| The number of what could be considered to be | | | | attendance at many more team events each |
| the best college sports fan sites has grown to | | | | year. With enrollments up it appears there are |
| thousands across the Internet. College teams for | | | | way more events than even five years ago, |
| every sport generate a broad fan base and the | | | | according to the latest US News and World |
| requisite flock of fan sites. And the focus of | | | | Report survey. Many fans are saying they have |
| many of the sites is the exchange of information | | | | become more active in support of their school's |
| and the support of the team. Of course most | | | | sports programs. Reports attribute the increased |
| sites offer team logo goods for in the form an | | | | attendance and overall support to cuts in some |
| expanding variety of items. | | | | areas related to the economy. |
| Many times college sports fans are anxious to | | | | Now most college sports fan sites are marketing |
| know the inside story of their team's standing in | | | | and producing revenue to support the site and |
| the larger, more established division conferences. | | | | build more team spirit. Everything from gas grills |
| This is especially true for the big ten or sec | | | | that are coordinated with the favorite college |
| where the competition with hundreds of other | | | | team's colors to other licensed products; college |
| college athletes becomes intense. And the annual | | | | sports fan sites can easily mimic the student |
| mid-March madness finds millions of college sports | | | | union in an expanded way when it comes to |
| fans preparing for the hype fed hysteria and | | | | moving tons of merchandise. |
| minute by minute nuances of the NCAA | | | | With the approximately 300 or more institutions |
| basketball tournament season. This is truly the | | | | that compete at the division level, many |
| greatest show on earth. | | | | programs including the University of Michigan, Penn |
| Each March the thunder gets louder and it seems | | | | State University, and the University of Tennessee |
| the teams get stronger. And there's always the | | | | get lots of attention from the media. And this |
| sense of wonder about next year's team and | | | | generates more than 100,000 spectators for |
| how it will place after losing the best roster of | | | | home football games, a formidable challenge for |
| seniors ever...at least for the past three or so | | | | less powerful divisions. |
| years. | | | | For example, the most popular and lucrative of |
| And then comes baseball and the strong young | | | | college sports programs can generate up to $5 |
| pitchers and the hitters without endorsements, | | | | million in revenue from a single football home |
| but yet literally knocking them out of the park | | | | contest. It is becoming clear that the best college |
| with relish. And moving forward into the beginning | | | | sports fan sites play a growing role in supporting |
| of the football season we notice lots of increased | | | | their teams and helping fill seats in college |
| emphasis on college sports fans sites. It is not | | | | stadiums across the US. It could be said that |
| unusual for opposing fans to jump into a site to | | | | college sports fans are not just in Kansas |
| pump up the volume of the chatter. | | | | anymore. |
| College sports fans are building statistics by their | | | | |