Hen fans turn out in record numbers

University of Delaware football fans turned out in record numbers throughout the 2004 and 2005 seasons, providing an electric atmosphere at storied Tubby Raymond Field in Delaware Stadium. For the first time in the history of the Fightin’ Blue Hens, every 2004 regular season home game was sold out, and UD finished the season second in NCAA Division I-AA with a total attendance of 147,385. That figure includes a playoff home game against Lafayette College that drew 13,707 fans.

Only the University of Montana outdrew UD, with a total attendance of 221,183.

The sellout string continued through the 2005 season, with crowds topping 22,000 for each of the six home games against Lehigh University, West Chester University, the College of the Holy Cross, Hofstra University, defending national champion James Madison University and the University of Massachusetts. Heavy downpours that damaged the turf led to the switch of one home game, against the University of Richmond, to UR Stadium.

The high attendance figures were built on solid season ticket sales, with UD cracking the 10,500 barrier in 2004 and the 11,000 mark, or one-half of the stadium’s 22,000-seat capacity, in 2005. Both easily outdistanced the 2003 season ticket total of just over 8,700.

The increase was not unexpected, given that UD won an unprecedented 15 games and captured the NCAA Division I-AA national championship in 2003 and again reached the postseason tournament in 2004.

“Winning the national championship has had a lot to do with the increased interest in UD football,” Athletics Director Edgar Johnson says. “We are extremely pleased and excited about the increased interest in UD football by the entire state and the surrounding community.”

For 2006 season ticket information, call (302) 831-2257. The tentative schedule includes seven homes games, with West Chester the season opener on Sept. 9, followed by the University of Albany on Sept. 16. The Hens will face Ricky Santos and the high-scoring University of New Hampshire on Sept. 30, Hofstra University on Oct. 14, Towson University on Oct. 28, the College of William & Mary on Nov. 11 and traditional rival Villanova University in the season finale on Nov. 18.

For those interested in following the Hens on the road, UD will play at the University of Rhode Island on Sept. 23, at Northeastern University on Oct. 7, at the University of Richmond on Oct. 21 and at James Madison University on Nov. 4.  

UD football regular season sellouts

2004
New Hampshire	22,727
Towson	22,782
West Chester	22,036
Maine	22,030
William & Mary	22,059
Villanova	22,045
2005
Lehigh	22,537
West Chester	22,331
Holy Cross	22,025
Hofstra	22,030
James Madison	22,059
Massachusetts	22,078