Clemson once again led the ACC in average attendance per home game in 2016. With the largest stadium in the ACC, as well as the league’s two-time defending champions on the field, the Tigers are currently riding one of the school’s all-time biggest highs in football.
Florida State, aided by its Atlantic Division showdown with Clemson in Tallahassee, finished second behind the Tigers, while Virginia Tech ranked third as Justin Fuente got the Hokies back to the ACC Championship game. Another ACC Coastal school, Miami, also saw an attendance bump in Mark Richt’s first season in Coral Gables as the Canes ranked fourth.
NC State moved past Louisville into fifth place, while the Cards rode well-attended home games against Florida State and Kentucky to sixth place.
Coastal Division rivals Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh lived up to their respective statuses as Power 5 college programs based in cities regarded as pro sports towns, averaging less than 50,000 per game despite qualifying for bowls. Then there was a large dip leading down to the four ACC programs that averaged less than 33,000 spectators per home game – Syracuse, Boston College, Duke, and Wake Forest.
ACC Football Average Home Game Attendance – 2016
| Team | Average attendance | Number of of home games |
|---|---|---|
| Clemson | 80,970 | 7 |
| Florida State | 76,800 | 6 |
| Virginia Tech | 63,043 | 6 |
| Miami | 58,572 | 6 |
| NC State | 57,497 | 7 |
| Louisville | 54,065 | 6 |
| North Carolina | 50,250 | 6 |
| Georgia Tech | 47,503 | 7 |
| Pittsburgh | 46,076 | 7 |
| Virginia | 39,929 | 6 |
| Syracuse | 32,805 | 6 |
| Boston College | 32,157 | 6 |
| Duke | 29,895 | 6 |
| Wake Forest | 26,456 | 7 |