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UNDATED (AP) — Six bowl games this season saw their lowest attendance in history. Even though many bowls are played in half-empty stadiums, they aren't going away. The number of bowls will go from 39 this season to 42 next season. Average announced attendance for non-New Year's Six bowls was 34,500. Even though stadiums often don't fill, the games are attractive because they bring in valuable television viewers. The Football Bowl Association plans to form a task force to look at ways to grow attendance.
UNDATED (AP) — Some of the attendance problems that have hit college football during the regular season has shown up in the postseason. The Associated Press analyzed attendance numbers for 33 second- and third-tier Bowl Subdivision bowl games. AP found that 23 of those were played at venues where the announced attendance was less than 75% of capacity. Of those 23, eight were under 50%. Six bowl games had their smallest crowds on record. Those were the New Mexico, Cure, Camellia, Pinstripe, First Responder and Famous Idaho Potato bowls.
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