out for Gampel and 5/8 at the XL center.

The Top 30 list is based on Total Attendance, not Average Attendance, so UConn with 194, 581 came in at #31 and would have supplanted Ohio St. (194,901) as #30 with an additional 321 attendees.

I hope everyone here has a clear conscience about how many tickets they bought in the 2022-23 season.

 

[alphasigko]

Yep. Expand Gampel to 14K.

I think that the dome would need to be raised (jacked up) in order to do that. Not an easy thing to accomplish, and also VERY expensive.

 

[Scrutineer]

I think that the dome would need to be raised (jacked up) in order to do that. Not an easy thing to accomplish, and also VERY expensive.

Adding weight would likely exceed the design specifications for the foundation and be the biggest expense and most difficult obstacle to a major addition.
That's besides the logistics of removing the roof, adding whatever additional structure would be built above the existing bowl, etc.
which would include myriad details like plumbing, electrical, and HVAC.