By Arlie Rahn
Arizona Daily Wildcat
January 15, 1998

Football attendance gets boost from bowl game, still lagging past seasons

Adam F. Jarrold Arizona Daily Wildcat Fans sit it out during Arizona's loss to Washington on Oct. 18. The 1997 season recorded the lowest attendance average in Dick Tomey's career at the UA.

With attendance at a 20-year low, the UA football program is hoping its recent successful bowl game and plans for new strength facilities will help turn the tide on lackluster fan support.

"We're really excited about the team's success and bowl appearance," UA Senior Associate Athletic Director Kathleen "Rocky" LaRose said. "This is a great reward for our football team and we hope that this well help more fans come out and support Arizona."

Not since 1981 have attendance figures been quite as dismal as last season's. An average of only 40,538 fans came out to support Arizona in its six regular season home games in 1997, creating a loss of more than 6,000 fans from the 1996 mark of 46,935.

Although the Insight.com Bowl, in which Arizona defeated New Mexico 20-14 at Arizona Stadium, was technically considered a neutral site, the 49,385 in attendance were mostly a partisan Arizona group.

"I'm definitely concerned about attendance. Attendance translates to money and support for our program," UA Athletic Director Jim Livengood said. "And it comes down to winning. When you win, people want to come out and support you."

The Wildcats have floated around a .500 winning percentage for the last three years with records of 6-5, 5-6, and 7-5 respectively. And for a team that finished with records of 8-4 and 10-2 just four and five years ago, the current trend of mediocrity does not appear to cut it with Arizona fans.

While winning is important, Livengood doesn't want to send a message that it is the only thing when it comes to UA football.

"One thing I'm weary about is the message we send out. Now I'd love it if we were 7-4 or 8-3, but we're not. The good thing is that we've played well in the last couple of games and done some great things with a very limited team because of injuries," Livengood said. "The message I don't want to send to the kids and Arizona Alumni is that all we care about is winning. Is winning important, you bet it is. That's why we have scoreboards and go out and play, but there are many other values that are equally, if not more, important."

But if Arizona hopes to gain attendance, it is going to have to raise the number in the winning column. And notching victories eventually comes back to recruiting good players.

Two measures the athletic department has taken to improve recruiting involves moving the football offices and plans for summer construction of a new weight facility.

The football offices are now located on at the southeast corner of McKale Center and have drastically increased in size and attractiveness.

"This will be our first year to recruit with our new offices," Livengood said. "Last year when we recruited, our coaches were in six different places. (offensive coordinator) Homer (Smith) couldn't even stand up in his own office because of the low ceiling. But now when players see the lobby with the trophies and everything, they see a school that is committed to football."

The new weight facility project should also make Arizona a more marketable school to possible recruits. The facility will be an estimated 28,000 square feet, almost four times the size of Arizona's current weight room (7,300 square feet).

"With any luck, we will begin construction next summer and have a 12-18 month window for completion," Livengood said. "When kids come here and see that, it lets us compete with the Nebraskas, USCs and Washingtons. We will have a top of the line facility."

As to UA's football team's future, Livengood is very optimistic and thinks it should help regain fan support like that of the mid-1990s, when the Wildcats averaged 56,000 a game.

"Right now we have a very young team. There is a lot of talent in our freshman and sophomore classes," he said. "I think the future of Arizona football is dynamite and they are going to be a lot of fun to watch."