...because attendance was good (iirc) when I was a student during the Lavell Edwards days and we had fewer kids going on missions and he recruited a lot of non-member kids who played prominent roles on the team. I think the scheduling is the bigger problem (lousy home game opponents) and also the very poor management of the team in recent years (although things are now headed in a new direction). I think the poor play during the Heaps and Riley years have taken a toll on attendance. Maybe also recent ineptitude vs rival Utah is playing a role in this too.
All things considered though, that's not a huge loss that we can't get back. Bronco talks a lot about having "trust" in certain players and that "trust" goes 2 ways, there's maybe a percentage of the fans who don't "trust" Bronco and the results on the field and are holding out. Maybe if we see results solidify and become consistent on the field that will help those fans feel like they trust Bronco and staff again.