Basketball ticket sales up, attendance slightly down

Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson, center, is announced before an NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi State, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015, in Fayetteville, Ark. Arkansas defeated Mississippi State 61-41. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

— Arkansas sold more tickets to men's basketball games in 2014-15 than the year before, but actual attendance was down more than 300 fans per game, according to an analysis of the program's attendance records.

The Razorbacks sold 284,167 tickets to its 18 home games this season. That is an increase of 21,425 tickets over the regular season the year before.

Despite the increase in tickets sold, average actual attendance fell by more than 300 fans per game and by more than 600 fans per conference game in 2014-15.

Average Tickets Sold Per Game

2014-15: 15,787

2013-14: 14,957

2012-13: 13,750

2011-12: 13,096

2010-11: 11,884

The Razorbacks averaged 11,267 fans at games this year as opposed to an average 11,585 at games last year.

Arkansas' average SEC game attendance fell from 15,509 to 14,856.

The decrease in actual attendance could be explained by later start times and a less attractive home schedule than the year before. Arkansas had nine home games begin at 8 p.m. or later this season to accommodate TV programming times and didn't play a single home game against a team ranked in the top 25.

Last November a team spokesperson said Arkansas sold 10,150 season tickets for basketball, an increase of about 300 from the year before.

The Razorbacks finished this season with a 16-2 record at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 27 games overall - its most since 1995 - and played in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008.