Football is a tradition in the USA; whether you are watching the NFL or college ball, both forms of the game have incredible viewership during the season. In recent years, football fans have started to question whether college football is more popular than the NFL. Here at Sportzino, we love both forms of the game, but we’ve taken a deep dive into the stats to discover which form gets the most love from fans.
Are College Football Attendances Better than the NFL?
The answer to this question is nuanced. It’s different than asking if college football is better than the NFL, where the answer objectively favors the NFL. In college football, the overall attendance is much higher. However, the NFL has fewer games and a higher average attendance. The following table shows the breakdown of attendance between 2006 and 2012:
| Year | NCAA Average | NFL Average | NCAA Total | NFL Total |
| 2006 | 43,455 | 68,712 | 34,187,385 | 17,590,340 |
| 2007 | 44,083 | 68,763 | 34,596,706 | 17,603,314 |
| 2008 | 44.373 | 68,264 | 34,747,985 | 17,334,276 |
| 2009 | 43,741 | 67,498 | 34,640,785 | 17,136,404 |
| 2010 | 44,147 | 66,953 | 34,446,319 | 17,007,172 |
| 2011 | 43,877 | 67,358 | 34,456,101 | 17,124,789 |
| 2012 | 43,700 | 67,604 | 34,243,131 | 17,306,702 |
As the table conveys, the NFL consistently has a higher average per-game attendance. However, it’s still subjective whether the NFL or NCAA have better attendance, as one could argue that college games would have higher attendance rates if there were fewer games; comparing the two figures accurately is impossible.
The only objective figure here is that college football has more people watching games in the stadium throughout the season. As a result, it’s possible to argue the NCAA is seemingly more popular as a live event, but you may wonder why college football is preferred to the NFL in this regard.
College football likely draws more fans overall because people have two kinds of connections to the teams. For starters, fans support the college in their local area because it brings prestige to where they live. A successful college means a thriving local economy is more likely.
Additionally, when people attend a college, school spirit is a significant part of life on campus. As a result, after leaving, they still have a connection to where they studied. So, even people who aren’t football fans will still watch the games when they can.
Is College Football Better than the NFL?
Regarding the quality of the players on the field, the NFL is objectively the superior product. The NCAA is a feeder league for the NFL, so the best players from college will move to the NFL each season. Additionally, because there are so many teams, the quality is more spread out, meaning fewer elite players are on the field in a single game.
However, many argue that college football is a more exciting experience to watch. Part of this is because of people’s emotional attachment to their team, which is often more intense than following an NFL team. But college football frequently has action-packed games, particularly as they can’t end in a draw, so teams will work hard to outscore each other.
While it doesn’t translate into TV viewership, there are mitigating factors, which we will cover later on.
Why does the NFL have Higher TV Viewing Figures?
There are multiple reasons why the NFL has superior viewing figures to college football. We’re going to take a look at the top three reasons why.
- Legacy,
- Better Advertising,
- Superior Players.
Legacy
The NFL is a media powerhouse. It’s been the top league in the USA for decades, with the Super Bowl topping viewership lists every year. As a result, college football is fighting from a losing position to take the top spot.
So, the NFL’s legacy helps it retain a larger share of viewership than college football. It’s similar to how WWE regularly beats other wrestling companies because it’s more well-known to the audience. While college football can become the number-one show, the legacy of the NFL makes it unlikely.
Better Advertising
Advertisers push the NFL far more than college football. On social media, NFL accounts have around 200 times the number of followers than NCAA football. It makes it significantly harder for college football to compete and attract new viewers. The betting advertising from the NFL ensures it continues to grow faster than college football.
The colossal TV deals available to the NFL mean it can keep pumping more money into advertising to maintain its position as the most viewed sport. Even as the NCAA begins to sign more deals that increase its revenue, it’s unlikely to plug the gap that the decades-long headstart has afforded the NFL.
Better Players
Of course, the players in the NFL are superior to college players. Because the NCAA is a feeder league for the NFL, the best players leave each year and begin playing NFL football. So, even when high-quality players appear in the NCAA, they eventually leave to play at the top level.
As a result, viewers who enjoy watching specific players will move on, making it more likely they switch to watching them in the NFL. It’s much more difficult for college football to build up loyalty to particular players from viewers as they know they won’t be there for long.
Where to Make NFL and College Football Predictions
Anyone who enjoys making football predictions can do so here at Sportzino. We provide NFL and NCAA markets, allowing players to find the best picks. If you want to add some extra fun to your football viewing, Sportzino is the right place.
We cover all the most significant events, whether the NCAA playoffs or the Super Bowl, so players don’t have to worry about missing out. It makes Sportzino the best way to make predictions when watching football. Join us to find out if college football is better than the NFL.
