Alabama the National Leader in Gymnastics Attendance
3/8/2004 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
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TUSCALOOSA, ALA -- Last Friday night, Alabama Gymnastics drew 12,971 fans to see the No. 1 ranked Crimson Tide to face No. 2 Georgia. It is the largest gymnastics crowd in the nation this year and the sixth largest of the last decade. And when 9,138 fans made their way to Friday’s meet against Arkansas, it pushed Alabama to a final season average of 10,283 per meet, which stands as the second best average in Alabama history. The Tide averaged 10,301 in 1997. It is the highest season average in the nation over the past five years and the third highest of the past decade.
Alabama Gymnastics figures prominently in the “biggest crowd” list over the past 10 years. Since 1995, the first year the Crimson Tide broke the 10,000 fan mark for a single meet, the Tide has posted seven of the 10 highest single meet attendance totals in the nation. Those seven meets include the SEC record of 15,043 in 1997, which is the single largest crowd of the last decade.
The Tide’s 12,971 against Georgia is the largest Alabama crowd since 14,097 poured into Coleman Coliseum in 1999. Overall, Alabama has produced 15 crowds of 10,000-plus, including seven that rank nationally in the top-20 meets of all time.
Alabama and Utah have dominated the attendance rankings over the past two decades. The two schools combine to hold all 20 of the 12,000-plus meets of all time.
Top-10 Single Meet Attendance Figures of the Past 10 Years
1. 15,043 Alabama vs. Georgia, 2-1-97
2. 14,285 Utah vs. BYU, 3-23-02
3. 14,097 Alabama vs. Georgia, 2-13-99
4. 13,563 Alabama vs. Georgia, 3-1-96
5. 13,363 Utah vs. Michigan/UCLA, 2-20-95
6. 12,971 Alabama vs. Georgia 2-20-04
7. 12,573 Alabama vs. Georgia 1-17-98
8. 12,316 Alabama vs. Georgia 2-4-00
9. 12,201 Utah vs. BYU, 2-4-00
10. 12,021 Alabama vs. Georgia 2-4-95
