UM's Attendance Soars
Sept. 30, 2002
– Below are two recent articles on the University of Miami Football Attendance Increase this season.
UM sees attendance jump
By Jorge Milian, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
jorge_milian@pbpost.com
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Visit the Palm Beach Post online
CORAL GABLES — The only thing hotter this season than the top-ranked University of Miami are tickets to the Hurricanes’ games at the Orange Bowl.
UM is on a record-setting attendance pace after drawing 73,622 fans for its 38-6 victory Saturday against Boston College.
For many schools, the crowd figure would have been barely noticed. For the Hurricanes, who have struggled to draw even in their best seasons, it was noteworthy.
“That was an extraordinary attendance,” UM Athletic Director Paul Dee said.
Especially because it came against an unranked opponent and against a team outside the state of Florida.
Saturday’s crowd was the 19th-largest in UM history. Ten of the biggest audiences were for games against Florida State or Florida. Seven others were either in bowl games at the Orange Bowl or in regular-season games against highly ranked opponents.
Only the 1992 season opener against Florida A&M drew a larger number (73,817) against an unranked team than Saturday’s game.
“That’s one of the greatest things that has happened since I’ve been here,” UM coach Larry Coker said of Saturday’s attendance. “It’s amazing, especially with the Dolphins’ home game on Sunday. Normally, that tends to take away from a UM crowd, but not Saturday.”
In fact, the Dolphins-Jets crowd of 73,426 was slightly smaller than the UM crowd.
Dee lists several reasons for the rise, from an increased UM sales staff, to expanding season-ticket purchases by fans wanting to guarantee seats for next season’s home games against Florida and Tennessee.
More than 48,000 season tickets were sold for 2002, a rise of approximately 8,000 over last year.
“But the salient event is the success of the team,” Dee said. “It’s not just the national championship. It’s the prospect that we could repeat. The national championship confirmed that people should have bought tickets last year, so they weren’t going to miss this year.”
Through two home games, the Hurricanes are averaging 71,085 fans, which would break the UM record average of 62,096 in 1990. A little more than 46,000 fans attended last season’s six home games.
More big crowds are expected at the Orange Bowl. Dee said the game against FSU on Oct. 12 is sold out. When the school placed 4,000 temporary bleacher seats on sale this summer, they were gone in three days.
Another sellout is a possibility for the Dec. 7 regular-season finale against Virginia Tech. The Hurricanes (4-0) and Hokies (4-0) could enter undefeated and playing for a spot in the Fiesta Bowl, site of the national championship game.
Even next week’s game against Connecticut is drawing serious interest. Dee said he expects a crowd of 50,000 to 55,000 “and maybe more.”
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Visit the Miami Herald online Posted on Sat, Sep. 28, 2002
UM perfect attendance? Almost
BY MARISSA SILVERA
msilvera@herald.com
After two home games, the top-ranked University of Miami football team is exceeding this season’s expectations of drawing large crowds at the Orange Bowl. At this rate, the Canes (4-0) could surpass their record average attendance of 62,096, set 12 seasons ago.
The Hurricanes, who have played two home games so far — against Florida A&M in the season opener and Boston College last Saturday — are averaging 71,085 fans.
With four home games left, including Florida State on Oct. 12 and Big East foe Virginia Tech in the regular-season finale Dec. 7, Miami appears to be on pace to surpass last season’s average of 46,162 for six home games.
But the test will come next Saturday, when Miami returns from a bye week and plays host to unranked independent Connecticut (2-2). The Huskies play Ball State today.
UM athletic director Paul Dee said he expects between 50,000 and 55,000 for Connecticut, a power in basketball but an also-ran in football.
”I think there is going to be a lot of interest,” Dee said.
Dee has reason to be optimistic. The B.C. game was expected to draw around 60,000. Instead, the nationally-televised night game drew 73,622 for UM’s 38-6 victory and was UM’s 19th-largest regular-season home crowd.
”It was a great atmosphere,” UM coach Larry Coker said after the game. “I am very appreciative of the 73,000-plus fans that were at the Orange Bowl.”
Dee said the 2001 season’s 18-7 victory at Boston College fueled interest in a game that promised to be hard-fought even though the Eagles were unranked despite a 2-0 record coming in.
”You still have to win the Big East Conference, and it’s getting very competitive,” Dee said.
The swell in home attendance appears to be the result of a commitment to boost UM’s ticket sales, according to Dee, who said the attendance has been “pleasing but not surprising, because we really went to work and decided that we were going to try and increase the attendance.”
More than 48,000 season tickets were sold for this season, about 8,000 more than last year.
”No question, the national championship helped,” Dee said. “It’s not just the national championship, but the prospect that we could repeat. The national championship confirmed that people should have bought tickets last year.
“So they aren’t going to miss this year.”
Dee said a combination of factors, including the super heroes-caricature campaign, have sparked the interest. Also, it might be as simple as buying season tickets this season to ensure tickets for next season’s home games against Florida and Tennessee.
