Kyle Field, located in College Station, Texas, is home to the Texas A&M Aggies football team. With a seating capacity of 102,733, it is one of the largest stadiums in the NCAA and has seen some massive crowds over the years. Determining the largest crowd in Kyle Field history requires looking at attendance records dating back decades.
Home Crowds vs Visitor Crowds
When examining the question of largest crowd size, it’s important to make a distinction between home crowds at Kyle Field versus visitor crowds. The vast majority of massively attended games at Kyle Field have been for Texas A&M home games. This is not surprising, given the passion and loyalty of the Aggies fanbase. However, there have been a handful of games where the visiting team brought a huge contingent of fans as well.
Notable Visitor Crowds
While most of the top attendance figures belong to Texas A&M home games, there are a few visitor crowds worth mentioning:
- 2017: 110,633 for the game vs. Ole Miss. This remains the overall record attendance.
- 2019: 109,811 for the game vs. LSU.
- 2014: 110,633 for the game vs. Ole Miss.
The first two games on that list represent the only times the overall attendance record has been broken. The 2014 Ole Miss game shows that big visitor crowds at Kyle Field are not a new phenomenon.
Texas A&M Home Game Crowds
Now looking at the top home crowds for Texas A&M at Kyle Field:
- 2019: 109,835 for the game vs. LSU.
- 2014: 106,511 for the game vs. Ole Miss.
- 2013: 106,420 for the game vs. Alabama.
Other than being edged out by massive visiting fan bases a couple times, the Aggies home crowd attendance records represent some of the biggest crowds ever seen at Kyle Field.
Top 5 All-Time Attendance Figures
Looking at the five largest total attendance figures in Kyle Field history, including both home and visitor crowds:
Rank | Date | Matchup | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|
1 | September 9, 2017 | Texas A&M vs. Ole Miss | 110,633 |
2 | November 30, 2019 | Texas A&M vs. LSU | 109,811 |
3 | October 11, 2014 | Texas A&M vs. Ole Miss | 110,633 |
4 | November 30, 2019 | Texas A&M vs. LSU | 109,835 |
5 | September 14, 2013 | Texas A&M vs. Alabama | 106,420 |
As the table shows, the two Ole Miss games from 2014 and 2017 represent the peak attendance ever seen at Kyle Field, with both drawing over 110,000 fans. The 2019 matchups against LSU produced the 2nd and 4th highest totals, showing the drawing power of those two SEC rivals. The 2013 Alabama crowd rounds out the top 5 attendances.
Factors Behind the Huge Crowds
Several factors have contributed to these massive crowds at Kyle Field over the years:
Texas A&M’s Football Resurgence
Texas A&M football struggled through mediocrity and losing seasons in the 1990s and 2000s. However, the hiring of coach Kevin Sumlin in 2012 and the recruiting of Johnny Manziel sparked a resurgence for the Aggies program. Associated with this success on the field was renewed enthusiasm in the fanbase and a willingness to pack Kyle Field in huge numbers again.
SEC Membership
Texas A&M’s move from the Big 12 to the SEC in 2012 also played a role in boosting attendance. SEC football, particularly marquee conference matchups, are a huge draw. Games against top SEC rivals like Alabama and LSU became major events on the Kyle Field calendar.
Stadium Expansions
To meet ticket demand, Texas A&M has undertaken massive stadium expansion projects at Kyle Field in recent years. In 2015, the seating capacity was increased from 82,589 to 102,733. Even larger crowds are now able to be accommodated.
Attendance Declines in Recent Years
While Texas A&M football crowds were setting Kyle Field records between 2013-2019, attendance has declined noticeably in the past three seasons. Some contributing factors:
- Texas A&M on-field performance has been inconsistent since Jimbo Fisher took over in 2018.
- Impact of COVID-19 pandemic leading to reduced capacity in 2020 and 2021.
- Emergence of secondary ticket market and rising ticket costs.
It remains to be seen if Texas A&M crowds will return to the peaks seen less than a decade ago. Much may depend on improvement in the team’s win-loss record going forward.
What About Other Texas Stadiums?
While this article has focused on Kyle Field and Texas A&M crowds, it raises the question – how do other major stadiums in Texas compare for attendance?
Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium
Home of the Texas Longhorns in Austin, DKR has a capacity of 100,119 since renovations in 2009. The largest crowd ever was 115,000+ during Texas’ 1969 showdown with Arkansas.
Cotton Bowl Stadium
Located in Dallas, the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium seats 92,100. The Packers vs Cowboys 1967 NFL championship game drew an announced crowd of 75,504.
NRG Stadium
The home stadium of the Houston Texans can hold up to 72,220 for football. The largest crowd was 79,985 for WrestleMania X-Seven in 2001.
Stadium | Capacity | Record Attendance |
---|---|---|
Kyle Field | 102,733 | 110,633 |
DKR Stadium | 100,119 | 115,000+ |
Cotton Bowl | 92,100 | 75,504 |
NRG Stadium | 72,220 | 79,985 |
While Kyle Field has the largest official capacity, Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium has seen a bigger single-game crowd in its history. But Kyle Field still stands as one of the premier huge-crowd venues not just in Texas, but the entire country.
Conclusion
In summary, the two largest crowds in Kyle Field history were over 110,000 each for Texas A&M home games against Ole Miss in 2014 and 2017. The passion of Aggies fans when the team is enjoying success leads to scenes of massive attendance. While recent crowds have declined from those peaks, Kyle Field has demonstrated over decades the ability to host some of the largest and loudest gatherings of any stadium in college football.