Last Saturday, the University of Southern California (USC) faced criticism for a disappointing turnout during their home opener at the L.A. Coliseum, prompting the school to issue a statement addressing the low attendance. However, in a slight improvement, the Trojans managed to attract a larger crowd for their game against Fresno State on Friday.
According to reports from the New York Post, USC announced an official attendance of 53,014 for the matchup against Fresno State. This figure marks an increase from the previous game against San Jose State, which saw an official attendance of 51,114. Despite the uptick, the Coliseum has a capacity of 71,349, indicating that there is still a significant gap between the number of fans present and the stadium's full capacity.
Delving deeper into the actual attendance figures, the number of tickets scanned for the San Jose State game was reported at just 35,585, while the Fresno State game saw an increase to 45,833. These numbers suggest that while there is some growth in attendance, it remains below expectations for a program with USC's storied history in college football.
Head coach Lincoln Riley has pushed back against the narrative that interest in the program is waning. He stated, “I think that comes from a lot of people who don’t follow our program, most of those who have never stepped foot in the Coliseum. The reality is, during my years here, attendance has gone up every single year. As has our play in the Coliseum, including running the table last year in front of a lot of epic atmospheres. And I expect that to happen again this year.” Riley's comments reflect a belief in the potential for increased fan engagement as the season progresses.
USC's next chance to bolster attendance comes in just a week, as they prepare to face Louisiana. Following that, the Trojans will host several high-profile opponents, including No. 2 Oregon and No. 17 Washington. The schedule also includes games against No. 1 Ohio State and Maryland, which could attract more fans and create a more vibrant atmosphere at the Coliseum.
As the season unfolds, USC will look to not only improve their on-field performance but also enhance fan engagement and attendance. With a challenging schedule ahead, the Trojans have the opportunity to showcase their team and potentially draw larger crowds in the coming weeks.
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