Fresno State football fans could be chanting ‘We’re No. 1’ at end of football season
Fresno State is on pace to sell more than 18,000 football season tickets and come December it could be touting itself as No. 1 in the nation in attendance among Group of Five programs, a nice selling point for university officials as they attempt to raise the Bulldogs’ national profile and that of the Valley with an eye toward future conference expansion.
“There’s incredible momentum and alignment around our program right now, and we’re continuing to see that in our ticket sales and attendance,” said Frank Pucher, senior associate athletics director for external relations. “Where most of the country is going backward in those metrics in recent years, we’ve continued to grow year over year.
“With the strength of our valley and the Red Wave fan base, we’re truly unique on the West Coast, and we take great pride in that. We aren’t shy about our desire to lead the nation in attendance among so called Group of Five programs, and with our community behind us that can be a reality this fall.”
The Bulldogs have not hit 18,000 season tickets sold since 2015 - they were around 17,200 in 2022, according to the athletics department. The records are not complete, but Fresno State this season also has sold what it believes to be a record number of student season tickets.
The Bulldogs were ranked third in attendance in the Group of Five last season, trailing only Central Florida and East Carolina. UCF averaged 41,542 in a stadium that holds 45,301 (91.7%), East Carolina averaged 39,649 in a venue that seats 51,000 (77.7%) and the Bulldogs averaged 39.067 at Valley Children’s Stadium, which has a capacity of 41,031 (95.2%). But UCF has moved up to the Big 12 conference and East Carolina sold 14,200 season tickets through the first week in August, according to its athletics department.
Fresno State a year ago played in front of sellout home crowds twice, against No. 17 Oregon State and against San Jose State, when the athletics department retired the jersey of record-shattering wideout Davante Adams, who in just two seasons set school records for receptions (233) and receiving touchdowns (38); the receptions mark was broken in 2018 by KeeSean Johnson, the touchdowns record still stands.
The smallest crowd of the year was the home opener against Cal Poly at 36,011 - that was the largest crowd for the smallest home attendance in a season since 2004, when 37,604 took in a game against Southern Methodist.
“We made a commitment several years ago to continually and creatively engage our community in new and more effective ways and we’re experiencing the fruits of those labors,” Pucher said. “But our job is far from done.”
East Carolina would appear the challenger in the Group Of Five attendance race, though after playing North Carolina State in front of 51,711 in 2022 it does not have a Power Five opponent on its home schedule this season.
A year ago, Cincinnati (38,117) and Navy (36,165) were ranked fourth and fifth in the Group of Five in attendance, with Boise State sixth (35,121).
Cincinnati moved to the Big 12 for 2023, with UCF, Brigham Young and Houston.
Fresno State will play its home opener Sept. 9 against Eastern Washington, when coach Jim Sweeney will be the first name inducted in the new Ring of Honor at Valley Children’s Stadium.
