Rosemont, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference led the nation in men’s basketball attendance for the 39th consecutive season according to figures released by the NCAA. The Big Ten recorded an average attendance of 12,781 patrons per game, including regular season home games and all seven sessions of the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament. In addition, the Big Ten led all conferences with a home and conference tournament total of 3,195,137 fans, the second-highest total of any conference in NCAA history.
The Big Ten set conference records for total attendance (3,076,641) and attendance in conference games only (1,677,589) at its home arenas this season. It marks the first time in history that the Big Ten has eclipsed the three-million mark in total attendance.
Eleven conference schools ranked among the top 32 in average attendance. Wisconsin led the Big Ten and ranked fifth nationally with an average of 17,279 fans per game. Indiana (16,288) ranked eighth, followed by No. 10 Nebraska (15,569), No. 14 Michigan State (14,797), No. 15 Illinois (14,652), No. 16 Ohio State (14,648), No. 20 Iowa (14,101), No. 25 Maryland (12,695), No. 28 Michigan (12,316), No. 29 Minnesota (12,188) and No. 32 Purdue (11,523).
Penn State saw its average attendance increase by 1,787 fans per home game, the fifth-largest increase in the nation last season. In its first season in the Big Ten, Rutgers’ average attendance increased by 1,345 patrons per home game, which ranked 15th among all schools.