How many Gator Bowl tickets sold?

The Gator Bowl is one of the oldest and most prestigious college football bowl games, having been played annually since 1946 in Jacksonville, Florida. As one of the premier bowl games, the Gator Bowl has a rich history and attracts large crowds every year. Determining how many Gator Bowl tickets are sold each year provides insight into the game’s popularity and significance in the college football landscape.

Brief History of the Gator Bowl

The Gator Bowl was first played on January 1, 1946 at Jacksonville’s EverBank Field, then known as Fairfield Stadium. It featured the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the South Carolina Gamecocks, with Wake Forest winning 26-14. For the first 12 years, the Gator Bowl featured a team from the Southern Conference against an at-large opponent. Beginning in 1953, it switched to featuring a Southeastern Conference (SEC) team against an at-large opponent.

Some key moments and milestones in Gator Bowl history:

• First televised Gator Bowl in 1949 – Reached over 5,000 TV sets in Jacksonville area
• Record crowd of 90,585 in 1949 saw Clemson defeat Missouri
• Became first bowl game to receive a title sponsor in 1986 when Mazda began sponsorship
• Featured first matchup between two ranked teams in 1960 (#12 Florida vs #18 Baylor)
• Notre Dame made first Gator Bowl appearance in 1991, winning 39-28 over Virginia
• First, and to date only, tie in Gator Bowl history came in 1993 when Florida and Iowa finished in a 28-28 draw

The Gator Bowl has provided a high-profile matchup between top SEC and other conference teams for over seven decades. This long history helps account for its large and enthusiastic fan following.

Gator Bowl Ticket Sales Over the Years

Exact ticket sale records can be hard to find for many Gator Bowls, especially in the early years. However, crowds and attendance numbers can provide insight into ticket demand. Here is a look at notable Gator Bowl crowds over the years:

1940s and 1950s:

• 1948: Record crowd of 19,952 sees Georgia Tech beat Kansas
• 1949: Record crowd of 90,585 sees Clemson defeat Missouri
• 1957: 66,280 see Tennessee defeat Texas A&M

The huge crowd of over 90,000 in 1949 demonstrated the big ticket demand potential of the Gator Bowl even in its early years. Large crowds over 65,000 continued through the 1950s.

1960s:

• 1960: Crowd of 72,206 sees #12 Florida vs #18 Baylor. First matchup of ranked teams.
• 1967: Attendance of 70,123 for NC State vs. Georgia
• 1968: Florida vs. Penn State draws crowd of 63,810

The 1960s saw a string of crowds between 60,000-70,000, showing consistently high demand for tickets. Seeing two ranked teams likely drove ticket sales.

1970s:

• 1970: Crowd of 71,248 sees Auburn defeat Ole Miss 35-28
• 1975: Record low attendance of 26,800 for Maryland vs. Tennessee
• 1978: 57,323 attend matchup between Ohio State and Clemson

After very strong attendance in the 1960s, crowds dipped in the early to mid 1970s, including the record low in 1975. But ticket sales rebounded later in the decade for matchups like Ohio State vs. Clemson.

1980s:

• 1980: 66,711 see Florida State defeat Oklahoma State, 17-3
• 1983: Crowd of 72,011 sees Florida defeat Iowa, 14-6
• 1985: 50,700 see Florida State vs. Oklahoma State
• 1989: Largest crowd since 1949 sees 78,412 attend Auburn vs. Ohio State

The 1980s saw a resurgence in ticket sales and demand, with the Auburn vs. Ohio State matchup in 1989 drawing over 78,000 fans, one of the largest crowds in Gator Bowl history.

1990s:

• 1991: Notre Dame’s first Gator Bowl appearance draws crowd of 74,754 vs. Virginia
• 1992: Crowd of 60,574 sees Florida State defeat NC State
• 1995: 56,717 see Syracuse defeat Clemson 41-0
• 1999: Rematch of 1993 tie brings out crowd of 63,297 for Florida vs. Iowa

Notre Dame’s debut in the 1991 Gator Bowl led to great ticket demand, nearly 75,000 attendees. The 1990s overall saw strong sales, evidence of the game’s continuing popularity.

2000s:

• 2000: Record low attendance of 30,762 sees Georgia Tech defeat Clemson
• 2003: Crowd of 63,780 sees Maryland defeat West Virginia 41-7
• 2005: Matchup of Florida and Iowa draws crowd of 84,129
• 2009: Nebraska vs. Clemson brings attendance of 84,129

After a very small crowd to start the decade in 2000, Gator Bowl ticket sales rebounded. The 2005 and 2009 games both drew over 84,000 fans, demonstrating the ability to still produce very large crowds.

2010s:

The 2010s saw fairly steady ticket demand in the low to mid 60,000s for the first half of the decade. But sales dipped down to the high 30,000s and low 40,000s in the latter 2010s.

2020s (so far):

In the two years so far in the 2020s, attendance has been similar to the late 2010s, in the high 30,000s to low 40,000s range. This points to stabilized but not spectacular ticket demand.

Factors Influencing Gator Bowl Ticket Sales

A number of factors can affect how many tickets are sold for a given Gator Bowl:

• Team quality and ranking – Matchups of highly ranked or respected teams such as Florida, Florida State, Miami, and Notre Dame tend to drive sales.
• Team fanbases – Teams with larger fanbases who will travel well tend to sell more tickets.
• Regional appeal – Teams from the Southeast with closer fan proximity usually have stronger sales.
• Competition from other bowls – The wider bowl lineup each year impacts demand.
• Economic conditions – Tougher economic times can restrict bowl travel for fans.
• Ticket prices – Rising prices, especially in recent decades, make tickets less accessible.

These factors have combined over the years to create varying ticket demand. But the Gator Bowl’s longevity and strong tradition have helped ensure robust ticket sales in most years.

How Does the Gator Bowl Stack Up to Other Bowls in Ticket Sales?

The Gator Bowl’s long track record provides many years of ticket sales data to compare to other prominent bowl games:

The Gator Bowl stacks up well against the top bowls in terms of longevity and attendance trends. It holds its own in terms of highest recorded crowd, and lowest attendance is understandable given some down periods for teams and matchups. The Gator Bowl’s overall ticket sales history confirms its status as one of the premier and most popular bowl games.

2022 Gator Bowl Matchup and Ticket Outlook

The most recent 2022 Gator Bowl featured the Wake Forest Demon Deacons out of the ACC against the Texas A&M Aggies from the SEC. While not featuring two of the highest profile programs, this matchup drew a solid turnout of 40,653 fans. Wake Forest brought strong fan support, while Texas A&M benefited from its proximity and conference affiliation.

Ticket prices averaged around $75-$100 on secondary markets, reflecting decent demand balanced with accessible pricing. The upcoming 2023 Gator Bowl will look to build on the solid turnout from 2022 when new teams match up in Jacksonville. The strong history of crowds over 60,000+ shows the potential for even bigger attendance is always there.

Conclusion

The Gator Bowl’s decades of ticket sales reflect its status as one of college football’s most established bowl games. Total attendance surpassed 90,000 as early as 1949, showcasing the game’s popularity right from the outset. While crowds fluctuated over the years, the Gator Bowl frequently drew between 60,000 to 80,000 fans throughout its history, comparing favorably to top bowls like the Rose, Sugar, and Orange bowls.

Factors like team matchups, fan proximity, and ticket pricing impacted annual ticket sales variations. But the loyalty of Gator Bowl fans willing to travel to Jacksonville each year has kept demand relatively high over 75 editions of the game. There is every reason to expect strong ticket sales to continue as the Gator Bowl heads towards its 100th anniversary in 2046 with its reputation as one of the best bowl games firmly intact.