I emphasize Houston because it’s a problem that’s built in our city’s DNA
Houston sports fans (Texans, Rockets, Astros, and Coogs…) do not support their teams unless they are nationally relevant. That’s just the nature of Houston sports.
Houston doesn’t care about the Astros until the nation cares about them. Nobody cares about the Texans until the nation cares about them. Nobody cares about the Rockets until the nation cares about them. SAME APPLIES TO THE HOUSTON COUGARS.
We could go on all day about the systematic reasons for the lack of attendance, but the reality is that it takes a MAJOR event for the fans to care.
- Think a top 10 win over OU in 2016 coming off a peach bowl
- Think a top 10 matchup vs Texas in 2023
- Think a top 10 matchup vs Tech in 2025
After those losses, fan support tanked. Had we won against Tech last year, attendance would’ve been consistent because the nation would be paying attention.
Houston has a FOMO problem. We don’t care unless the entire world cares. Then it becomes a spectacle that pulls people into TDECU.
It’s sad but it’s reality. We don’t have cult-like SEC fandom. Never will.
To end my piece, we don’t have a guaranteed “EVENT” this season. Closest we will get is a ranked vs ranked game against Oklahoma State in 2 weeks, but our next chance at a major event is a CFP appearance + a 2027 Advocare Kickoff against LSU.
Win against LSU? TDECU will be packed just like it was essentially all of 2016 after beating OU.
Go COOGS