The concern was obvious.
Even though schools across the college football landscape were opening up their stadiums to full capacity this fall, many wondered whether fans would come out in droves as the nation still grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren was curious himself.
But an NJ Advance Media analysis of attendance figures around the Big Ten shows the numbers to be only slightly decreased from 2019 — the most recent year when stadiums were at full capacity. The 2020 Big Ten football season was staged with schools prohibited from selling tickets to the general public.
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Here’s what the NJ Advance Media analysis shows:
— In 2019, the average attendance for the 14 teams in the Big Ten was 65,065. That marked the Big Ten’s lowest average per-game attendance since 1993.
— Through roughly 1/4 of the season in 2021, the average attendance for the 14 Big Ten teams is 64,282. While that marks a 1.2 % decrease from 2019, six of the 14 Big Ten teams’ average attendance figures have increased from two seasons ago.
— Of the six Big Ten teams whose average attendance figures have increased from 2019, Rutgers boasts the largest percentage increase. The average attendance for Rutgers in 2019 was 30,082. Through four home games this season, Rutgers is averaging 46,193. Not only does that mark a 53.6% increase from 2019, Rutgers’ average attendance this season ranks 11th in the Big Ten.
Here is the Big Ten team-by-team attendance figures from 2019 and 2021:
School | 2019 | 2021
Michigan | 111,459 | 107,712
Penn State | 105,678 | 106,756
Ohio State | 103,383 | 92,869
Nebraska | 89,348 | 86,586
Wisconsin | 76,472 | 70,556
Michigan State | 67,819 | 70,170
Iowa | 65,557 | 66,201
Purdue | 54,021 | 52,536
Indiana | 41,244 | 50,037
Minnesota | 46,190 | 46,804
Rutgers | 30,082 | 46,193
Maryland | 37,812 | 37,767
Illinois | 36,587 | 36,573
Northwestern | 37,736 | 29,186
As he surveyed the crowd during Rutgers’ Homecoming affair with Michigan State on Saturday, Warren came away impressed with the game-day atmosphere.
“The energy in this building is amazing,’’ Warren told NJ Advance Media during an interview at halftime of Michigan State’s 31-13 win over Rutgers. “I watched the (Rutgers) game (against Ohio State) on TV last week and the energy was amazing.’’
Still, Warren understands the challenges of attracting fans to college football games in 2021 and beyond. In 2019, attendance across the college football landscape reportedly hit a 24-year low. According to the NCAA statistics, the average attendance for FBS schools was 41,477 — the lowest since 1996.
“I think quite naturally you want to make sure you have a game-day environment that makes fans want to attend games,’’ Warren said. “Because it’s very special being on college campuses and attending the games. We’ve been fortunate in the Big Ten. We have passionate fans. We have the best fans in college football, and it’s good to see fans back in the building.
“But quite naturally we want to make sure we’re putting on a quality game-day environment, with strong teams that are successful and epitomize what college football’s all about. I’m very pleased so far at the energy and excitement of our fans at games across the conference.’’
Here are other highlights from NJ Advance Media’s interview with Warren on Saturday:
-- For Warren, in his second year as the Big Ten commissioner, Saturday marked his first Rutgers football game with fans in attendance. He frequently attends Michigan State games because his son, Powers Warren, is a tight end for the Spartans.
Before the game Saturday, Warren watched Rutgers hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Gary and Barbara Rodkin Academic Success Center, the recently built facility neighboring SHI Stadium that serves as the academic-support center for Rutgers’ 700 athletes, accommodates the soccer and lacrosse teams, and houses the department’s administrative offices.
“I’m excited to be here today,’’ Warren said. “I’m excited about all the schools. I don’t just say that tongue and cheek. It’s why I get around to all the different campuses. The building dedication today for the (Rutgers athletics) academic support system was amazing. To be able to see that, and to see the student-athletes at Rutgers now have an opportunity to grow and learn in that environment, it’s truly amazing what President Holloway and (athletics director) Pat Hobbs, and all the coaches have done here. The campus is beautiful and to see all these fans here for Homecoming weekend is great.’’
-- Warren also credited Rutgers for its ability to host the Big Ten Tournament for field hockey this year. The Scarlet Knights will host the field hockey tournament at its home field based on the Livingston Campus from Nov. 4-7. It will mark the fourth time Rutgers has hosted a Big Ten tournament since joining the conference in 2014-15 (women’s lacrosse hosted in 2015; gymnastics hosted in 2017; wrestling hosted in 2020).
“Any time you get a chance to host a Big Ten tournament it’s pretty special,’’ Warren said.
-- While Rutgers is still seeking its first Big Ten championship in any sport, several Rutgers teams have morphed into top Big Ten contenders this fall.
Ranked No. 8 in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll, the Rutgers women’s soccer team is the highest-ranked team in the Big Ten thanks to its 11-2 record overall and its 6-0 mark in conference play.
The Rutgers field hockey team is off to its best start in program history. Eight of the Scarlet Knights’ 10 wins have come over ranked foes, with six of them coming on the road, three coming over top-10 teams, and two over top-5 opponents. Rutgers, currently 10-2 overall and 3-1 in Big Ten play, should move up from last week’s No. 5 ranking in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll after upsetting Penn State last week.
While he didn’t specifically speak to Rutgers’ Olympic Sports resurgence, Warren noted there are several teams across the Big Ten landscape with legitimate chances to win a National Championship this fall.
“You look at our rankings in football, in field hockey, in soccer, we’re off to a really fast start in the Big Ten,’’ Warren said. “I was telling my wife this morning I’m really excited about these next few months, with our Olympic sports, how they end up, and then roll it into winter and spring sports. We’re going to look back on this year when we get to June and be really pleased with this year. We have some teams that can win National Championships.’’
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Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com.
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