It is unclear if college football is losing popularity overall, as viewership and attendance have fluctuated in recent years and vary between different regions and conferences.
A thorough response to a query
College football has been a beloved American tradition for over a century, with rabid fans and historic rivalries. However, in recent years, there have been indications that its popularity might be ebbing.
One factor is declining attendance. According to NCAA data, average attendance at college football games has dropped from a peak of 46,971 in 2008 to 41,856 in 2019. This could be due to various reasons such as ticket prices, weather conditions, and viewership options.
Another factor is the viewership decline, which has been more dramatic. For example, in 2017, ESPN reported their lowest ratings ever for college football, with most major networks seeing declines in viewership. However, it’s worth noting that viewership can fluctuate and is often affected by factors like the strength of the game’s matchup, time of day, and competing programming.
Despite these trends, it’s important to recognize that college football remains hugely popular and profitable. In 2019, the football programs at the 65 Power Five schools generated $4.1 billion in revenue, according to data from USA Today. Additionally, college football seems to be thriving regionally, with teams from the South, Midwest, and West Coast maintaining strong followings and rivalries.
As actor and college football enthusiast Matthew McConaughey put it, “College football is part of the fabric of America. It’s religion. It’s big business. But it’s also just a game and some people don’t seem to get that.”
Table:
| Year | Average Attendance at College Football Games |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 46,971 |
| 2009 | 45,545 |
| 2010 | 45,498 |
| 2011 | 45,498 |
| 2012 | 45,274 |
| 2013 | 44,947 |
| 2014 | 44,603 |
| 2015 | 43,106 |
| 2016 | 43,330 |
| 2017 | 42,203 |
| 2018 | 41,856 |
| 2019 | 41,477 |
See a related video
In a recent YouTube video titled “Josh Pate On College Football Adding Fans vs Losing Fans (Late Kick Extra)”, Josh Pate discusses whether the new changes in college football like the NIL legislation, realignment, and the expanded playoff will attract new fans or drive away old fans. He expresses his love for the autumn regular season games and the culture of college football, but fears that these may be lost in the future. Pate doubts that the new landscape of college football will increase its already massive fan base and warns that every person who leaves the sport would require a quarter of a new person to keep it growing. He hopes he is wrong but stresses the importance of the audience subscribed to the channel to keep the content free.
Other responses to your inquiry
The per-game national decline of 1,629 fans in 2021 is the steepest ever, a 3.93% drop from 2019. The NCAA did not compile attendance statistics from the COVID-19-impacted 2020 season for the first time since it began keeping overall attendance figures in 1948.
More interesting on the topic
Is football popularity declining?
The answer is: The decrease in full-team tackle football at the high school level appears to have fueled recent diminished involvement in high school athletics overall. The National Federation of State High School Associations reported around 7.6 million participants across various types of sports in 2021-22, down 4% from 2018-19.
Is college football becoming less popular?
It seems almost certain that 2020 or 2021 will see overall high school participation in tackle football drop to below 1 million players, a level of participation not seen since 1998. Over that same decade season attendance at top-level college games (Football Bowl Subdivision) declined by almost 10% (per school).
Is college football growing in popularity?
Attendance superlatives
The 2022 national average still sits 7,123 per game behind the all-time record of 46,971 in 2008. The 2021 average of 39,848 was the lowest since 1981 (34,621). National attendance increased for a record 12 consecutive years from 1997-2008.
Is college football or NFL more popular?
The reply will be: It is played between the champions of the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC), and its winner is awarded the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Collegiate football ranks third in overall popularity in the United States, behind baseball and pro football.
How popular is college football?
College football ranks as the nation’s second most popular sport with 47.5 million fans attending games in 2019 and 392 regular season telecasts reaching more than 145 million unique fans† and 38 postseason bowl games reaching 90 million.
Is the decline of football affecting college football?
Answer to this: Over that same decade season attendance at top-level college games (Football Bowl Subdivision) declined by almost 10% (per school). Even the National Football League appears to have seen effects of the decline of football.
Are college football fans still fans?
Response will be: Though Gallup’s October polling showed a decline in the percentage of Americans saying they are fans of professional football, the drop-off did not occur among college football fans, and it may not have included the hardcore NFL fans who consider it their favorite sport.
Is college football taking on a professional sports quality?
The answer is: College football is taking on a professional sports quality. The “single elimination” genius of a regular season defined by rankings and a variety of colorful bowls on New Year’s Day (again, tradition) will be sacrificed in favor of a fight for slots in a playoff.
How popular is college football?
Response: College football ranks as the nation’s second most popular sport with 47.5 million fans attending games in 2019 and 392 regular season telecasts reaching more than 145 million unique fans† and 38 postseason bowl games reaching 90 million.
Is the decline of football affecting college football?
Over that same decade season attendance at top-level college games (Football Bowl Subdivision) declined by almost 10% (per school). Even the National Football League appears to have seen effects of the decline of football.
Are college football fans still fans?
Though Gallup’s October polling showed a decline in the percentage of Americans saying they are fans of professional football, the drop-off did not occur among college football fans, and it may not have included the hardcore NFL fans who consider it their favorite sport.
How many fans did NCAA football have in 2019?
Answer will be: The 669 NCAA football programs (FBS, FCS, DII, DIII) drew 47,537,702 fans at home, neutral-site and postseason games in 2019, according to the annual NCAA report.