The University of Michigan's declining football performance and rising ticket prices have taken a toll on game attendance numbers, and the university has apparently been padding the declining crowds by giving out free tickets in droves. As many as 17,000 free tickets were given out for last year's final home game against Maryland, which brought the paltry attendance number to a mere 101,717—the lowest since 1995. In all, free tickets accounted for 8.6 percent of attendance totals in the 2014 season, helping keep the 30-year streak of 100,000-plus attendance totals. The Big House routinely boasts of having the largest crowd watching a sports event anywhere in North America.
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