Shrinking attendance at USC football games this season is changing the playing field for Columbia-area businesses.
Despite winning all three home games, official attendance at Williams-Brice Stadium is down more than 7 percent so far from last year’s season average of 80,529.
Many Columbia-area hotel, restaurant and souvenir store operators say their football-weekend sales have dropped around 10 percent from last year.
Average attendance at USC home football games in the past decade generally has been lower in recent seasons. Lou Holtz coached the team from 1999-2004, and Steve Spurrier took over in 2005. Attendance peaked during the last recession in 2001, which also was the team’s high-mark for wins in a season this decade.
2009: 74,602*
2008: 80,529
2007: 78,467
2006: 76,552
2005: 79,853
2004: 80,367
2003: 80,844
2002: 82,138
2001: 82,614
2000: 81,814
1999: 78,273
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