SEC Spring Game Attendance, Fun With Numbers

As we have come to expect Alabama had the largest spring game attendance numbers by far and away.  This year 92,310 of the Crimson Tide faithful descended into Bryant Denny Stadium to get a peak at what the Tide of 2011-12 might look like.  This was even more than last years attendance of 91,312, the unveiling of the Nick Saban statue before today's game might have drawn some of the extra crowd.

We all know that spring game numbers don't win championships.  In fact a spring game attendance has little effect on anything at all.  However, the games are a good gauge of a fan-bases enthusiasm about an upcoming year.


The University of Georgia had 42,458 at their spring game, which is up from last years 38,742.  Thus proving that in some places hope can spring eternal, after 9 years of rebuilding maybe this is Georgia's year.  However,  it still wasn't enough to lift a TV blackout in most of Georgia and North Florida.

Tennessee's spring game attendance marked in at 29,451 one of the lowest in the SEC, down from 35,891 last year.  Although with NCAA sanctions and a dismal year in football year you can hardly blame the Vols for not showing up.

LSU has never had a good crowd show up for the spring game on the bayou and this year was no different with only 25,032 in Death Valley. Perhaps because it's crayfish season?

South Carolina had a strong showing for their faithful fan-base with 30,000 coming to the spring game. The Gamecocks are hoping to make it two straight trips to the SEC championship game.

Florida also had a good showing with 53,000 in attendance. Florida unveiled some new pigeon perches statues as well, Tim Tebow, Steve Spurrier, and Danny Wuerffel were all immortalized out side the swamp. New head coach Will Muschamp was probably a contributing factor as well.

Tiny men in colorful clothes are big in Arkansas.

Arkansas spring game brought in 42,000 fans.  But, to be fair to the Hogs it is also the same day as the Arkansas Derby, an annual horse racing event that drew 62,000 today. We're sure a large number of that 62,000 would otherwise be supporting the Hogs.



The most impressive spring game showing has to be Mississippi State.  State brought in 34,127 fans, more than LSU, Tennessee or South Carolina.  It's up from last years 31,606 which was already impressive for a small state with two SEC Universities. On the other hand Ole Miss has not released any attendance figures. Most of the estimates by radio or fans at the game were around 10,000. If Ole Miss isn't careful Dan Mullen is going to make Mississippi State the Arkansas or LSU of Mississippi. Mississippi State seems to be pushing for flagship status.

The most disappointing turnout has to go to Auburn. Auburn won the national championship last year and only managed to entice 53,000 to come to the game. That's down 10,000 from last year. Many in the media and those who attended the game believe that the athletic department may have been very generous when coming up with the 53,000 number.

In the grand scheme of things these numbers mean nothing at all. All it proves is that the always faithful SEC fan-bases are ready for another hotly contested year. We can't wait.

Literally 10's of people already do.



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