FINAL 2023 Big Sky Attendance, ranked, averaged & compared

[grizzlyjournal]

Attendance – Big Sky Conference
2023 Football

Curious, I compiled 2023 Big Sky Football attendance stats to see how Montana compares to the rest of the conference.

The final numbers – very clearly – illustrate the disparity. Furthermore – when attendance stats for all other Big Sky team sports are included, the gap widens further (which can be easily proven). The 30,052 gap between Montana and MSU’s second-ranked total is clear enough… but the gap widens drastically from there, with Montana drawing almost 100 thousand fans more than third-grossing SAC.

I have NO clue where the mean price of Montana tickets lands, but – given a wild guess of $50 per ticket, Montana’s revenue gross for 2023 would be: $8,038,365.00.

Here are the 2023 Big Sky Conf season attendance TOTALS & per-game average (all home games). I got these from the box scores of all games listed at the Big Skyconf.com site:

1. MONTANA 6 games: Total attendance -- 157,615 / pg. avg. -- 26,269
2. MSU 6 games: Total attendance -- 127,563 / pg. Avg. -- 21,260

3. SAC 5 games: Total attendance -- 66,742 / pg. avg. -- 13,348
4. Cal Davis 5 games: Total attendance -- 52, 809 / pg. Avg – 10,561

5. Idaho 4 games: Total attendance -- 46,578 / pg. avg. -- 11,694
6. Cal Poly 6 games: Total attendance -- 44,251 / pg. avg. -- 7,375
7. WSU 5 games: Total attendance -- 40,777 / pg. Avg. -- 8,155

8. ISU 5 games: Total attendance -- 37,511 / pg. avg. -- 7,502
9. NAU 5 games: Total attendance -- 36,177 / pg. avg. -- 7,235
10. EWU 5 games: Total attendance -- 28,387 / pg. Avg. -- 5,677

11. UNC 5 games: Total attendance -- 18,242 / pg. avg. -- 3,648
12. PSU 5 games: Total attendance -- 13,024 / pg. avg. -- 2,604


One further item for comparison: Wyoming of the MWC, this season grossed 162,143 fans through seven (7) games, a 23,163 pg. Average. Utah State grossed 115,693 fans through six (6) games, a 19,282 pg. Average. Those schools rank in the middle of the MWC in yearly football attendance.

The difference, of course, is that those schools hosted non-conference foes like Appalachian State, James Madison and Texas Tech, not to mention MWC league foes.

Draw any conclusions you wish. I have several, including that the stats seem to show that Montana is largely subsidizing the Big Sky while other schools are “riding coat tails.

Season totals below.


ATTENDANCE: Week 9 (November 18)
27,178 at Montana 37 – MSU 7
11,622 at UC Davis 31 – SAC 21
2,578 at UNC 23 – PSU 27
4,078 at EWU 42 – NAU 49
9,854 at Idaho 63 – ISU 21
4,829 at Cal Poly 21 – WSU 48

ATTENDANCE: Week 8 (November 11)
20,897 at MSU 57 –- EWU 14
8,741 at Weber State 31 – Idaho 29
6,003 at NAU 28 – UNC 7
12,022 at SAC 41 – Cal Poly 30
7,001 at ISU 14 – UC Davis 21
4,578 at PSU 10 – Montana 34

ATTENDANCE: Week 7 (November 4)
21,297 at MSU 45 – NAU 21
3,608 at UNC 13 – Idaho 27
4345 at EWU 48 – Cal Poly 13
8,233 at ISU 21 – WSU 33
8,945 at UC Davis 37 – PSU 23
25,888 at Montana 34 – SAC 7


ATTENDANCE: Week 6: (October 28)
25,463 at Montana 40 – UNC 0
13,073 at Idaho 24 – MSU 21
3,189 at PSU 47 – EWU 35
6931 at NAU 38 – UC Davis 21
13,733at SAC 51 – ISU 16

ATTENDANCE: Week 5 (October 21)
2,174 at PSU 24 - ISU 38
7,514 at EWU 32 – WSU 23
9,263 at Cal Poly 24 – UNC 17
16,122 at SAC St 30 – MSU 42,

ATTENDANCE: Week 4 (October 14)
4,783 at UNC 13 – SAC St. 21
9,713 at NAU 21 – PSU 45
6,763 at ISU 42 – EWU 41
21,997 at MSU 59 – Cal Poly 19
7,121 at WSU 16 – Cal Davis 17
14,218 at Idaho 21 – Montana 23

ATTENDANCE: WEEK 3 (October 7)
9,576 at Cal Davis 23 – Montana 31
7,694 at Weber State 10 - NAU 27
6,028 at Cal Poly 14 – Idaho 42

ATTENDANCE: WEEK 2 (September 30)
3,375 at UNC 21 – WSU 28
8,347 at EWU 36 – Idaho 44
26,678 at Montana 28 – ISU 20
22,017 at MSU 38 – PSU 22
8,744 at Cal Poly 13 – Cal Davis 31
12,549 at SAC 31 – NAU 30

ATTENDANCE: WEEK 1 (September 23)
1,672 at PSU 59 -- Cal Poly 21
9,433 at Idaho 36 – Sac St. 27
6,428 at NAU 28 – Montana 14
8,012 at ISU 35 – UNC 21
10,905 at WSU 0 – MSU 40
14,724 at Cal Davis 24 – EWU 27

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

How much money do you think the other BSC schools earn directly linked to UM? I don't believe it is as much as you are trying to suggest..not even close probably.

 

[ElrodGrizzly]

How much money do you think the other BSC schools earn directly linked to UM? I don't believe it is as much as you are trying to suggest..not even close probably.

I don't know how the Big Sky Conference is funded in general, but I'd suspect that you are right that we are probably not paying them a ton in terms of our ticket revenue. I'd also venture, though, the ESPN+ deal would have paid the conference a lot less without Montana/MSU in the picture. The above numbers, and other's I've seen showing attendance as a percentage of stadium capacity, do imply that other teams have very few people that give a damn, comparatively.

 

[AZGrizFan]

How much money do you think the other BSC schools earn directly linked to UM? I don't believe it is as much as you are trying to suggest..not even close probably.

Idaho’s 4 home games were:

9,433 Sac State
14,218 Montana
13,073 MSU
9,854 ISU

You tell me…

 

[kemajic]

How much money do you think the other BSC schools earn directly linked to UM? I don't believe it is as much as you are trying to suggest..not even close probably.

Assigning PSU as a UM rivalry was directly connected to the BSC trying to shore up its weakest draw.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

How much money do you think the other BSC schools earn directly linked to UM? I don't believe it is as much as you are trying to suggest..not even close probably.

Idaho’s 4 home games were:

9,433 Sac State
14,218 Montana
13,073 MSU
9,854 ISU

You tell me…

So 5000x$30=$150,000 every other year on an $15 million athletic budget...so 1% on the very high end and most likely less.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

How much money do you think the other BSC schools earn directly linked to UM? I don't believe it is as much as you are trying to suggest..not even close probably.

Assigning PSU as a UM rivalry was directly connected to the BSC trying to shore up its weakest draw.

This was more about PSU gaming the system. But if UM was such a big deal $$$, why does PSU play 2 FBS games every year?

 

[kemajic]

Assigning PSU as a UM rivalry was directly connected to the BSC trying to shore up its weakest draw.

This was more about PSU gaming the system. But if UM was such a big deal $$$, why does PSU play 2 FBS games every year?

I missed someone saying it was a big deal. Maybe you have a link.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

This was more about PSU gaming the system. But if UM was such a big deal $$$, why does PSU play 2 FBS games every year?

I missed someone saying it was a big deal. Maybe you have a link.

Guess you missed the "Montana is largely subsidizing the Big Sky while other schools are “riding coat tails" part.

 

[BadlandsGrizFan]

If neither Montana schools are in the Big Sky the conference is D2

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

If neither Montana schools are in the Big Sky the conference is D2

Big Sky would be fine. FBS money games is what subsidizes the other schools. If that money dries up, Montana and Montana St are not going to save them.

 

[GrizTexas]

If neither Montana schools are in the Big Sky the conference is D2

Big Sky would be fine. FBS money games is what subsidizes the other schools. If that money dries up, Montana and Montana St are not going to save them.

With no more PAC 12 to provide a lot of those money games there may be some issues in the future. Those schools moving to the Big 10 or the Big 12 won't be looking at the Big Sky to fill their non-conference schedule...

 

[IdaGriz01]

Big Sky would be fine. FBS money games is what subsidizes the other schools. If that money dries up, Montana and Montana St are not going to save them.

With no more PAC 12 to provide a lot of those money games there may be some issues in the future. Those schools moving to the Big 10 or the Big 12 won't be looking at the Big Sky to fill their non-conference schedule...

If I'm not mistaken, the Big Ten only allows its members to schedule FCS opponents under very narrow restrictions. With the additions, I suspect that just ain't gonna happen. Not sure about the Big 12. They used to schedule a fair number of FCS games, but I suspect that's going to change.

 

[AZGrizFan]

Idaho’s 4 home games were:

9,433 Sac State
14,218 Montana
13,073 MSU
9,854 ISU

You tell me…

So 5000x$30=$150,000 every other year on an $15 million athletic budget...so 1% on the very high end and most likely less.

I was thinking the impact on the community, more than just the game ticket cost. Gas, food, lodging, food and drink at the game…it’s a much more significant number than $150,000. Is it HUUUUGE? No…but it’s meaningful.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

So 5000x$30=$150,000 every other year on an $15 million athletic budget...so 1% on the very high end and most likely less.

I was thinking the impact on the community, more than just the game ticket cost. Gas, food, lodging, food and drink at the game…it’s a much more significant number than $150,000. Is it HUUUUGE? No…but it’s meaningful.

Which has zero to do with maintaining the athletic budget. I would argue one game every two years at best is probably not the huge windfall in Portland, Sacramento, etc. No way HUUUUGGGEEE.

 

[AZGrizFan]

I was thinking the impact on the community, more than just the game ticket cost. Gas, food, lodging, food and drink at the game…it’s a much more significant number than $150,000. Is it HUUUUGE? No…but it’s meaningful.

Which has zero to do with maintaining the athletic budget. I would argue one game every two years at best is probably not the huge windfall in Portland, Sacramento, etc. No way HUUUUGGGEEE.

Well I missed that part of the conversation.