The JMA Wireless Dome. The Dome. The Loud House.

Whatever you call it, the home of the Syracuse Orange has a reputation worthy of one of the best home field advantages in the nation.

That is, when it's filled to capacity.

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Now don't get me wrong, even when it isn't jam packed the Dome is an extremely hard place to play. The jeers of screaming fans echo every which way making communication almost impossible for opposing offenses, and when the Orange make a big play it gets even louder. We've seen that on display each week the Orange have been at home, especially over the past two weeks of this four-week (five if you include the upcoming bye) stay at home.

That doesn't mean we can't ask why the Dome doesn't fill up. Then again it doesn't mean there's a concrete answer.

So let's forget the question as to why the Dome doesn't fill up all the way. Instead let's look at where it is compared to the last time Syracuse saw a team go 4-0. Let's look back at 2018.

For context, the JMA Wireless Dome can fit just over 49,000 fans into it's seats (if you're into specifics the number is 49,057) for a football game. It remains the largest on-campus basketball arena in the nation with a capacity (again for basketball) of 35,642. For the purpose of this exercise, I'll round attendance to the nearest hundred.

Now let's crunch the numbers. So far this season the Dome hasn't seen less than 34,000 fans come through the doors, which means 70% of the seats have been full at all times. The highest attendance so far has been just over 37,000 (just over 75% capacity). If you take the average capacity per game, through the first three you come out with a average just under 36,000 fans per game. Compare that to 2018 and you'll find that's an increase of 1,500 fans per game.

But how did the 2018 season look in it's entirety? The answer: two sharp increases from one home game to another, with a slight fluctuation as the season went on.

For example, from the 2018 home opener against Wagner (29,400) to the ACC opener against Florida State one week later (37,500), the number of fans in the stands went up 8,000. A slow trickle downwards ensued over the course of the next two home games, with a double-overtime win over North Carolina drawing just over 35,200 fans. Then another spike for ranked North Carolina State (40,800) and a mini spike for Louisville (42,800).

2022 has seen one similarity to 2018 so far. The season opener against Louisville saw just over 37,100 fans enter the dome, and the last two game have seen a similar trickle down (35,900 vs. Purdue, and 34,600 vs. Virginia respectively). The same can be expected for this weekend's game against Wagner.

But then there's a bye, a week without football.

Then North Carolina State, right now ranked 10th in the nation, comes to town for SU's Family Weekend.

What do you think will happen then? Perhaps a spike that see's the Dome host 40,000 plus? What about when Notre Dame, or Florida State come to town later this season? Could we see a spike then?

Recent history says yes. Recent history and a quote from Orange head coach Dino Babers after the season opening win over Louisville.

"Someone told me well if you win they will come," Babers said after beating Louisville. "We won. I'll be looking to see you. Real soon."

For this week, real soon means Saturday when the Orange take on the Wagner Seahawks. If you aren't heading to the Dome to answer Dino's call you can stream the game on ACC Network Extra. Before that though check out the latest episode of "The Orange Zone Podcast" on our CNY Central YouTube page, Spotify, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe to watch our latest videos from the games and analysis on what's next for the team.