The Summit League apparently became unexpectedly popular among its fan this past season, registering a 30 percent increase in attendance, which is the largest jump in Division I. Nearly 2,700 fans watched the average Summit League game this past season, a jump from about 2,100 during the previous season. A conference press release congratulates its members and celebrates the success.
“We had an outstanding year on the court and that translated to an increase in the popularity of Summit League basketball,” said Commissioner Tom Douple “Certainly these attendance figures are exciting and very welcome news. Seeing our attendance rise at a significant rate bodes well for our league.”
Oakland University posted the second largest increase among individual schools during the 2008-09 campaign. The Golden Grizzlies drew an average of 4,156 fans in 14 home dates, nearly doubling its total over the previous season with an increase of 2,074 fans per contest. Texas Tech led the NCAA with an increase of 2,330 fans per game this season, but its percentage jumped 32.5 percent compared to Oakland’s 99.6 percent.
