Northwestern’s average attendance rose 4 percent in 2016 when compared to 2015 but still finished 13th in the Big Ten, a report from CBS Sports shows.
The Wildcats averaged 34,798 fans per home game in 2016, filling 74 percent of Ryan Field’s capacity. Only Purdue (34,451 fans per home game) had a smaller attendance among Big Ten schools.
Here’s how every Big Ten school ranked:
Big Ten attendance 2016
| School | 2016 Average | Change from 2015 | Stadium Capacity Filled (2016) |
|---|---|---|---|
| School | 2016 Average | Change from 2015 | Stadium Capacity Filled (2016) |
| School: Michigan | 2016 Average: 110,468 | Change from 2015: Less than +1% | Stadium Capacity Filled (2016): 103% |
| School: Ohio State | 2016 Average: 107,278 | Change from 2015: Less than +1% | Stadium Capacity Filled (2016): 105% |
| School: Penn State | 2016 Average: 100,257 | Change from 2015: Less than +1% | Stadium Capacity Filled (2016): 94% |
| School: Nebraska | 2016 Average: 90,200 | Change from 2015: Less than +1% | Stadium Capacity Filled (2016): 104% |
| School: Wisconsin | 2016 Average: 79,357 | Change from 2015: 2% | Stadium Capacity Filled (2016): 99% |
| School: Michigan State | 2016 Average: 74,667 | Change from 2015: Less than +1% | Stadium Capacity Filled (2016): 100% |
| School: Iowa | 2016 Average: 69,656 | Change from 2015: 10% | Stadium Capacity Filled (2016): 99% |
| School: Illinois | 2016 Average: 45,644 | Change from 2015: 10% | Stadium Capacity Filled (2016): 75% |
| School: Rutgers | 2016 Average: 44,804 | Change from 2015: -6% | Stadium Capacity Filled (2016): 85% |
| School: Minnesota | 2016 Average: 43,814 | Change from 2015: -16% | Stadium Capacity Filled (2016): 83% |
| School: Indiana | 2016 Average: 43,027 | Change from 2015: -3% | Stadium Capacity Filled (2016): 82% |
| School: Maryland | 2016 Average: 39,615 | Change from 2015: -11% | Stadium Capacity Filled (2016): 76% |
| School: Northwestern | 2016 Average: 34,798 | Change from 2015: 4% | Stadium Capacity Filled (2016): 74% |
| School: Purdue | 2016 Average: 34,451 | Change from 2015: -8% | Stadium Capacity Filled (2016): 60% |
Here are a couple interesting notes:
- Northwestern’s most well-attended home game was against Wisconsin (attendance: 42,016), which not only was on family weekend but also came on the heels of Northwestern’s close loss to Ohio State.