Attendance data involving regional home-and-home football series games between NCAA Division I FCS PWIs (predominantly white institutions) and FCS HBCUs revealed that PWIs overwhelmingly fared better in home attendance compared to HBCUs.
HBCU Sports compiled a list of 64 MEAC and SWAC football games (obtained from official game box scores) dating back to 2009 that involved nonconference home-and-home series against PWIs.
The list shows that the home attendance of games played on PWI campuses had a higher stadium capacity percentage than those played on HBCU campuses.
From 2009 to 2019, the average stadium capacity percentage for the PWIs listed was 74.2% compared to 47.3% for the games played on HBCU campuses.
Grambling State (white) vs. Northwestern State (purple) in a 2018 game played at NSU’s Turpin Stadium. Photo: NSU Athletics
There were, however, some exceptions in which HBCU teams fared as well and even better than PWIs.
During the 2011-2012 home-and-home series between North Carolina Central and Elon, both schools recorded a stadium capacity of 67 percent. The attendance of the 2011 contest played at NCCU’s O’Kelly–Riddick Stadium (stadium capacity 10000) was 6722. In 2012, at Elon’s Rhodes Stadium (capacity 11250), the game’s official attendance was 7528.
South Carolina State’s 2014-2015 home-and-home series with Furman resulted in SCSU gaining the home attendance advantage. When the Bulldogs hosted Furman in their 2014 contest, the official box score recorded the attendance at 9,613, which is 44% capacity at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.
The following year, Furman recorded that game’s attendance at 1,022 — which is six percent of Paladin Stadium’s capacity of 16,000 — however, the box score indicated the game was played in “steady rain.”
Morgan State had the higher home attendance in the Bears’ 2017-2018 home-and-home series against Towson. In the 2017 game, played at Johnny Unitas Stadium, which has a capacity of 11198, Towson’s home attendance was 6,563 (58% capacity).
When Morgan State hosted the game the following year in 2018 at Hughes Memorial Stadium (capacity 10001), the recorded attendance was 9,209 (92% capacity).
Morgan State vs. Townson in a 2018 game played at Hughes Memorial Stadium on the MSU campus. Photo: MSU Athletics
Division I HBCU/PWI home-and-home football series game attendance since 2009
In this new world of the NCAA finally admitting they are a for-profit organization, athletes aren't the only ones looking to make an untethered profit. Yahoo Sports College...
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Board of Directors voted last week to approve Durham, North Carolina, as the site of the conference championship game starting next year. The...
Bethune-Cookman is setting themselves up for a breakout year under second-year head coach Raymond Woodie following a productive offseason of recruiting wins. In search of their first winning...
Virginia Union head coach Alvin Parker was named the Black College Coach of the Year. The Panthers’ head man was honored at the Black College Football Hall of...
Amid ESPN moving the Cricket Celebration Bowl up a week to avoid conflict with the new 12-team Football Bowl Series Playoffs, the Southwestern Athletic Conference released a statement...