Comparing Pitt football's Blue-Gold spring game attendance to other programs

Been meaning to follow-up with this, but hat/tip to reader Pitt0912, who recently provided some spring game attendance figures in the comments section of a post. The Panthers, as previously reported, checked in with an attendance of about 5,300. But NBC Sports helped to put that figure in context, providing attendance figures to other spring games across the country.

Overall, Pitt checks in at No. 31 of the 68 D-I programs that have had games and reported attendance figures. In the ACC, the Panthers were solid, checking in at fourth out of nine such programs, behind only Clemson, Florida State, and Louisville.

For as much as we complain about Pitt's light spring attendance figures, a lot of schools draw weak crowds. The flipside is, though, that several programs always outdraw the Panthers - Memphis and Indiana were a couple that did this year. Heck, Charlotte more than doubled Pitt's total, drawing more than 11,000.

Pitt will have an interesting decision on its hands next year. Highmark Stadium was filled to more than capacity this year providing a good atmosphere. But while Heinz Field gives them more room, do they go back to playing in a largely empty venue?

My vote is yes. I've always said this but if you're a big time program, you go big time with this thing. Plus, keeping it at Highmark Stadium might provide a nice atmosphere, but there's no room for growth there.

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