Gorman, Palo Verde showdown sets paid attendance record

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Monday, Nov. 29, 2010 | 3:13 p.m.

The Bishop Gorman-Palo Verde Sunset Regional football championship game Saturday attracted the largest paid crowd to watch a prep football game in Southern Nevada history, according to figures released today by the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association.

The mark of 4,102 paid fans eclipsed the previous record of 3,773, which was set by the two schools during their 2009 playoff game. Adult ticket prices were $7, students $5.

Saturday's total is the fourth highest paid attendance in state history.

The 2000 state championship game between Northern Nevada's McQueen and Wooster highs had a paid attendance of 4,612. A release by the association says 9,005 fans attended the contest, but nearly half of those fans used courtesy passes and were non-paying.

Also, the 2005 state championship game between Las Vegas High and the Reno area's Hug High had a paid attendance of 4,727. The game was played at UNR.

A release by the association says crowds during the 1970s and 80s likely also attracted crowds in the thousands. However, several of those fans were non-paying as that was long before the association became more strict on its free-admission policy.