Football Home Attendance Highest Since 2012
Student football attendance sees 39 percent rise over 2017
USF student attendance rises across all fall sports
TAMPA, NOV. 29, 2018 – Following a regular season ending crowd of 57,626 for the War On I-4, USF football posted its best season home attendance average in six seasons as the Bulls averaged 38,517 fans for six home games during the 2018 season.
USF's home attendance average for 2018 stands as the second-best mark among American Athletic Conference teams, more than 5,600 fans per game better than the third-best average attendance in the league. The 38,517 average marks USF's best home football attendance since averaging 44,120 fans for six games during the 2012 season, which featured a home contest vs. No. 4 Florida State that drew the largest crowd in program history of 69,383. The 2018 season average was an increase of more than 7,000 fans per game over the 2017 season, the first that did not feature a ranked home opponent since 2010.
"It's very exciting to see Bulls fans bringing tremendous energy and support to Raymond James Stadium," Vice President of Athletics
Michael Kelly said. "It is incredibly meaningful to our student-athletes and coaches as well as to continuing the momentum of not only our football program but USF Athletics overall. We are thankful to everyone who was a part of Bulls Nation in 2018, and came out and supported the Bulls and enjoyed one of the best game day experiences in the country at Ray Jay."
Nearly 11,000 students bolstered the crowd of 57,626 for the War On I-4, the second-largest in the series' history and the eighth-largest crowd to witness a USF football game in Raymond James Stadium. USF student attendance at football games rose 39 percent over the 2017 season to an average of 7,797 students per game in 2018. The rise in student attendance at football games was part of a rise in student attendance across all of USF's fall sports, including gains in men's and women's soccer and volleyball.
"The USF students are our No. 1 supporters and so critical to our overall success." Kelly said. "I love seeing their engagement and support of all our programs and that they are enjoying the experience of cheering on the Bulls in competition and supporting their school with pride."
The football team has won 20 of its last 25 home games, while women's soccer has won 16 of its last 17 at Corbett Stadium while advancing to the NCAA Tournament in four of the last five years . The men's soccer team went 5-2 at home in 2018 and the women's volleyball team posted a 9-6 home mark in 2018 while garnering a 20-win season and first postseason berth since 2002.
USF football (7-5; 3-5 American) will find out this weekend its destination for the program's 10
th bowl appearance and fourth straight. The Bulls are 6-3 all-time in bowl games and have won in five of their last six bowl appearances, including defeats of South Carolina and Texas Tech in USF's last two appearances in the Birmingham Bowl.
The priority renewal period for season ticket members for the 2019 season has begun. Season ticket members can lock in their current seat locations, add new seats or change seat locations for the 2019 season. Season tickets may be renewed by visiting
USFBullsTix.com by calling 1-800-Go-Bulls. Season ticket members that renew by the priority deadline of Dec. 15 will receive an early renewal gift.
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
USF posted its second straight 10-win season in 2017 (10-2) by winning its second straight Birmingham Bowl with a 38-34 victory over Texas Tech. USF is one of just 15 teams nationally to win 20-plus games in the last two seasons (21-4) and posted a program-record 20 straight weeks ranked in the top 25, reaching as high as No. 13 in Week 8 of the 2017 season. The Bulls have won five of their last six bowl appearances and made nine (6-3) total bowl appearances in 21 seasons, including a current run of three straight bowls. USF won a program-record 11 games in 2016 (11-2) and has posted 14 winning seasons. The USF program, which first took the field in 1997, reached No. 2 in the rankings in 2007 and has seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft, 14 named All-American and had 28 first-team all-conference selections.
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