A year ago we noted that the 2010 Texas Bowl might have been the largest gathering of Baylor fans ever in one place. That record may have been shattered already.
The 2011 Alamo Bowl drew 65,256 fans, the fifth-largest crowd in the bowl’s history, and once again the vast majority of those were wearing green and gold. The Baylor colors swarmed San Antonio’s Riverwalk and even took over the city’s Tower of the Americas.
[Click here for a photo gallery showing Baylor Nation at the 2011 Alamo Bowl.]
For the second year in a row, Baylor Nation’s turnout has made the Bears’ game one of the top-10 best-attended bowls in the country. Of the 35 games played, only eight attracted more fans than the Alamo Bowl — and four of those were BCS games. [Updated with final numbers 1/12/12]
It wasn’t just Baylor fans following the game, either. The high-powered shootout also drew a tremendous television audience, averaging 5.1 million households to become the fifth most-watched non-BCS bowl game in ESPN history and the most-watched non-BCS bowl game of the year.
So in the past three years, we’ve seen:
- Football set records for season ticket sales, total and average season attendance (all in 2011).
- Football attract the third-largest crowd in Houston bowl history (dating back to 1959) and the fifth-largest crowd in San Antonio bowl history (dating to 1993).
- Men’s basketball set season and single-game attendance records, with five crowds of 10,000+.
- Women’s basketball set season and single-game attendance records, with six crowds of 10,000+.
- Women’s basketball host the second-best attended NCAA regional in the country in 2011.
- Men’s basketball draw 47,000+ for an Elite Eight showdown in Houston (and nearly 14 million viewers on CBS).
- Women’s basketball attract almost 26,000 for a Final Four game in San Antonio (with between 2-3 million viewers).
Let’s keep this rolling! Between now and Feb. 1 (or until supplies run out), you can get 2012 football season tickets for just $103 (in honor of BU’s 10-3 season). And until football kicks off this fall, keep filling the stands at the Ferrell Center and Baylor’s other athletic venues.
Sic ’em, Baylor Nation!
