College Football Attendance: A Panel Study of the Football Championship Subdivision

Abstract

Panel data across 8 years for the Football Championship Subdivision are used to estimate regular season game‐day percent of capacity regression equations. Higher ticket prices reduce attendance (elasticity of −1.9). Better team performance, in the short and intermediate terms, and traditional rivalries increase percent of capacity used. Poor weather and higher travel costs decrease it. Fan interest wanes as a season progresses, but this is offset as a team wins more games. Games played on Saturdays, played against conference opponents, or played by teams from the Football Bowl Subdivision increase stadium utilization. Results provide some evidence for the uncertainty of outcome hypothesis. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.