Feb. 23, 2011
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State football team's dramatic improvement last year led not only to gains on the field, but in the stands as well, as the program's home attendance increase from 2009 to 2010 was among the best in the nation. The Aztecs' average home attendance figure of 34,133 marked a 9,669 person jump over the 2009 campaign, and gives San Diego State the sixth-largest increase in Division I football, according to the NCAA.
SDSU's average home attendance number for 2010 is the program's third-highest in the last 16 years. The Red and Black's overall seven-game home attendance total of 238,931 is the largest that the program has recorded since 1993. That total includes San Diego State's victory over Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl, which drew 48,049 people to Qualcomm Stadium, the 18th-largest home crowd in school history.
The only schools that posted a larger attendance increase from 2009 to 2010 were Louisville (+18,198), Northwestern (+12,259), Rice (+12,019), Eastern Michigan (+10,869) and Alabama (+9,809).
The 2010 Aztec football team helped fill the stands by featuring an explosive offense and an aggressive defense that combined to lead SDSU to a 9-4 record, the school's best since 1977. During the season, San Diego State had the Mountain West Conference's leading passer, rusher, pair of receivers and sack leader, and boasted a school-record six first-team all-conference selections.
The San Diego State football program will look to continue building on its success next season under the leadership of new head coach Rocky Long. The Aztecs will open spring workouts this Saturday, Feb. 26, at the team's on-campus practice facility.