2013 was the HIGHEST ATTENDED CARDINAL FOOTBALL SEASON IN HISTORY. That’s impressive. The Cards are 10-1 and benefited from fabulous weather despite a sub par schedule. Attendance around the country has declined as a result of the television experience becoming more & more attractive with the ability to watch more games & being more cost effective. Still the fan experience at the University of Louisville is still developing. Last week we learned that the University of Louisville is exploring the possibility of expanding the North End Zone of Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium and increasing the stadium’s capacity. The stadium will also have an Academic Center added to the South End Zone and the Howard Schellenberger Complex will also be increased in size very soon.
In 2013, the Cardinals saw their highest average attendance of 52,913, which is 2265.57 more than the previous high of 50,648.14 the first year after Papa John’s was expanded in 2010. Louisville also broke their total attendance record by 15,859 for the season. That’s a huge margin and a 4.47% jump from the previous record.
Next season the Cards will have a completely different kind of schedule than they have ever seen in school history. The Cards will host 6 home games: Florida State, Miami, NC State, Wake Forest, Kentucky, FCS. And will play Boston College, Clemson, FIU, Notre Dame, Syracuse, and Virginia away. The schedule couldn’t be more different and the home slate will encourage even more interest in attendance. I look for 2014 to break the 2013 record. But for now, Card fans should celebrate this achievement, but they must also realize that the fanbase must continue to grow.
| 2013 | |||||
| 55332 | |||||
| 53647 | |||||
| 51586 | |||||
| 55168 | |||||
| 55215 | |||||
| 53027 | |||||
| 46421 | – | ||||
| – | – | – | |||
| Total | 370396 | ||||
| Average | 52913.71 |
| 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | |
| 55386 | 46157 | 55327 | 39344 | 42696 | |
| 47553 | 47228 | 51427 | 39948 | 38694 | |
| 53334 | 53267 | 48427 | 37268 | 42208 | |
| 50167 | 48435 | 55106 | 21497 | 42523 | |
| 53271 | 44817 | 48591 | 33223 | 38319 | |
| 44609 | 51321 | 43887 | 23422 | 40384 | |
| 45618 | – | 51772 | – | 37822 | |
| – | – | – | – | 34796 | |
| Total | 349938 | 291225 | 354537 | 194702 | 317442 |
| Average | 49991.14 | 48537.5 | 50648.14 | 32450.33 | 39680.25 |
| 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | |
| 42185 | 42597 | 42647 | 42681 | 40205 | |
| 40882 | 42704 | 40219 | 40220 | 38489 | |
| 40922 | 41549 | 41334 | 42032 | 40432 | |
| 40894 | 43217 | 42692 | 40107 | 38119 | |
| 34792 | 40348 | 41219 | 37617 | 30114 | |
| 39612 | 38476 | 37896 | – | 33268 | |
| – | – | – | – | – | |
| – | – | – | – | – | |
| Total | 239287 | 248891 | 246007 | 202657 | 220627 |
| Average | 39881.17 | 41481.83 | 41001.17 | 40531.4 | 36771.17 |
| 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | |
| 42660 | 38129 | 42510 | 38147 | 42643 | |
| 38109 | 35214 | 41227 | 40332 | 38231 | |
| 34127 | 39256 | 38121 | 41214 | 35479 | |
| 32428 | 39389 | 39233 | 33879 | 39247 | |
| 36253 | 33627 | 38024 | 27261 | 32649 | |
| 35261 | 40479 | 30387 | 34786 | 40349 | |
| – | – | 40328 | 41826 | – | |
| – | – | – | – | – | |
| Total | 218838 | 226094 | 269830 | 257445 | 228598 |
| Average | 36473 | 37682.33 | 38547.14 | 36777.86 | 38099.67 |
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