In fourth year with Deion Sanders, Colorado's spring game attendance keeps falling

The honeymoon has long since ended for Deion Sanders in Boulder.

Via Colorado Sports Only on Twitter, attendance at the Colorado spring game has consistently fallen during Sanders's four years with the Buffaloes.

It has gone from, per CSO, 47,277 in 2023 to 28,424 in 2024 to 20,430 in 2025 to approximately 17,500 in 2026.

Sean Keeler of the Denver Post estimates that 17,000 to 18,000 attended the free event. The school claimed that 27,772 were present.

“We’re not anything new and shiny anymore,” CU sophomore Elizabeth Stephan told Keeler. “We’re just kind of a mediocre team that somehow still makes headlines because of our coach."

After a 3-0 start in Sanders's first season, the Buffaloes finished 4-8 in 2023. The next year, they finished 9-4. With both Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders gone, the Buffaloes fell to 3-9 last year.

The Buffaloes have the lowest projected win total for 2026, at 4.5.

In March 2025, Sanders signed a five-year, $54 million contract that runs through the 2029 season.

A college football program's viability ultimately comes down to the quality of the players. Last year, the players weren't good enough. This year, it remains to be seen whether the Buffaloes can compete at a high level.