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Oklahoma Football: Sooners’ Spring Game Crowd Reflective of a Top-Ten Team

By Chip Rouse

Apr 8, 2017; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Abdul Adams (23) catches a pass in front of Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Curtis Bolton (18) during the spring game at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2017; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Abdul Adams (23) catches a pass in front of Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Curtis Bolton (18) during the spring game at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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If you don’t think Oklahoma football is a big draw regardless of what time of year it is, you’ve never been to an OU spring game. The same can be said for major college football in general.

Judging by the attendance figures reported for the annual spring games this year around the country, it’s pretty easy to see where college football is considered the end all, be all and, by extension, where the strongest fan loyalties lie.

Ohio State, for example, which is considered one of the traditional college powerhouses, drew over 80,000 fans this spring to witness the Buckeyes go through what amounted to nothing more than a watered-down, controlled scrimmage. That is close to 80 percent of the capacity of Ohio Stadium (otherwise known as The Horseshoe), which seats 105,000 when filled to the brim.

And if the attendance at this year’s Ohio State spring game surprised you, consider that 99,000 attended the same game in the spring of 2016.

Oklahoma drew a crowd of 43,723 to its spring game on April 8 this year. That may not have been the biggest on record at a spring game held at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, but it is fairly typical of the spring attendance during the Bob Stoops coaching era, which this fall will be in its 19th season.

The OU spring game attendance this year ranks 10th in the country, according to the figures reported and published by Gridironnow.com. Not every school holds a spring game that is open to the public, and some of those that do host a spring game do not report attendance figures. It should also be noted that ticket prices are naturally reduced for spring games, which are held as part of the NCAA-regulated spring practice schedule.

Attendance for the Sooner Red-White game this spring was by far the largest of the Big 12 schools that reported attendance figures.

Next: Notable All-Time Oklahoma Sooner NFL Draft Numbers

Here are the estimated crowd sizes at the four other Big 12 schools that reported spring game attendance: Iowa State (15,000), Kansas State (13,338), Texas Tech (12,000) and West Virginia (6,415). Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma State and Texas did not report attendance.

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