By Erin Irish
The fans of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football are extremely loyal and passionate. A lot of fans are alumni who have supported their schools since they attended. They show their continued support by going to games and wearing their alma mater’s colors. The attendance at games and the spirit of the attendees is comparable to professional sports and may surpass it, because alumni support is not something with which professional sports can compete. Former students and their families and friends bring school spirit and a passion that professional sports lack. Though the fans of professional sports are loyal, there is no personal history for them unless they or someone they know play or have played for the professional team. Since the early 1980s, in the bigger Division I schools, attendance at games surpassed at least 60,000 per game. The lowest number of fans attending games reached nearly 10,000, which is still an incredible number. In 2014, the number of attendees reached almost 80,000. Attending a Division I Football game is an experience the fans will never forget and will hold dear in their memories.