Playoff Attendance

[BisonDivot]

What’s the incentive to publish a lower attendance number than actual? Or did 2000 people wait until after halftime to walk in?

No incentive to adjust lower. Just no initiative to actually count it correctly either.

[Redwing]

No incentive to adjust lower. Just no initiative to actually count it correctly either.

Well, there is that ticket gate split with the NCAA. I don't think a school would do it, but it is there.

[BisonDivot]

Reserved seating on the Harding side (home side) of McKinney is already sold out. General admission still open.

[sportsvine]

Attendance for the championship game.....12,552. Awesome showing.

[BisonDivot]

Attendance for the championship game.....12,552. Awesome showing.

I was very pleased with the Bison nation showing up. The atmosphere was electric and it really was like a second homecoming. I saw people the I see at every home game as well as people I haven’t seen in 20 years.

[IUPNation]

Attendance for the championship game.....12,552. Awesome showing.

Yes…and neither team was from the area like the previous record crowds in KC and Florence

[bigmrg74]

Attendance for the championship game.....12,552. Awesome showing.

Probably more people at the Championship game than at the Carolina Panthers game today. Haven't found an official number that makes sense of bodies through the gate, but there was some estimates of 5,000 or so there.

[CHIP72]

Probably more people at the Championship game than at the Carolina Panthers game today. Haven't found an official number that makes sense of bodies through the gate, but there was some estimates of 5,000 or so there.

Pouring rain the entire game, home team is 1-12 coming into the game, can't use umbrellas at the stadium (only protection is ponchos and other wearable rain gear) - yeah, I can understand why people didn't attend that Falcons/Panthers game in Charlotte.

Speaking from personal experience of attending multiple NFL rain games (though only one where it rained most/all of the game), sitting in the rain most/all of the game is no fun. The only saving grace in Charlotte yesterday was that it wasn't a cold rain. (I've had experience with that too, at a DI-AA/FCS playoff game semi-coincidentally, and that was no fun either, even with an umbrella for extra protection.)

[CHIP72]

Yes…and neither team was from the area like the previous record crowds in KC and Florence

It helped that the north Dallas suburbs are semi-drivable from Harding/central Arkansas, Colorado School of Mines is located in a metro area (Denver) that is an airline hub (also true of the game site in the Dallas/Fort Worth area), and that both schools have a solid number of alumni in north Texas, but the fan turnout was very strong and good to see.

I wonder if the D2 title game this past Saturday will end up having more fans in the stands than the Frisco Bowl between Texas-San Antonio (USTA) and Marshall held in nearby Frisco has on Tuesday night (or for that matter more fans than the James Madison/Air Force matchup in the Armed Forces Bowl on Saturday 12/23 in Fort Worth or the Texas State/Rice game in the First Responders Bowl on Tuesday 12/26 in Dallas). I wouldn't be surprised if Harding/CSoM tops USTA/Marshall (or Texas State/Rice) attendance-wise.

[Searcy]

Attendance for the championship game.....12,552. Awesome showing.

In the 4th quarter, the stadium announcer announced that it was a new attendance record for the stadium. The Harding side was 100% full, and the Orediggers side was full as well, but there were sections full of HU fans over there (you could see them waving the black and gold pom poms that Harding was handing out to fans at their tail gate and as they walked in through the Home entrance).

[bigmrg74]

In the 4th quarter, the stadium announcer announced that it was a new attendance record for the stadium. The Harding side was 100% full, and the Orediggers side was full as well, but there were sections full of HU fans over there (you could see them waving the black and gold pom poms that Harding was handing out to fans at their tail gate and as they walked in through the Home entrance).

New attendance record as in the local HS never managed to pack out the place that well before?? Wow.

[Searcy]

New attendance record as in the local HS never managed to pack out the place that well before?? Wow.

That was what they said. The stated capacity of the stadium is 12,000 even and the attendance Saturday was that plus a few hundred.

[IUPNation]

That was what they said. The stated capacity of the stadium is 12,000 even and the attendance Saturday was that plus a few hundred.

It sounds like it is a contest in Texastan to see who can build the biggest and nicest high school stadium as a matter of one upmanship and not because they need to them to accomodate crowds at the actual games.

[Brandon]

It sounds like it is a contest in Texastan to see who can build the biggest and nicest high school stadium as a matter of one upmanship and not because they need to them to accomodate crowds at the actual games.

McKinney ISD is not even the nicest stadium in a three mile radius. It's crazy.

[Bearhof]

McKinney ISD is not even the nicest stadium in a three mile radius. It's crazy.

You’re right about that. There is so much wealth in that area its unbelievable the way they are. My daughter lives in Highland Park with her husband and my two grandkids so I know first hand what goes on around there. They tear down things most people would love to have and build something bigger and more extravagant. Tore down Dallas Country Club a beautiful place and built a new one for about 75 million with no bank loan necessary. The high school stadium there is top notch as well. Around ten thousand and sells out most every game. I actually heard they have a large number of season ticket holders every year. The Lamar Hunt family has a stadium in Frisco where they play the D1 championship. My son-in-law is friends with them so I went to their suite for a North Dakota State game against JMU. That’s a great stadium used mostly for soccer. Oh well just thought you might like to know this. Have a blessed Christmas.