I have read where some think Tulane could never average more than 25,000 home attendance. I suggest that Tulane is as capable today of averaging much more than that, just as in days past. Tulane is being resurrected from a dismal 20 year experience. With a consistant show of success for a period of 2 plus years, Tulane could begin to see a substantial rise in attendance. We could easily match attendance figures of years;
1960 -- 46,375
1966 -- 38,844
1970 -- 35,644
1972 -- 36,957
1973 -- 46,025
1974 -- 32,178
1975 -- 41,607
1977 -- 34,976
1979 -- 47,645
1980 -- 38,501
1981 -- 48,295
1982 -- 34,154

Tulane can reach those numbers again. And even surpass them with consistent success on the field.

Here is a comment on the subject I found on the YOGWF:

"I think the difference between averaging 25-35k and 45-50k comes down to CUSA, and the public perception of CUSA. I know some don't like to hear that, but the proof is with TCU and Louisville. The 30-35 seem to be the best a highly successful team in CUSA has been able to do. You would think that TCU playing a large metro football loving area would do better. I don't know how much of a difference it will make in the new Big East, but if Louisville was in the old big east and had Miami, Va Tech, and BC coming to town instead of UAB and Houston, you probably would have seen an increase. I think both Louisville and TCu are hurt by there being bigger schools with better media driven credentials near by. TU suffers from this as well.

If TU ran off a couple 10 win seasons, I think you wouldnt see more than 40k at most, simply because of who we play and the fact that it isn't recognized as being high level competition. People around here see all the attention the SEC gets, so they won't be "fooled" into thinking that TU and CUSA is at that level. Now before anyone kills me, I believe that the perception of CUSA is mostly incorrect. CUSA is not at the SEC - Big12 level, but the gap is closing. The only way that the media can change the mind of fans is if there are more louisvilles, utahs, and boise states playing with the big boys and beating them at least half the time which forces people to take notice. There is a finite number of TU fans in the area. Most are already going to games. What will really make an impact on attendance is when the non tulane fan starts to take notice and is forced to pay attention. This is a generational thing. Our hope is that the little kids running around can grow up with a big time successfull program in their back yard. TU lost several generations of local fans because of the losing ways."

I understand the perception, but the truth is the best years Tulane has had in attendance occurred after SEC affiliation. We were playing teams with no higher profile (if as high) as CUSA is now. And the proof is not with Louisville and TCU. Louisville's home attendacne has steadily increased since joining CUSA. Many of their games have been sold out. You can't do any better than "sold out." That is why they are considering expanding their stadium. TCU's attendance had been much worse before joining CUSA. Their announced move to yet another conference has not helped their situation. USM has been experiencing a steady growth in fan support, and Memphis is finally topping the 40,000 mark, while in CUSA. They have never been there before. We have, and we can do it again. If we just continue to win. It might be easier to do it with a new facility, particularly located in Jefferson Parish because of many fans aversion to traveling to the inner-city. But it can be done where we are. As for media attention, Tulane does suffer from limited exposure. The same can be said for Tulane baseball, but winning is changing that. Tulane is about to take another giant step to success this coming football season. Let's watch the effect it has on fan following.

I believe that there are a lot of New Orleanians who sympathize with Tulane and would love to see us win consistently. They don't go to the games now because losing is a drag. They would come out to the games if the winning was there.

I do think that there is a perception problem with the teams we play. Fans in this area have been brought up to believe that SEC football is the only legitimate football there is. Let's face reality, SEC fans denigrate the Big Ten and the ACC. Where does that put their perception of CUSA?

Back in the 60's and 70's we were playing 4-5 SEC teams a year. There's no doubt in my mind that scheduling more SEC teams would help attendance.

My opinion: With consistent winning, but with no SEC teams on the schedule, we could average 35-40K. With consistent winning, and with 2 SEC teams on the home schedule, we could average 45-50K. That's not to say that, if we began winning really big, like 5 9-win or 10-win seasons in a row, we couldn't average more.

I don't wholly disagree with anything that you say, but the simple fact is that during the years when Tulane had their best attendance, they were not in the SEC, nor did they play more than 2 SEC teams. And ususally it was LSU plus Kentucky, or Vandy, or Ole Miss, or MSU. The remainder of the schedule was composed of teams like VMI, a weal Miami, a weak BC, ULL, USM (same as now,) Memphis (same as now,) Duke, William and Mary, a weak North Carolina, a weak Pittsburg, Navy (same as now,) Army (same as now,) Rice (a coming attraction,) Cincinnati (familliar?,) a weak Air Force, a weak West Virginia, a weak TCU, etc.

Not much big name football there. And don't forget, our largest home crowd in 1998 was against La Tech. And that was on Thanksgiving night. But fans were beginning to turn out because they were beginning to believe.

Put a quality product on the field in an open air stadium and we'd be at 40K overnight. Losing is a drag, but so is the Superdome with earpounding rap music and steakhouse commercials. Of course, a legitimate band will instantly help improve the ambiance, but we MUST get away from the "Pro" atmosphere at our games.

I've always been curious about this, so I ran some numbers. From 1966 - 2003, home attendance:

50 games vs. SEC: 41,088
37 games vs. SEC (excluding LSU): 32,531
27 games vs. SEC (excluding LSU & Vandy): 35,305

166 games vs. non-SEC: 26,918

Something that really stood out to me that shocked me:
The best attendance other than LSU games was Georgia Tech in 1973 & 1975. Also, the 1979 & 1971 Georgia Tech games were over 50,000. In fact, the average for 9 Georgia Tech games from 1967 - 1982 was 42,937. Too bad we quit playing them.

GreenMenace Wrote:Put a quality product on the field in an open air stadium and we'd be at 40K overnight. Losing is a drag, but so is the Superdome with earpounding rap music and steakhouse commercials. Of course, a legitimate band will instantly help improve the ambiance, but we MUST get away from the "Pro" atmosphere at our games.

I don't know if it has much relevance, but, since I had the numbers, I also ran Tulane Stadium vs. Superdome attendance:

1966 - 1974 (TU Stadium): 49 games 31,645 avg.
1975 - 2003 (Superdome): 167 games 29,774 avg.

However, if you eliminate the LSU games, it's:
1966 - 1974 (TU Stadium): 44 games 26,422 avg.
1975 - 2003 (Superdome): 157 games 27,937 avg.

I hope you don't mind me crashing your boards but what year was it when you had great football teams (with Rich Hontas as QB)? Attendance was great that year and it carried over for a couple of years after that. Roch was one of the greatest QB's I've ever seen live. Sorry he didn't go pro but I heard he became a doctor.

Yes. Rock is an orthopedic surgeon in Covington. He is doing very well. He was committed to becoming a doctor, studing hard while playing QB for Tulane. He was an excellent player who let the pros know early that he did not wish to be drafted. He was Tulane's starting QB from 1976 through 1979 capping his career with a 24-13 victory over LSU before 73,000+ fans in the Superdome, and earning a trip to the Liberty Bowl against Penn State.

I would bet the farm if the Saints would finally take a hiatus to L.A., Tulane's attendance would shoot back up to the 40's overnight. :)

Greenman, I've been preaching that for over a year, but nobody will listen. I'd be happy to help the Aints pack. Until then, I'll take a wait and see attitude.