The NCAA News, the official publication of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, reports the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference led Division II football attendance for the second season in a row. According to the January 31st issue, the SIAC posted a 2004 attendance of 289,352 and averaged a crowd of 6,889 people per game.
Six SIAC schools also made the Top 20 list for Division II game attendance. SIAC champions Albany State University ranked second on the list with an average attendance of 11,582 behind North Dakota State. Albany State played 2 fewer games at home than North Dakota State, but their stellar season attracted 3,051 more fans than in 2003. Although Tuskegee had a small decrease in attendance this season, the Golden Tigers still ranked third on the list with an average attendance of 10,909. Miles College also saw a decrease in attendance but ranked 5th on the top 20 list with an average of 10,222. Fort Valley State’s 4 game average was 6,629 which ranks them at 14th in Division II. Benedict College only played 3 home games but still placed 19th in the Top 20 with an average of 6,160. Morehouse saw a tremendous increase of 2,232 fans from last year, which allowed them to grab the final spot in the Top 20 with an average of 6,116.
“The SIAC has the best fans in the world and our football programs have a tremendous following”, said SIAC Commissioner William Lide. “I am pleased with the numbers but not surprised. Our schools have a rich legacy of supporting football and these statistics are evidence of the growth of our conference.”
The SIAC has many national accolades in football that contribute to its tremendous fan base. This season, Albany State University advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Playoffs, losing to the eventual national champion Valdosta State. The conference has to the nation’s oldest black college football rivalry. Morehouse and Tuskegee have been playing each other since 1902. This season’s 68th annual Tuskegee-Morehouse classic drew a crowd of 20,351. In addition, The SIAC hosts, with the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) the Pioneer Bowl, the only NCAA sanctioned post-season bowl game for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The conference is also home to Fort Valley State running back Derrick Wimbush, West Team MVP of the Hula Bowl.
A complete listing of the attendance for 2004 football season is available at
www.ncaa.org.
Posted By: Will Moss
Friday, May 13th 2005 at 4:11AM
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