Schools Strategize to Boost Student Football Attendance

Paul Steinbach Headshot

Ohio University students traversing campus in the fall can't help but notice the posters and flyers promoting the Bobcats' next home football game. Sidewalk chalk and a graffiti wall reinforce the message. Student Facebook pages and Twitter feeds are likewise plastered with daily reminders and paid advertising during game week.

Since the time Drake Bolon was an Ohio MBA student in 2008-09, student attendance at football games has increased 85 percent. As the athletic department's current director of marketing, Bolon now presides over the methodologies used to maintain interest in Bobcat football. "There's never an excuse for a student not to know when a game is," he says. "Something I heard when I first was starting out was that students didn't know when the game was, and I hear that from our peers in the Midwest Athletic Conference and other schools across the country. That's really step one. We make sure that's darn near impossible."

STUDENT APATHY An increasing number of athletic departments are pondering the steps necessary to keep their own student fan bases engaged amid a growing trend of apathy. More students are coming to games late or leaving early - if they're coming at all.

Log in to view the full article
AB Show 2023 in Baltimore
AB Show is a solution-focused event for athletics, fitness, recreation and military professionals.
Nov 1-4, 2023
Learn More
AB Show 2023
Buyer's Guide
Information on more than 3,000 companies, sorted by category. Listings are updated daily.
Learn More
Buyer's Guide