With student attendance dropping, Nevada seniors look to connect with fans

After every home game, the Nevada football team heads to Mackay Stadium's north end zone, where the Wolf Pack student section is located, to sing the school's alma mater.

For most games in recent seasons, the student section has been sparsely populated by the time the final whistle has blown.

“We want to sing to somebody, not just the band," receiver Kaleb Fossum said.

Five years ago, the Wolf Pack drew 3,109 students per home game. That number has fallen every season since, down to 1,675 students per home game last season, almost half of the total five years prior. The Wolf Pack's senior class is trying to do something about that drop in numbers. One of the team's offseason focuses has been re-engaging with the university's student population.

“We went out and talked to a lot of people," running back Kelton Moore said. "We asked them what things they’d like to see done different, what things would get them to come to the games more. They talked about the tailgating. Hopefully we can bring that back and just doing more things, us getting more involved with the student body. If that’s us going out on a Thursday between school time and talking with students, they just want to see more interaction.”

Nevada's student attendance has mirrored its overall attendance, which has fallen from 24,939 fans per game in 2013 to 17,181 last season, which was actually up from the year prior. Student attendance drops, as well as overall attendance drops, has been an issue across the country in recent years, but the Wolf Pack's declines have been sharper than the national averages. University students can attend football games for free (the cost is rolled into the annual student fees), but the student section has usually had a dearth of supporters, especially in comparison with Nevada basketball, which has had gigantic student support in recent years.

Fossum said it was important to build meaningful connections with student leaders to rebuild the student attendance.

“We met the student president of Nevada and we just went over some things, possibly having pep rallies before games and having the team in the quad area around The Joe, getting them fired up, getting them more involved," Fossum said. "We talked about having the students run out on the field every game instead of just the first one and mix it up by classes or something like that. Coach (Jay) Norvell took us to some of the sororities and fraternities to get them involved in the Greek life who are off campus, showing support to them and they’ll show support back. We definitely reached out to the student body to get them involved because that atmosphere helps win games.”

Even when Nevada has had solid student crowds to start the game, they usually peter out after halftime, including during the Wolf Pack's thrilling 37-35 win over Pac-12 school Oregon State last season in which the Beavers missed a potential game-winning field goal as time expired.

“Even Oregon State, we came back to win and a lot of people had left," Fossum said. "If they stay and they gut it out and there’s more incentive for them to stay and they see how they’re a part of the game, I think it will help us a lot as well. When it’s full and people are yelling at Mackay, it’s an unbelievable atmosphere. We just want to show people how it can be.”

While Nevada's primary focus is on the field, building a winning program and having a good season, the Wolf Pack also is aiming to bring back its once-strong crowds. Norvell has done a couple of fun promotional videos, including a parody of Forrest Gump, and the players did an Office Linebacker parody. The Wolf Pack held a Grit Run and Women's Clinic in the offseason and will hold a free Kickoff Cookout for students noon-2 p.m. Saturday at the Joe Crowley Student Union.

“If you look at most colleges, the head coach does not do what Coach Norvell is doing, and I mean that in a positive way," Fossum said. "He’s out there making commercials, doing all kinds of stuff trying to get people involved. He’s doing a really good job of trying to get the community involved. If we come out and it’s a great atmosphere against Purdue and we win that game, I think it will just prove what the atmosphere is like. Winning helps people, too, but coming off that bowl win, we have a lot of momentum and want to keep that.”

Fossum said the players do notice the crowd size and he and the seniors have tried to emphasize to the students how large of a role they can play in the final outcome of a game.

"You talk about Boise State in 2010, the stadium was unreal, everybody was there for the game-winning kick," Fossum said. "We want a rush-the-field type moment. Obviously the UNLV is a big game, but we want Mackay sold out for that game. We want everybody to see us take the cannon off the field and go paint it blue. We just want everybody involved.”

Moore said he understands putting a winning product on the field is important in drawing big crowds, but as a senior, he'd like to see Mackay Stadium full for the first time since the team drew 29,551 fans against UNLV in October 2015.

“That would definitely mean a lot," Moore said of a sold-out crowd. "Since I’ve been here, the fans have been up and down. This year, we really want to get the fans more involved and the students move involved. Just have a football atmosphere and everybody having fun and we’re winning, too. As we keep winning, more people will come to the games.”

Student attendance

A look at Nevada's student attendance at football games over the last five seasons.

2014: 18,656 (3,109 per game)

2015: 17,856 (2,976 per game)

2016: 13,683 (2,281 per game)

2017: 10,179 (1,697 per game)

2018: 10,052 (1,675 per game)