Steve Carp: WAC crowds nothing to cheer about

Thursday, Sept. 19, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

WHEN UNLV JOINED the Western Athletic Conference, there were two important yardsticks the Rebels would be measured by -- on-the-field performance and the turnstile count.

Everyone knows where Jeff Horton's team stands on the first part of the equation. At 0-3 and unable to surrender the title of the nation's worst defense, the Rebels are measuring their success in inches.

But in the stands, UNLV is holding its own in the WAC. This week, the Rebels are seventh in the 16-team WAC in home attendance with an average of 31,518.

Understand the numbers may be skewered somewhat by the fact the Invasion of the Cheeseheads last week for the Wisconsin game boosted the figures. But regardless of who showed up, the fact is, UNLV is averaging a legitimate 31,518.

The WAC wishes its other members were doing as well at the gate. So far, attendance isn't all that great around the league. For every crowd of 63,681 that shows up at BYU, you get 15,182 at Wyoming. The fans of the old Southwest Conference schools -- Southern Methodist and Texas Christian -- have yet to embrace the WAC. When 2-0 SMU hosted Utah, one of the preseason favorites to win the conference, the game attracted only 20,514 at the Cotton Bowl.

The threat of bad weather supposedly kept the crowd count down. And perhaps that's true. But it's more likely the combination of competing events, such as a Texas Rangers game in the heart of a pennant race plus the fact the fans aren't racing to back the WAC, that has the Cotton Bowl one-quarter full.

But it's not just the new schools. The old-timers aren't doing so hot at the gate. New Mexico drew less than 20,000 last Saturday for Central Florida. Wyoming, which is off to a great 3-0 start, is averaging just 17,279 for two games at War Memorial Stadium.

Perhaps things will begin to pick up now that conference play is in full swing. You'd think Saturday's Air Force-Wyoming game at Laramie will pack the house. New Mexico-BYU, usually an entertaining game, should have well over 60,000 at Cougar Stadium. Fresno State-Utah should draw well at Rice Stadium in Salt Lake City.

Then again, how many are likely to show up at Spartan Stadium for UTEP-San Jose State? Two weeks ago, California, a Bay Area rival, came to San Jose and the place was a third-empty as just 22,647 showed up. And with the time change and all the turmoil in San Diego, the Oklahoma-San Diego State game probably won't draw what Aztec officials had hoped.

Obviously, you can find mitigating circumstances, both good and bad, for the WAC's turnstile counts. Yes, the overall numbers are better than the Big West's, but you would expect that, given the WAC's stature. Still, compared to the Big 12, the Big Ten or the Pac-10, the WAC is the Big West when it comes to filling the stadium.

But the season is young. And if teams can make progress on the field, they can do the same at the gate. The WAC hierarchy sure hopes they do.