Norfolk State and Delaware State both saw their football crowds grow in 2025 DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick.
But the growth of the Spartans under first-year head coach Vick has made their home dates the hottest tickets in HBCU football.
From record-breaking homecoming numbers in Norfolk to a showdown at Delaware’s NFL stadium, numbers tell the story of two MEAC programs’ broader wave of fan engagement.
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Norfolk State’s attendance increased under Vick
Norfolk State’s 2025 home attendance increased to 106,062 through five home games, which was more than the 2023 and 2024 seasons combined and one of the largest regular season numbers in modern program history. This resulted in a crowd of approximately 21,212 per game, ranking the Spartans 5th nationally in FCS attendance.
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The centerpiece was homecoming, where 47,273 fans packed into Dick Price Stadium to take on South Carolina State, more than double the homecoming attendance of 24,960 two years ago. Even with a 1-9 record heading into their last home game against Morgan State, Norfolk State still drew 7,294 fans, More than doubling the comparable end-of-season crowd in 2023, underscoring how Vick’s arrival and aggressive ticket sales have shifted mainstream interest.
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Delaware State continues to rise and win
Delaware State’s attendance picture in 2024 and 2025 was not as dramatic as Norfolk State’s, but it still showed signs of growth and ambition. The Hornets’ 2025 schedule included Thursday night’s clash against Norfolk State at an NFL stadium, a neutral-site showcase that drew 47,266 fans and led all HBCU games in Week 10.
That neutral site number dwarfed typical home numbers at Delaware State, which averaged 3,389 fans in 2025, up from 3,333 a year earlier. However, according to the most recent figures, attendance increased from 46.3 percent in 2024 to 47 percent this past fall.
Annual comparison
The contrast between 2024 and 2025 is most dramatic in Norfolk. The Spartans’ home averages in 2024 were in line with their decade-long norm of about 8,000-15,000 total home attendances per year, well below the 21,000-per-game pace they set this fall. The 2025 total of 106,062 fans not only eclipsed 2023 and 2024, but surpassed the 2011 championship season average of 15,171 despite the 2025 team winning just one game.
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Delaware State’s move from a regular FCS home environment in 2024 to taking center stage in 2025 against Norfolk State in a crowd of more than 47,000 is a different kind of growth. The Hornets may not have seen the same home surge that Norfolk State did, but their inclusion in one of the biggest HBCU games of the year showed that they, too, are operating on a bigger stage than they were a year ago.
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What the attendance numbers say about both programs
For Norfolk State, the attendance boom shows that star power on the sidelines and a purposeful game-day strategy can change fan behavior even when wins are few. Vic’s presence created a sense of urgency and interest at every home meeting.
Delaware State’s data points to a program using marquee opportunities to expand its reach.
Together, their 2024-25 trajectory reflects a larger truth embedded in HBCU attendance reports: when the names are big and the teams are attractive, Spartans and Hornets fans are willing to show up in numbers.
