Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

More than a million Razorback fans cheered on the Hogs last year, making the University of Arkansas the only NCAA Division I-A school in the nation to rank in the top 25 in home attendance for football, men’s basketball and baseball for the 2011-12 competitive year. 

Arkansas finished second in average home baseball attendance boasting 7,924 fans (269,433 total) at Baum Stadium. The Razorbacks finished No. 22 in home football attendance with an average 66,990 fans (468,933 total) for seven home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium and War Memorial Stadium. Arkansas finished No. 23 in men’s basketball home attendance averaging 13,096 fans (275,020 total) in 21 games at Bud Walton Arena.

Combined, the three sports welcomed 1,014,386 fans to Razorback sporting events in 2011-12. 

Athletic Director Jeff Long expressed the department's gratitude for the turnout.

“As these numbers demonstrate, the passion of Razorback fans for our athletic programs is unparalleled," Long said. "Our tremendous fan support gives us the strength to compete in the SEC and nationally. Our program recently completed one of the most successful years in our history. We look forward to another outstanding year of Razorback Athletics and welcoming our fans back to cheer on our more than 460 student-athletes.” 

Arkansas also ranked among the nation’s leaders is gymnastics home attendance. The Razorbacks averaged 3,080 fans per home meet in 2011-12, ranking eighth in the nation. 

Arkansas earned its first top 20 finish in more than a decade in the Learfield Sports Directors Cup released by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of America (NACDA). The Razorbacks accumulated a school record 811 total points and finished No. 20 in the ranking that tracks the nation’s most successful intercollegiate athletic programs.

This marks the first time Arkansas has finished in the top 20 since the current scoring format was adopted in 2000. 

Arkansas finished second in the nation among programs with 19 or fewer sports and sixth among programs with 20 or fewer sports. The Directors Cup awards points for up to 20 varsity sports.