Bridging the Gap Across Hudson Road: The Impact of Student Attendance at UNI Athletic Events

The decline in student attendance isn’t just about losing fans; it’s about changing student habits, busy schedules, and evolving college culture.

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UNI Football Student Section - Image owned by UNI Athletics

On a Saturday afternoon inside the UNI-Dome, the band plays, the cheerleaders rally, but the student section looks scattered. Pockets of people among rows of empty seats where students once stood shoulder to shoulder.

It’s a scene becoming more and more common among UNI Athletics, where student turnout has dipped steadily in recent seasons. From football, volleyball, and basketball, fewer students are showing up, raising concerns about morale, atmosphere, and connection on campus.

In 2015-16, UNI football averaged more than 11,500 fans per game. This season, that number sits closer to 10,000, with student turnout accounting for the largest drop. Men’s basketball attendance has fallen from over 5,000 in 2015-16 to just under 3,800 last season.

Volleyball attendance, however, has remained relatively stable over the same time period. The Panthers have maintained a strong tradition of success, winning four consecutive MVC championships and regularly competing in the NCAA Tournament. That consistency on the court may help explain why volleyball has not experiences the same attendance decline seen I football and men’s basketball.

Graph showing the attendance trends over the last ten years.

“I think there’s kind of a national trend around declining attendance overall, not just student attendance,” said Scott Peace, UNI’s Senior Associate Athletic Director for Revenue Generation. “It’s really convenient now to stay at home and watch the game on TV… there’s just so many things to do. People are busier than ever.”

For some students, the issue isn’t interest, it’s time. “I just don’t have the time or motivation to go over there and watch,” said junior Elizabeth Burger. “Football games are like four hours long – it’s hard to be there when we’re losing all the time.”

Burger said she notices big crowds for major matchups, but other games can feel flat. “Sometimes I’ve gone, and it’s been packed and really fun, and other times it’s completely dead,” she said. “They do a lot of promotions, free food, t-shirts, that's good, but it’s still hard to make it worth it when people are busy or don’t feel connected to the team.”

For players, that connection makes all the difference. “When there’s more students there, it’s louder in the Dome, and you feel a lot more support behind you,” said redshirt freshman offensive lineman Drew Monsivais. “It’s a lot more fun than if there’s random old people in the stands.”

Monsivias said the players talk about student turnout in the locker room. “Sometimes during the game, you’ll look across, and someone will make a comment about, ‘Oh man, it’s either packed, or it’s empty.’” He talked about how there is added motivation when players look across the field and see a packed student section. “You know people came from your school to see you, and you want to give them a great result, so they come back,” Monsivias said.

Peace said the department is looking to improve how it collects student feedback, aiming to better understand what drives student attendance. “We’ve tried to give other reasons for students to be there,” Peace said. “We’ve ramped up giveaways, theme nights, and partnerships with groups like the Campus Activities Board.” Last year’s “hot tub” and “tattoo game” drew a lot of student attention. “We’re just trying to find fun new things to get people excited,” Peace said. “Even if they don’t care about basketball or volleyball, we want them to have a good experience.”

Athletics is also currently working to create a personal connection with students through social media campaigns and on-campus engagement. “They drove around on golf carts giving rides to class before home games,” Peace said when talking about the football team’s new outreach. “Just being more visible and approachable helps students feel connected.”

Looking toward the rest of the athletic season, there are still lingering issues with student attendance. Peace noticed that midweek games and holiday breaks make turnout difficult and that they are working to bridge the gap across Hudson Road. “We could do a lot better with student feedback,” Peace said. “We haven’t done a student-specific survey recently, which might help us see what they really want from the game-day experience.”

Peace believes that the solution starts with school pride. “I’d just encourage students to take pride in the school they’re at. These are people in the classrooms with them, regular students just like them. I think those memories of going to games with friends are the ones that last.”

For Monsivias, the message is much simpler: “When you’re there, we feel it,” he said. “Your absence is felt, too.”