COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - For the 15th time in the last 20 seasons, Saint John's University led NCAA Division III in football attendance in 2012. SJU averaged 7,948 fans per game and attracted 39,741 spectators during five home games last fall. SJU's average game attendance out-distanced second-place Wisconsin-Whitewater at 7,552 fans per game.
 
Saint John's drew 14,286 fans against St. Thomas, which was higher than two Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS, formerly Division I-A) games, 43 of 51 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS, formerly Division I-AA) games, 79 of the 81 Division II games and all 103 Division III games played that day. The crowd was larger than the 2012 season total of 11 FCS, 73 Division II and 203 Division III programs.

Only 11 Division II programs outdrew SJU in attendance per game in 2012, while 66 FCS institutions failed to do so.
 
The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) led all Division III conferences in attendance for the second consecutive season with an average of 3,372 spectators per game, 406 more per game than the seven-team Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC). In 48 games this season, the MIAC attracted a total of 161,870 spectators.
 
Michigan claimed its 15th consecutive attendance title and led FBS in attendance by averaging 112,252 spectators per game, which set an all-time mark for individual schools. The Wolverines also held the previous record of 112,179, which was set in 2011. Appalachian State led FCS for the fifth time in six years by averaging 26,358 spectators per game and Grand Valley State led Division II with an average of 12,034 spectators per game.