Miami football is close to top 25 percent CFB attendance last 5 years

In a study about attendance during the last five years throughout FBS, the Miami football team nearly finished in the top 25 percent.

In a study about the last five years of college football attendance of all 130 FBS teams, the Miami football program finished 34th in average attendance per game according to The College Football News. Miami has risen up the ranks in the last three years from 39th in 2018, to 35th in 2019 and 34th in 2020.

The Hurricanes five-Year average is 55,822.60 fans per game and they play to an average of 86.19 percent filled capacity at Hard Rock Stadium. The numbers reflect a rolling five-year attendance average. Miami was 22nd in the nation in attendance in 2018 averaging 61,469 fans per game at Hard Rock Stadium.

With the Florida State game in Tallahassee in 2019, Miami saw its average attendance figure drop to 52,829 fans per game in 2019. The average attendance in college football has dropped in recent years. There are too many scenarios for the 2020 season to currently consider.

What is definite is the attendance numbers will plummet in 2020. There is a great chance that Miami, as well as most college football teams, will play in front of no fans at all this fall. At the very least capacity at college football games will be drastically reduced.

With Florida State scheduled to visit Hard Rock Stadium in November that will be a significant loss at the gate for the Miami football program. As a conference, the ACC finished fifth with an average attendance of 48,432.13 fans per game from 2015-19.

For all the criticism of Miami not being able to draw fans, the Hurricanes averaged 7,390.47 fans per game more than the ACC average. The criticism of Miami’s attendance is false narrative often used by fans of rival schools.

Miami finished fifth in the ACC in attendance behind Clemson, Florida State, Virginia Tech and North Carolina State. In the five year window where Miami would have three home games against Florida State in a normal, non-pandemic situation, the Hurricanes would likely be fourth ahead of NC State who averaged 56,931.20 fans.

All of this will continue to evolve. The numbers next year done by Pete Fiutak who publishes the College Football News will be interesting. Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said earlier this month that he projects the Buckeyes to be able to accommodate between 22-50,000 fans at Ohio Stadium.

University of Miami President Julio Frenk said last week that his expectations about fans at Miami Hurricanes games will depend on what the circumstances are. Frenk felt that even without fans it would be a good first step for the Miami football team to begin play this fall.