Army-Navy and College Swimming’s Attendance Boom: A Significant Shakeup
December 6 was a typical Thursday night in West Point, New York, with hundreds briskly shuffling in to watch their Knights compete. The stands were packed shoulder-to shoulder, anxious in their anticipation of the big event. This competition would be unlike any across the country, the crowd was sure of it.
But it wasn’t a big basketball game, or a football game, or an event typically known to draw this type of crowd. No, about 1,311 spectators had gathered for the Army-Navy swim meet, one of the biggest turnouts in college swimming and a smashing success for all involved. In a sport which has largely struggled to draw crowds, these two programs shattered expectations, creating a historic atmosphere in a rivalry that has long been deep in tradition…