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VERIFY | Is there a correlation between how well the Hogs are doing & War Memorial attendance?

THV11 set out to verify if there is a correlation between War Memorial attendance and Hog wins.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - Hog fans are praying for a big win against Ole Miss on Saturday in Little Rock.

And the War Memorial Stadium Commission hopes those fans pack the stadium to capacity.

Ticket sales have been down the past few years, but THV11 verified over the past decade, the hogs' winning record directly affects how many fans show up. The Arkansas Razorback football team has been playing on War Memorial turf for 70 years.

A long history here for fans, and a stadium with one of the longest standing tailgate traditions in college football.

"When people are excited about the Razorbacks, they come to buy tickets," said Kevin Crass, who is the head of the War Memorial Stadium Commission. He shared that in 70 years’ time, the hogs have won 71 percent of their games. Low attendance in the past few years he said has to do with one thing. “I don't think there's any doubt if you look back at the numbers that when the team is winning people are more excited to come to the games, buy the tickets, come to the tailgate," said Crass.

And the numbers don't lie. Crass looked back over the past 10 years of games and shared those numbers. The hogs played War Memorial 16 times in the past decade. They won 11 games, lost 5. And in 11 of those games attendance was either right at capacity, roughly 54,000 people, or exceeded capacity.

"There's a correlation, the more that people come out, the bigger the home field advantage, the adversity for the opposing team, and that creates to the winning record,” said Crass. “So, they play off of each other, people come because we're winning, and we win because they come."

The biggest crowd at War Memorial during the past decade was against Mississippi State in Bobby Petrino's last year, and before that when he beat LSU here and headed to the sugar bowl. The team isn't seeing those kinds of wins yet, but Crass is hopeful and believes fans are too.

“There's an excitement that belies the record and people are excited and we're gonna be real close to a sellout," he said. "I think this year we're gonna return to the glory days."

So, we can verify that there is a correlation between War Memorial attendance and Hog wins.

The last ticket that was available at the War Memorial Stadium box office was sold Friday afternoon. The University of Arkansas box office still has a handful of tickets remaining and that’s where people will now have to go to buy a ticket if they choose according to Kane Webb, director of Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

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