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The “Prime Effect” was real this season in Colorado, and no one felt it more than the city of Boulder. Deion Sanders’ Buffs were able to give a major boost to the local economy throughout their six home contests.
Reports are now estimating that number to be north of $100 million thanks to sold out crowds at Folsom Field.
The hype surrounding the program was at an all-time high following the decision to hire Coach Sanders. Despite coming off of a 1-11 season, Colorado saw record totals concerning both merchandise and ticket sales.
Not only did the annual spring game see an uptick in attendance, despite snowy conditions, but it was also televised nationally on ESPN.
The publicity wouldn’t stop there as pregame shows like College GameDay and FOX Big Noon Kickoff rolled into town at the start of the season.
Sanders got his group off to a hot start, ripping off three wins to open the year. While the success tapered drastically over the final nine games, the excitement surrounding the program did not.
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All six home games sold above the Folsom Field capacity of 50,183. Visit Boulder projects that those attendance numbers resulted in a $113.2 million boost to the local economy.
The most successful games included a win over rival Nebraska and a loss to USC.
For reference, the average attendance for last season was 42,848 per game, meaning this year’s home slate saw an increase of around 62,000 fans.
The website used a formula to determine that economic impact “which factors in visitor spending behaviors by event type and includes a competitive set of destinations with similar populations and economic environments.”
Data used included “hotel occupancy, average daily hotel rate values, ticket sales, game attendance numbers and attendees’ cities of origin.”
The tool has been used by more than 350 cities for more than 500,000 events.
Deion Sanders rides “Prime Effect” into 2024
With Year 1 now behind him, Coach Prime is looking ahead to next season. Utilizing the transfer portal much like we saw last year, Sanders has already rebuilt the offensive line in hopes of protecting starting passer Shedeur Sanders.
Colorado’s incoming transfer class again ranks first in the nation, boasting six new contributors. The high school class, meanwhile, is headlined by five-star lineman Jordan Seaton, who committed to the university on Undisputed last week.
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Missing out on a bowl game was certainly a disappointment in Boulder given the quick 3-0 start. The Buffs struggled to finish over the remainder of the season, going 1-8 in those final nine matchups.
Of those eight losses, five came by one score.
Still, the 4-8 overall record represented progress in Deion Sanders debut. He’ll look to continue the upward trajectory next year.