Are there women's basketball programs that outdraw men's programs? (2015 edition)

When I was writing for SA, I posted an article about women's basketball programs that had higher average attendance than men's programs.  Now, with new data from the NCAA, I have updated the data to the end of the 2014-15 season!

So which women's basketball programs over the past five years have been more popular than the men's basketball programs at the same school over the same five years?  As it turns out, there are six schools where the women outdraw the men.

Lowest Ratio of Men's Average Attendance to Women's Average Attendance, 2010-15

Marist	0.73
Delaware	0.88
Tenn-Martin	0.90
Baylor	0.90
Notre Dame	0.93
Maine	0.94
Hartford	1.05
Bowling Green	1.09
McNeese St.	1.11
North Dakota	1.12

Marist, Delaware, Tennessee-Martin, Baylor and Notre Dame all have programs where the women outdraw the men.  (Apologists arriving in three...two...one....).  However, there is greater variance in men's basketball attendance than women's basketball attendance and when men's schools have good years they can eclipse any women's basketball program out there. 

Of course, if there are programs where the women consistently outdraw the men, there must be programs at the bottom of the list where the women's program is eclipsed by the men's.  And as you can tell from the numbers posted, the scale is much greater.



Highest Ratio of Men's Average Attendance to Women's Average Attendance, 2010-15

Saint Louis	12.17
Georgetown	13.03
UNLV	13.10
Memphis	14.03
Utah St.	14.82
Creighton	15.59
Providence	17.39
San Diego St.	17.88
Brigham Young	19.75
Syracuse	28.51

Note that there are programs where the women's program is segregated to an older gymnasium with a reduced seating capacity.  Georgetown, Providence, and Creighton are all guilty of that.  But would those programs be any better off playing in the men's arenas?  Look at poor Syracuse at the bottom.  The men can fill their cavernous dome; the women are almost an afterthought.

Some other numbers of interest:

There is only one women's basketball school that has increased its attendance every year from 2009 to 2015.  That's Furman.  In 2009-10, they averaged 257 students per game, and have steadily increased to 312, 372, 422, 428, 461 and 561.  Furthermore, they are the only school that has increased its attendance from 2010 to 2015.

There are other schools, besides Furman that have increased their attendance over the last four seasons.  Long Beach State and Longwood have shown increases in attendance each season from 2011 to 2015.

But the big winner from 2011-2015 is South Carolina.  The numbers have ballooned under Dawn Staley's program, moving from 3139 per game to 3952, then 6171, then 12293 per game.  The numbers in 2014-15 were good enough to make South Carolina the #1 program in women's average attendance for 2014-15.

Of course, there are programs that moving in the other direction.  What follows are the schools where average attendance has decreased over each of the last four seasons.

Boston University
Connecticut
Georgetown
Loyola (Md.)
Murray State
New Mexico
Seattle
Texas Christian
Texas Tech
Texas-San Antonio
UC-Riverside
Vanderbilt

There are some big names on this list.  There's no name bigger than that of Connecticut.  It would take Connecticut fans to explain why the most successful women's basketball program in the United States has been decreasing in attendance since 2011.

For your amusement, the entire list follows.  We use a "sum of averages" method to derive the final ratio.

		MBB	WBB
		2010-15	2010-15
Marist		7111	9742		0.73
Delaware		12473	14102		0.88
Tenn-Martin		8894	9905		0.90
Baylor		35069	38878		0.90
Notre Dame		40107	43341		0.93
Maine		6680	7115		0.94
Hartford		7977	7630		1.05
Bowling Green		9510	8736		1.09
McNeese St.		5417	4892		1.11
North Dakota		8929	7988		1.12
Middle Tenn. St.		22881	20386		1.12
Stanford		24606	21213		1.16
Gonzaga		30537	25973		1.18
Texas A&M		34857	28762		1.21
Toledo		22378	18406		1.22
AR Little Rock		14542	11696		1.24
Connecticut		55758	44462		1.25
Dartmouth		4487	3502		1.28
Tennessee Tech		8999	7013		1.28
Central Arkansas		6387	4946		1.29
Montana		19856	14985		1.33
James Madison		17535	13066		1.34
South Dakota		8542	6334		1.35
Miss. Valley St.		11590	8492		1.36
Lehigh		6228	4548		1.37
Army		6292	4590		1.37
Abilene Christian		1241	905		1.37
Tennessee		82669	59816		1.38
Hampton		16647	12028		1.38
Canisius		7406	5350		1.38
Iowa St.		67005	48350		1.39
Umass Lowell		933	661		1.41
Texas Tech		39310	27843		1.41
Wisc. Green Bay		16715	11833		1.41
Alcorn St.		5210	3640		1.43
SE Louisiana		3434	2390		1.44
South Dakota St		15102	10441		1.45
Fla Gulf Coast		14346	9900		1.45
Grambling St.		6632	4543		1.46
Cent. Michigan		10217	6921		1.48
Texas St.		9687	6561		1.48
Louisiana Tech		17293	11706		1.48
Penn St.		36367	24454		1.49
South Alabama		11040	7410		1.49
Chattanooga		16253	10740		1.51
Portland St.		4305	2839		1.52
Navy		10950	7059		1.55
Wyoming		26377	16996		1.55
Stetson		5459	3517		1.55
Sam Houston St.		5649	3636		1.55
Binghamton		14210	9120		1.56
MD Eastern Shore		10948	7011		1.56
N.J.I.T.		3009	1914		1.57
New Orleans		2914	1842		1.58
Eastern Illinois		6031	3802		1.59
SIU-Edwardsville		8178	5103		1.60
Texas A&M C.C.		6897	4302		1.60
Prairie View A&M		9931	6153		1.61
St. Francis (PA)		5018	3093		1.62
Colgate		3243	1969		1.65
Drake		19270	11586		1.66
Oklahoma		49066	29350		1.67
Nicholls St.		3551	2114		1.68
Purdue		63358	37615		1.68
E. Tennessee St.		14425	8523		1.69
Sacred Heart		3202	1883		1.70
Florida A&M		5612	3292		1.70
Georgia Southern		8320	4873		1.71
South Carolina		49492	28751		1.72
LA Monroe		7670	4410		1.74
Texas Pan Amer.		4261	2433		1.75
Idaho St.		9383	5332		1.76
New Hampshire		3685	2086		1.77
Montana St.		12597	7128		1.77
Houston Baptist		3370	1898		1.78
MD Baltimore Cty.		6609	3685		1.79
TX San Antonio		6321	3517		1.80
Jackson St.		6574	3635		1.81
Youngstown St.		11562	6348		1.82
Bethune-Cookman		4823	2616		1.84
Arkansas St.		13894	7499		1.85
Southern U.		6361	3413		1.86
Duke		46570	24939		1.87
Campbell		8277	4432		1.87
Alabama A&M		7471	3981		1.88
East. Michigan		4913	2611		1.88
Presbyterian		4339	2301		1.89
Indiana St.		27125	14271		1.90
Tulane		9475	4895		1.94
Sacramento St.		3619	1866		1.94
South Carolina-Upstate		3434	1766		1.94
North Florida		8746	4453		1.96
TCU		22798	11599		1.97
Central Conn. St.		8499	4209		2.02
Holy Cross		7944	3898		2.04
Drexel		9468	4638		2.04
S. Carolina St.		3802	1858		2.05
Fairleigh Dickinson		3681	1784		2.06
N.C. Central		8461	4081		2.07
Georgia		35184	16942		2.08
Samford		5599	2690		2.08
Howard		5578	2671		2.09
Texas Southern		9717	4645		2.09
Alabama St.		9510	4546		2.09
Stephen F. Austin		13221	6308		2.10
North Kentucky		10681	5086		2.10
Lipscomb		9720	4568		2.13
Michigan St.		73529	34509		2.13
Missouri State		31242	14588		2.14
Louisville		107574	49871		2.16
Northwestern St.		7984	3698		2.16
Delaware St.		5594	2576		2.17
Charleston S.		4277	1935		2.21
Liberty		10756	4819		2.23
Coppin St.		4970	2223		2.24
Rutgers		26081	11657		2.24
High Point		7003	3125		2.24
Boston U.		4212	1877		2.24
Northern Illinois		5511	2452		2.25
Incarnate Word		966	428		2.26
Georgia St.		7796	3432		2.27
Nebraska		60754	26551		2.29
Loyola (MD)		5299	2313		2.29
New Mexico		73829	31972		2.31
UC Davis		9727	4166		2.33
Kennesaw St.		6500	2736		2.38
Oregon St.		24651	10372		2.38
LSU		41274	17354		2.38
AR Pine Bluff		16388	6857		2.39
Mercer		12820	5364		2.39
Princeton		12480	5205		2.40
Eastern Wash.		7661	3176		2.41
Norfolk St.		10542	4365		2.42
TX Arlington		8833	3647		2.42
Morehead St.		12885	5305		2.43
Northern Colorado		7816	3203		2.44
Harvard		9151	3750		2.44
Fresno St.		33861	13658		2.48
Brown		5024	2016		2.49
Old Dominion		34277	13651		2.51
CSU Northridge		5088	2025		2.51
N.C. A&T		10112	4003		2.53
DePaul		35698	14110		2.53
Western Ill.		7207	2834		2.54
Radford		6629	2599		2.55
UC Riverside		4278	1674		2.56
Maryland		65833	25748		2.56
Arizona St.		30998	11983		2.59
St. Peter's		4375	1686		2.59
IUPUI		5330	2040		2.61
Gardner-Webb		7468	2829		2.64
Albany		13613	5154		2.64
Tennessee St.		9959	3768		2.64
Savannah St.		8110	3065		2.65
San Jose St.		8342	3149		2.65
Iowa		66206	24932		2.66
Lamar		13017	4842		2.69
Bryant		5339	1961		2.72
Northern Iowa		23285	8490		2.74
Auburn		32731	11910		2.75
Chicago St.		3833	1392		2.75
Longwood		5791	2100		2.76
Idaho		6560	2375		2.76
Iona		11646	4189		2.78
Vanderbilt		56533	20178		2.80
Miami (OH)		7732	2752		2.81
N.C. Asheville		8308	2944		2.82
Buffalo		15139	5362		2.82
Columbia		7414	2610		2.84
Mizzou KC		7144	2492		2.87
Wagner		7892	2738		2.88
Elon		6579	2272		2.90
Rider		7568	2601		2.91
South Florida		21275	7258		2.93
Florida St.		38393	13006		2.95
Nebraska Omaha		5283	1770		2.98
Texas		57999	19353		3.00
IPFW		7157	2376		3.01
West. Kentucky		21868	7223		3.03
Jacksonville St.		7552	2461		3.07
East Carolina		23156	7522		3.08
Florida Intl.		6259	2033		3.08
Southern Miss		19800	6350		3.12
Monmouth		8647	2770		3.12
Lafayette		8673	2762		3.14
Kansas St.		62637	19944		3.14
SE Missouri St.		11147	3542		3.15
West. Michigan		13623	4297		3.17
Jacksonville		7025	2193		3.20
Florida Atlantic		7657	2388		3.21
Northern Arizona		5675	1767		3.21
Furman		7243	2244		3.23
Quinnipiac		9346	2894		3.23
Pacific		11677	3598		3.25
Virginia		55421	17052		3.25
Troy		8821	2709		3.26
Duquesne		15673	4783		3.28
Morgan St.		9875	3008		3.28
Appalachian St.		7787	2343		3.32
Robert Morris		6381	1919		3.33
Vermont		11981	3591		3.34
Mississippi St.		33616	10024		3.35
UTEP		41336	12268		3.37
Oral Roberts		19988	5929		3.37
Towson		9098	2693		3.38
Yale		6780	2006		3.38
Southern Utah		10485	3099		3.38
North Dakota St		15187	4464		3.40
Murray St.		23714	6947		3.41
Stony Brook		9024	2640		3.42
Cal Poly		11063	3230		3.43
Ball St.		15999	4624		3.46
Virginia Tech		34085	9835		3.47
Colorado		43980	12465		3.53
American U.		7644	2166		3.53
California		40575	11417		3.55
CSU Bakersfield		7004	1969		3.56
Coastal Carolina		9157	2560		3.58
Charlotte		27650	7711		3.59
N.C. Wilmington		17564	4875		3.60
Fordham		10710	2967		3.61
Illinois St.		26285	7269		3.62
Austin Peay		13399	3702		3.62
Long Island		8066	2225		3.63
North Texas		16135	4410		3.66
Kentucky		116959	31896		3.67
St. Joseph's		20730	5646		3.67
Boise St.		27932	7518		3.72
Minnesota		61058	16422		3.72
Ohio St.		79282	21302		3.72
Winthrop		8148	2183		3.73
Colorado St.		23552	6265		3.76
West Virginia		48994	13012		3.77
Oklahoma St.		47794	12641		3.78
Hofstra		10714	2824		3.79
Hawaii		31344	8246		3.80
Fairfield		11076	2913		3.80
San Francisco		10000	2625		3.81
Washington		39352	10302		3.82
Belmont		11252	2930		3.84
Temple		31739	8251		3.85
Mount St. Mary's		6204	1596		3.89
UCSB		13733	3514		3.91
Wisconsin		85637	21887		3.91
South. Methodist		20023	5110		3.92
Rice		8457	2140		3.95
Santa Clara		9755	2468		3.95
Geo. Washington		13570	3399		3.99
St. Francis (NY)		4033	975		4.14
Oregon		37242	9003		4.14
Niagara		7252	1743		4.16
Western Carolina		9036	2163		4.18
Pepperdine		6241	1478		4.22
USC		20826	4923		4.23
Miami (FL)		25401	5977		4.25
San Diego		10949	2553		4.29
UCLA		39508	9011		4.38
Wichita St.		52669	11410		4.62
Georgia Tech		31174	6697		4.65
Long Beach St.		17152	3672		4.67
Oakland		14369	3050		4.71
UC Irvine		9385	1989		4.72
Boston College		22760	4739		4.80
Wisc. Milwaukee		16555	3417		4.84
Washington St.		22783	4681		4.87
Cornell		10430	2139		4.88
CSU Fullerton		6130	1245		4.92
Portland		10966	2222		4.94
Wofford		7687	1533		5.01
Manhattan		8059	1594		5.06
Loyola Marymnt		11059	2177		5.08
Illinois-Chicago		14843	2893		5.13
Northwestern		31285	6089		5.14
William & Mary		13106	2532		5.18
Northeastern		8056	1547		5.21
Akron		16866	3220		5.24
Air Force		11066	2079		5.32
Nevada		28462	5340		5.33
Pittsburgh		50887	9488		5.36
Rhode Island		22502	4194		5.37
Dayton		62193	11560		5.38
St. John's		38688	7079		5.47
St. Bonaventure		19377	3529		5.49
Pennsylvania		19831	3569		5.56
Loyola (IL)		10656	1904		5.60
Kent St.		15679	2765		5.67
Michigan		59228	10424		5.68
New Mexico St.		29743	5145		5.78
Houston		17194	2880		5.97
Mississippi		32725	5461		5.99
George Mason		24617	4057		6.07
Seattle		14536	2386		6.09
Alabama		55557	9071		6.12
Detroit		11991	1917		6.26
Evansville		23278	3705		6.28
Denver		17242	2711		6.36
St. Mary's		14432	2247		6.42
Missouri		51858	8051		6.44
Valparaiso		15817	2422		6.53
Eastern Kentucky		12478	1906		6.55
La Salle		12478	1904		6.55
Bucknell		15292	2320		6.59
Kansas		82139	12356		6.65
North Carolina		96260	14458		6.66
Xavier		49922	7458		6.69
N.C. St.		71715	10657		6.73
Tulsa		23972	3503		6.84
Arkansas		68272	9895		6.90
Utah Valley		11551	1651		7.00
Indiana		82780	11732		7.06
UCF		26001	3535		7.36
Florida		53338	7141		7.47
Bradley		34978	4682		7.47
LA Lafayette		17052	2273		7.50
Ohio		31513	4072		7.74
Weber St.		32584	4146		7.86
UAB		21411	2679		7.99
Richmond		29280	3621		8.09
Marshall		27092	3313		8.18
Arizona		70405	8496		8.29
Grand Canyon		5413	644		8.41
N.C. Greensboro		15728	1871		8.41
Southern Ill.		22614	2690		8.41
Cleveland St.		12771	1493		8.55
Davidson		19819	2273		8.72
Wright St.		21108	2400		8.80
Charleston		18373	2071		8.87
Clemson		38981	4317		9.03
Illinois		75748	8190		9.25
Siena		32445	3502		9.26
Marquette		74741	7603		9.83
Cincinnati		42567	4270		9.97
Massachusetts		23931	2373		10.08
Utah		47839	4321		11.07
Wake Forest		46173	4157		11.11
Seton Hall		35836	3192		11.23
Villanova		46038	4054		11.36
VA Commonwealth		37339	3223		11.59
Butler		36837	3080		11.96
Saint Louis		37189	3055		12.17
Georgetown		53169	4082		13.03
UNLV		67356	5143		13.10
Memphis		79374	5658		14.03
Utah St.		44062	2974		14.82
Creighton		82271	5276		15.59
Providence		39659	2281		17.39
San Diego St.		61006	3412		17.88
Brigham Young		82124	4159		19.75
Syracuse		118476	4155		28.51
Abilene Christian, Grand Canyon, Incarnate Word and
Umass Lowell only have one year of data, the 2014-15 year.