Muts Women's success bringin' fans in

[MeanGreen61]

Posted on the Sun Belt board by Space Raider.

Women's Basketball Attendance Balloons In First Five Games

MT Media Relations

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee women's basketball has seen a phenomenal jump in attendance for this season.

In the first five games of the season, the Blue Raiders are averaging 2,201 per game. Middle Tennessee is currently ranked third in attendance in the conference behind Western Kentucky and Arkansas-Little Rock. The Lady Toppers lead the league averaging 2,852 fans per game, with the Trojans following with 2,710.

The five-game attendance mark to start the season is almost a 300 percent increase from 2004-05, in which the Blue Raiders averaged 616.2 after five games. In the first four years after Middle Tennessee joined the Sun Belt, the Blue Raiders averaged approximately 160 fans per game after the first five games.

"I think one of the factors to the increase in attendance is that we have a new staff and a lot of people are coming out to see what is going on," said Head Coach Rick Insell. "We got some momentum with our recruiting and another part is the success the team has had in the last couple of years in the NCAA Tournament. Those events alone have created excitement for the program."

Middle Tennessee women's basketball has also seen a jump in season ticket sales. Last season, the Blue Raiders sold 1,176 season tickets. This season, women's basketball has sold 1,628.

The Blue Raiders will play their final home game of 2005 on December 21 when the squad hosts former OVC foe Tennessee Tech. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

[MeanGreen61]

ATTENDANCE AVERAGES - TO DATE

WOMEN'S

2,852 Western Kentucky

2,710 UA-Little Rock

2,201 Middle Tennessee

2,064 Arkansas State

734 North Texas

622 Denver

449 Troy

212 ULL

206 FIU

202 New Orleans

non listed - South Alabama

MEN'S

5,828 WKU

4,260 Middle Tennessee

3,557 Arkansas State

3,310 UA-Little Rock

3,209 ULL

2,013 South Alabama

1,692 Troy

1,568 North Texas

1,456 Denver

953 FIU

542 UNO