(06-26-2013 11:06 PM)Ole Blue Wrote: I'll go out on a limb here.
Western Carolina - 26,500 - Home opener and promoted season's first game. Home openers tend to draw well for us.
Memphis - 30,000 - If we beat UNC it could be upwards of 32,000. If we don't, 30,000 is likely.
ECU - 32,000 - Sellout. Homecoming. Big-name opponent.
Marshall - 28,500 - If we beat ECU, then I'd say another 32,000 sellout.
FIU - 25,000 - FIU never draws well.
UTEP - 23,500 - Another not-so-known team for us.
Average: ~27,600
FWIW, our season ticket sales are dramatically higher than what they were last year, and as I understand it higher than they've ever been. I fully expect 20k+ each game this year.
I'd say you can expect a solid 4-6k Marshall fans to make the trip for this game! Should help for our game.
(06-26-2013 07:55 PM)FAUAEPi Wrote: Sadly, it all depends on how the season goes.
If at the point of the game, the team is preforming poorly:
MTSU - 17,000
Marshall - 18,000
Tulane - 15,000
New Mexico St - 11,000
FIU - 10,000 (Friday after Thanksgiving)
If at the point of the game, the team is performing alright or great:
MTSU - 23,000 This season opener follows in state rivals Miami and USF, with the first CUSA game in FAU history in the middle at ECU.
Marshall - 25,000
Tulane - 21,000 (could be better if we beat Auburn the week before)
New Mexico St - 19,000
FIU - 25,000
We averaged just under 30K in 99, our best season ever. I would guess the Miami opener will bring around 30K and if the ECU game means anything conference wise, it should draw well - if we have good weather.
I would guess we'll average around 28K for the season.
ODU - 50,000 (Home opener. Night game. Maybe over 50K)
FAU - 43,000 (Thursday night game. Little known opponent.)
VT - 50,000 (Big time opponent. VT will travel well. Over 50K)
USM - 50,000 (ECU folks love the USM series. Especially if we are having a good year, 50K)
Tulsa - 50,000 (Could be the game of the year in C-USA)
UAB - 45,000 (Might be higher due to it being Senior Day.)
(06-27-2013 06:55 AM)stanman505 Wrote: Here are my predictions for UTEP
UNM- 42K, would be much higher if either team was coming of a winning season.
UTSA- 40K, I think UTEP will be 2-0 and people will start to get excited. If we drop either of our first two games it will be more like 30K
LaTech- 45K, I think UTEP could be 4-0 at this point and the Sun Bowl will be rocking.
Tulsa- 50K, I really think UTEP has a shot at being 5-0 and El Paso and Sun Bowl will be crazy loud like in Mike Prices second year.
FIU- 45K with UTEP already clinching a bowl bid. It would be higher but FIU is not a known team for us.
Those were best cases and would give UTEP an average of just over 44k. If the team struggles and there is now chance at a bowl game then the numbers will be around 25K.
Early season will be better than normal do to excitement of new coach, old rival (UNM), and good possibility of wins early. Later in the season does depend on performance as you said.
UNM - first game, old rival, new coach ... 50k
UTSA - with wins over UNM at home and NMSU there.... 50k
LTU - with 4-0 record (positive thinking here) and homecoming.. 50k
Tulsa - if 5-0 at this point... 50k
FIU - if 6-3 at this point... 35k, if 7 or 8 wins ... 50k
That's my overly optimistic view. If the reality turns out to be a losing record, then avg will be about 30k once again.
Little Miami: 26k-28k (And that is only because of the hatred.)
Gardner-Webb: 23-25k (terrible opponent)
UTSA: 24-26k (first CUSA game and we should be 3-1 or 4-0)
S.Miss: 26k-28k (Always a circled game and we should be rolling by now)
UAB: 26k-28k (we should at worst have 2 losses and the momentum should keep the crowd good)
ECU: 28k-32k (This game is good for several reasons 1) last meeting with ECU. 2) Could be for the East if ECU is neck and neck record wise. 3) At the very least it should be for home field advantage for Championship Game.)
As much as I hate to admit it we are an event crowd. Even in 1996 when we were rolling and won the 1-AA title the WCU game had terrible attendance. And if the it is a team that is bad or one precieved to be a blowout we will lose about 5k people. UTSA by themselves will not draw, G-W will be a hard draw, and UAB will be tough too. The only thing that saves UTSA and UAB is if we are winning games like expected. Meaning we have at worst dropped 2 games. Those being VT and MTSU. We come into those two game undefeated all bets are off on the numbers. Huntington is starving for a winner on the field.
Okie State - 54K. Rising hype for this game around town. BCS home opener. Attendance in the mid 50s will likely require a win the previous week @ UNM. Houston - 33K. Solid opponent just not any history there yet. Rice - 32K. I think the hardcore fans that saw 2012's game will be here calling for blood, but the casual fans will be clueless. UAB - 25K, but not because of opponent. Back-to-back home games plus the infamous Halloween attendance will drop the bottom out of the crowd on this one. (Chance for 28K with a Rice upset the previous week and/or a solid season to this point.) Tulane - 30K because of attendance bounce back from Halloween game. La Tech - 34K. See Rice, but with the added effect of the final home game of the season.
WRT the bold red text above: Very good point! I wonder of UTSA will be doing anything this season to have a Halloween party/Football party to attract more to come to the game?
Edit: Do other schools have attendance issues on Halloween weekend?
(This post was last modified: 06-28-2013 01:49 PM by slow-runner.)
