Itap a good time to be a college football fan in the state of Colorado.
The Buffaloes are fresh off a 10-win season, the Rams obliterated a Pac-12 foe in the opening of their new on-campus stadium, and at 6 p.m. Friday, the University of Colorado and Colorado State meet at Mile High Stadium in Denver. The NFL venue can host 76,125, but dating back to 1995, the Rocky Mountain Showdown has drawn more than 70,000 only five times: 2003 (76,219), 2002 (75,531), 2001 (75,022), 1999 (73,438) and 1998 (76,036).
Might this edition of the rivalry once again crack the mark?
“It’s a unique atmosphere. I think there should be over 70,000 this year,” CU football coach Mike MacIntyre said. “I think it should be loud and exciting.”
As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, CU had sold 33,445 tickets for the game (24,436 public seats and 9,009 student passes). CSU sold slightly less, 30,472 tickets, by Tuesday afternoon (22,471 public seats and 8,001 student passes). All figures were provided by a university spokesman at each respective school.
With the addition of last-minute buyers and Denver Broncos club-level ticket-holders with priority seating options, it will take about 6,000 more tickets sold to break the 70,000 threshold in what appears to be an attainable goal.
In 2016, the rivalry fell just short, with 69,850.
“That tells you the importance of the game,” CSU coach Mike Bobo said. “Itap passionate for both sides (and) both fan bases. … Itap comparable to Georgia-Florida, because half the fans are for one team and half are for the other.”
Tickets are available for purchase through csurams.com/tickets and cubuffs.com/tickets, with prices ranging from $35 to $85. Through secondary markets, such as stubhub.com and vividseats.com, tickets are between $30 and $300.
Fandemonium
A look at the attendance for the Rocky Mountain Showdown over the years:
Attendance in Denver since 2010
At Sports Authority Field
2016: 69,850
2015: 66,253
2014: 63,368
2013: 59,601
2012: 58,607
2011: 57,186
2010: 60,989
Top five RMS attendances
The showdown was played in Boulder and Fort Collins until it moved to Denver in 1998. It returned to Boulder in 2004, 2005 and 2009.
1. 76,219 (2003)
2. 76,036 (1998)
3. 75,531 (2002)
4. 75,022 (2001)
5. 73,438 (1999)
