Are there women's basketball programs that outdraw men's basketball?

posted by Swish Appeal
Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 2:11pm EST

In keeping with SB Nation’s innovative use of social media in reshaping sports journalism, our vision is a women's basketball site that goes beyond merely providing game reports; instead, we want to capture the narratives that fuel our passion for the game, while maintaining the critical stance that helps us understand the game better.

Support women's sports and SHARE this story with your friends!

Given statements made by sports pundits, you'd think that women's basketball was the most exclusive club in the world - because no one goes there. I've read statements on message boards where women's basketball is supposedly a sport that only exists due to political correctness and which has no popular support.

I decided to look at the statistics for the answer. Granted, you have to take any attendance stats with a bit of salt. Attendance stats depend on who is doing the counting.

The average men's college basketball attendance for home games in NCAA Division I is 4,994. The average women's basketball attendance for home games is 1,583. Dividing the first number by the second gives a factor of 3.15, which is by how much the average men's home game outdraws the women's home game - for every women's fan, there are three men's fans.

But where are the extremes at? What about individual programs? Are there college basketball programs where the women actually outdraw the men? My initial answer was "no". If such programs existed, I figured that those programs would have to be very small, with bad programs for both genders where the women outdrawing the men is a statistical fluke caused by small attendance overall.

So color me pleasantly surprised.

Team	Men	Women	Ratio

Delaware	2494	3907	0.64
Marist	1313	1956	0.67
Tenn-Martin	1453	2093	0.69
Fla Gulf Coast	1775	2185	0.81
McNeese St.	1183	1296	0.91
Baylor	7914	8563	0.92
Notre Dame	7999	8571	0.93
Central Arkansas	1429	1469	0.97
Louisiana Tech	3165	3161	1.00
Toledo	3770	3748	1.01

Not only are these not the kind of programs that have three-digit attendance, but two of the programs are from power major conferences - Baylor and Notre Dame have women's programs that outdraw the men. That can't be overemphasized (or if it can, it can be used in an argument). Last season, there were eight programs where women's average attendance at home games was greater than the men's attendance.

Of course, there are schools at the bad end of this graph - schools where the men's team far outdraws the women's team:

Team	Men	Women	Ratio

Syracuse	23618	1065	22.18
Saint Louis	7757	356	21.79
Providence	7883	375	21.02
San Diego St.	12096	619	19.54
Creighton	16665	892	18.68
VA Commonwealth	7622	486	15.68
Illinois	14986	1070	14.01
Denver	5460	419	13.03
Utah St.	8406	647	12.99
Brigham Young	15424	1206	12.79

Granted there are schools in power conferences that segregate the women's program to some "intimate" gymnasium with reduced seating capacity. But of the bottom ten programs on the list, there are only two - Providence and Creighton - that make use of alternate facilities for women's basketball. Whether the problem is cultural or institutional (or both), women's basketball definitely takes second place at these schools.

I will definitely be keeping track of these numbers over time, to see who moves up and down the list. What follows is the complete comparison list. (Note that both VMI and The Citadel do not have women's basketball programs.)

Team	2011-12 Men	2011-12 Women	Ratio

VMI	1,962	-	0.00
Citadel	1,840	-	0.00
Delaware	2,494	3,907	0.64
Marist	1,313	1,956	0.67
Tenn-Martin	1,453	2,093	0.69
Fla Gulf Coast	1,775	2,185	0.81
McNeese St.	1,183	1,296	0.91
Baylor	7,914	8,563	0.92
Notre Dame	7,999	8,571	0.93
Central Arkansas	1,429	1,469	0.97
Louisiana Tech	3,165	3,161	1.00
Toledo	3,770	3,748	1.01
Hartford	1,294	1,279	1.01
Maine	1,284	1,245	1.03
North Florida	1,267	1,180	1.07
Canisius	1,199	1,089	1.10
Texas A&M	7,383	6,555	1.13
Wisc. Green Bay	3,064	2,712	1.13
Gonzaga	6,212	5,443	1.14
Tennessee	16,543	14,414	1.15
Stanford	4,891	4,250	1.15
Colgate	545	444	1.23
AR Little Rock	3,222	2,617	1.23
Oklahoma	8,525	6,851	1.24
Binghamton	2,781	2,195	1.27
North Dakota	2,045	1,608	1.27
E. Tennessee St.	3,357	2,621	1.28
Alcorn St.	794	617	1.29
Texas Tech	8,665	6,693	1.29
Dartmouth	1,064	816	1.30
MD Eastern Shore	2,453	1,869	1.31
South Dakota	1,701	1,290	1.32
Iowa St.	13,015	9,805	1.33
Bowling Green	2,157	1,615	1.34
Hampton	3,021	2,243	1.35
Army	1,060	783	1.35
Cent. Michigan	1,362	1,002	1.36
St. Francis (PA)	906	660	1.37
Connecticut	12,640	9,168	1.38
MD Baltimore Cty.	1,476	1,069	1.38
South Dakota St	3,320	2,403	1.38
Montana	4,005	2,896	1.38
Tennessee Tech	2,006	1,449	1.38
Eastern Illinois	1,327	958	1.39
Navy	2,453	1,742	1.41
Stetson	1,362	952	1.43
Portland St.	824	575	1.43
N.J.I.T.	461	320	1.44
Sacred Heart	729	506	1.44
James Madison	3,452	2,365	1.46
Florida A&M	1,129	769	1.47
Grambling St.	1,632	1,108	1.47
Middle Tenn. St.	5,329	3,585	1.49
South Alabama	2,356	1,581	1.49
Texas Pan Amer.	611	410	1.49
Miss. Valley St.	3,940	2,574	1.53
Wyoming	4,955	3,235	1.53
Georgia Southern	1,918	1,249	1.54
South Carolina-Upstate	695	447	1.55
Prairie View A&M	2,422	1,556	1.56
Penn St.	6,937	4,442	1.56
Chattanooga	2,953	1,883	1.57
S. Carolina St.	891	566	1.57
Charleston S.	850	537	1.58
Bethune-Cookman	801	498	1.61
Samford	1,021	621	1.64
TCU	4,581	2,780	1.65
Lipscomb	2,343	1,399	1.67
Texas St.	2,020	1,193	1.69
Lehigh	1,332	786	1.69
TX San Antonio	1,530	902	1.70
Fairleigh Dickinson	853	502	1.70
Stephen F. Austin	1,873	1,098	1.71
Purdue	13,324	7,805	1.71
SIU-Edwardsville	1,625	949	1.71
Bryant	744	434	1.71
N.C. Central	1,260	733	1.72
Brown	1,007	583	1.73
SE Louisiana	792	457	1.73
Duke	9,314	5,361	1.74
Northern Illinois	996	565	1.76
Howard	934	522	1.79
Coastal Carolina	1,021	565	1.81
Presbyterian	988	543	1.82
Sam Houston St.	1,072	588	1.82
Georgia	7,079	3,848	1.84
Indiana St.	5,433	2,930	1.85
AR Pine Bluff	3,230	1,739	1.86
Southern U.	1,334	716	1.86
Idaho St.	2,255	1,208	1.87
Sacramento St.	648	341	1.90
Drake	3,965	2,061	1.92
Mercer	2,366	1,229	1.93
Jackson St.	1,165	601	1.94
Arkansas St.	2,815	1,447	1.95
St. Peter's	798	410	1.95
Drexel	2,185	1,111	1.97
Michigan St.	14,797	7,505	1.97
Alabama A&M	1,779	894	1.99
Alabama St.	1,902	951	2.00
LSU	8,661	4,315	2.01
Louisville	21,503	10,670	2.02
Nebraska	10,019	4,957	2.02
Fresno St.	6,521	3,188	2.05
New Hampshire	819	400	2.05
Northern Colorado	1,592	769	2.07
Texas Southern	1,241	599	2.07
Montana St.	2,922	1,408	2.08
Texas A&M C.C.	1,442	694	2.08
Delaware St.	894	425	2.10
Morehead St.	2,241	1,062	2.11
Campbell	1,946	913	2.13
New Mexico	14,454	6,763	2.14
East. Michigan	1,200	561	2.14
San Jose St.	1,655	770	2.15
UC Davis	1,736	807	2.15
Rutgers	5,362	2,476	2.17
Boston U.	981	451	2.18
Chicago St.	429	197	2.18
Nicholls St.	576	263	2.19
Kennesaw St.	1,351	606	2.23
Houston Baptist	628	281	2.23
Youngstown St.	2,485	1,110	2.24
Towson	1,105	493	2.24
Missouri State	7,050	3,052	2.31
Northern Arizona	646	277	2.33
Liberty	1,515	648	2.34
Central Conn. St.	1,967	840	2.34
Norfolk St.	1,862	789	2.36
Nebraska-Omaha	897	373	2.40
Northwestern St.	1,094	453	2.42
Iowa	11,869	4,846	2.45
High Point	1,402	571	2.46
Maryland	13,182	5,356	2.46
Mizzou KC	1,308	531	2.46
Western Ill.	1,182	479	2.47
Loyola (MD)	1,237	501	2.47
Holy Cross	1,821	729	2.50
N.C. A&T	2,262	902	2.51
CSU Northridge	1,160	456	2.54
Old Dominion	7,142	2,789	2.56
UC Riverside	970	378	2.57
Tulane	2,252	875	2.57
Auburn	6,502	2,501	2.60
DePaul	7,740	2,944	2.63
San Francisco	2,050	770	2.66
Princeton	2,572	959	2.68
Northern Iowa	4,406	1,640	2.69
Duquesne	3,204	1,169	2.74
Miami (OH)	1,797	649	2.77
UTEP	7,341	2,639	2.78
Columbia	1,431	514	2.78
Morgan St.	1,788	640	2.79
Miami (FL)	3,936	1,407	2.80
Illinois St.	4,783	1,703	2.81
Radford	1,000	356	2.81
Savannah St.	1,902	677	2.81
Lamar	2,834	1,005	2.82
South Carolina	8,868	3,139	2.83
Rider	1,607	567	2.83
Harvard	2,152	747	2.88
Long Island	1,052	364	2.89
Illinois-Chicago	2,934	1,011	2.90
Florida Intl.	1,071	368	2.91
Colorado	7,804	2,679	2.91
West. Michigan	2,745	941	2.92
Texas	11,950	3,988	3.00
Arizona St.	5,411	1,804	3.00
Coppin St.	1,173	391	3.00
Charlotte	6,001	1,994	3.01
LA Monroe	1,438	477	3.01
Georgia St.	1,450	474	3.06
Robert Morris	1,441	470	3.07
William & Mary	2,071	668	3.10
St. Joseph's	4,197	1,348	3.11
N.C. Asheville	2,038	651	3.13
Kansas St.	12,783	4,069	3.14
East Carolina	4,801	1,528	3.14
Southern Miss	3,750	1,179	3.18
Elon	1,244	388	3.21
USC	3,970	1,238	3.21
Rice	1,364	424	3.22
Vermont	2,484	768	3.23
N.C. Wilmington	3,439	1,063	3.24
Jacksonville St.	1,182	365	3.24
Virginia Tech	8,395	2,584	3.25
Jacksonville	1,750	534	3.28
Colorado St.	4,193	1,273	3.29
Monmouth	1,724	522	3.30
Geo. Washington	2,561	769	3.33
Vanderbilt	13,698	4,113	3.33
Longwood	1,068	320	3.34
Virginia	10,522	3,152	3.34
Yale	1,567	464	3.38
Oral Roberts	4,494	1,317	3.41
Oklahoma St.	9,239	2,675	3.45
Belmont	2,012	582	3.46
Gardner-Webb	1,504	435	3.46
West. Kentucky	3,993	1,153	3.46
American U.	1,267	365	3.47
Eastern Wash.	2,286	658	3.47
SE Missouri St.	2,356	676	3.49
Oregon St.	4,991	1,431	3.49
Florida St.	8,541	2,428	3.52
Mount St. Mary's	1,246	354	3.52
Pacific	2,091	594	3.52
Wisconsin	17,181	4,846	3.55
Austin Peay	2,712	753	3.60
Albany	2,480	686	3.62
North Dakota St	3,156	866	3.64
Furman	1,561	422	3.70
Cal Poly	2,242	606	3.70
South. Methodist	2,013	539	3.73
Rhode Island	3,829	1,025	3.74
Temple	8,165	2,170	3.76
Niagara	1,532	406	3.77
Kentucky	23,721	6,282	3.78
IUPUI	1,133	300	3.78
St. Bonaventure	3,926	1,025	3.83
Eastern Kentucky	1,911	498	3.84
Winthrop	1,608	419	3.84
North Texas	4,006	1,042	3.84
Idaho	1,517	391	3.88
Appalachian St.	1,761	445	3.96
Pepperdine	1,240	312	3.97
New Mexico St.	5,572	1,387	4.02
Portland	2,478	611	4.06
Santa Clara	2,483	606	4.10
California	8,532	2,076	4.11
Western Carolina	1,919	463	4.14
Minnesota	11,794	2,835	4.16
Air Force	2,325	556	4.18
Florida Atlantic	2,122	504	4.21
Fordham	2,343	553	4.24
Oregon	7,630	1,789	4.26
UC Irvine	1,477	344	4.29
Murray St.	6,144	1,413	4.35
Iona	2,476	567	4.37
UCSB	3,323	754	4.41
Wagner	1,731	390	4.44
Pittsburgh	8,801	1,982	4.44
West Virginia	9,930	2,223	4.47
Washington St.	4,749	1,056	4.50
Ohio St.	16,511	3,666	4.50
George Mason	5,161	1,132	4.56
Washington	8,785	1,886	4.66
Stony Brook	1,540	330	4.67
Northwestern	5,972	1,270	4.70
Georgia Tech	4,929	1,042	4.73
San Diego	2,496	524	4.76
Hawaii	6,454	1,351	4.78
Hofstra	2,403	503	4.78
CSU Fullerton	1,210	249	4.86
Quinnipiac	1,954	401	4.87
Seattle	2,944	600	4.91
Manhattan	1,577	321	4.91
IPFW	1,657	337	4.92
Troy	1,754	356	4.93
TX Arlington	2,131	429	4.97
Marshall	6,150	1,234	4.98
La Salle	2,209	436	5.07
Dayton	12,154	2,382	5.10
Long Beach St.	3,621	704	5.14
Oakland	3,346	647	5.17
Fairfield	2,239	430	5.21
Boise St.	4,359	836	5.21
Northeastern	1,331	249	5.35
Buffalo	2,684	493	5.44
Tulsa	4,423	803	5.51
Mississippi St.	8,019	1,442	5.56
Wichita St.	10,391	1,855	5.60
St. Mary's	2,840	497	5.71
UCLA	6,353	1,110	5.72
Loyola Marymnt	2,480	427	5.81
CSU Bakersfield	1,613	275	5.87
N.C. St.	13,560	2,306	5.88
Boston College	4,699	790	5.95
Detroit	2,272	380	5.98
Xavier	10,155	1,690	6.01
St. Francis (NY)	1,289	214	6.02
Akron	3,440	569	6.05
South Florida	3,849	631	6.10
Cornell	2,332	381	6.12
Arkansas	13,096	2,127	6.16
Loyola (IL)	2,277	363	6.27
Lafayette	1,902	302	6.30
Tennessee St.	3,338	530	6.30
Southern Utah	2,541	401	6.34
Wofford	1,493	235	6.35
Kansas	16,445	2,552	6.44
Michigan	11,436	1,773	6.45
St. John's	8,428	1,260	6.69
Pennsylvania	4,203	627	6.70
Missouri	11,830	1,764	6.71
Kent St.	3,475	512	6.79
Bucknell	3,169	466	6.80
Ball St.	3,724	536	6.95
Mississippi	5,770	825	6.99
Arizona	13,602	1,911	7.12
Houston	3,788	531	7.13
UAB	4,564	636	7.18
Nevada	5,237	725	7.22
Massachusetts	4,279	591	7.24
Wisc. Milwaukee	4,154	569	7.30
Evansville	5,135	694	7.40
Valparaiso	3,383	454	7.45
North Carolina	20,159	2,630	7.67
Southern Ill.	3,299	429	7.69
Davidson	3,957	493	8.03
N.C. Greensboro	2,943	360	8.18
Weber St.	6,493	781	8.31
Utah Valley	2,952	355	8.32
Alabama	12,484	1,490	8.38
Florida	10,434	1,245	8.38
Bradley	7,640	907	8.42
Clemson	7,828	908	8.62
Marquette	15,138	1,710	8.85
Seton Hall	6,941	779	8.91
Indiana	16,462	1,802	9.14
Charleston	4,321	471	9.17
Butler	6,599	687	9.61
Villanova	8,923	923	9.67
Cincinnati	8,069	789	10.23
UCF	5,723	559	10.24
Cleveland St.	3,260	308	10.58
Siena	6,509	596	10.92
Utah	8,394	767	10.94
Wake Forest	8,675	788	11.01
Richmond	5,660	512	11.05
Wright St.	3,903	342	11.41
Ohio	6,177	529	11.68
Georgetown	11,283	963	11.72
LA Lafayette	3,566	302	11.81
Memphis	16,234	1,335	12.16
UNLV	14,025	1,100	12.75
Brigham Young	15,424	1,206	12.79
Utah St.	8,406	647	12.99
Denver	5,460	419	13.03
Illinois	14,986	1,070	14.01
VA Commonwealth	7,622	486	15.68
Creighton	16,665	892	18.68
San Diego St.	12,096	619	19.54
Providence	7,883	375	21.02
Saint Louis	7,757	356	21.79
Syracuse	23,618	1,065	22.18

Support women's sports and SHARE this story with your friends!

Filed Under:

story

2012 NCAA Basketball

View Original Post at swishappeal.com

View Q McCall's Full Profile

No one has commented on this yet. Be the first!

SIGNUP FOR A WOMEN TALK SPORTS ACCOUNT:

A Women Talk Sports account allows you to maintain a profile at www.womentalksports.com and login to comment on posts using your WTS identity.

Fields marked with a * are required.

Your First Name*:

Your Last Name*:

Your E-mail*:

Your Website:

Your Location:

Your Twitter Username:

Create a WTS Username*:

Create a Password*:

Confirm Password*:

Check here to receive bi-weekly emails from Women Talk Sports and partners highlighting discussions on our site and upcoming women's sporting events, as well as informing you of new products, services and special offers.

I accept the Terms & Conditions for joining Women Talk Sports