The ever-feisty Coach Prime is not impressing Colorado Buffaloes fans with the mediocre results he is bringing to the table. 

The latest report about dwindling game attendance should be a warning bell for Deion Sanders, who is starting his fourth season without a trophy in sight.

"The unwavering fan support that came out in droves, nearly 48,000 to be exact for Coach Prime’s first Spring Game in 2023, dwindled down to an announced crowd of nearly 28,000 but it looked more like 17-18,000 fans at scenic Folsom Field on Saturday," The Shadow League reported Sunday.

Sanders arrived in December 2022 and brought in a lot of promises of victory with him. But so far, he has made a 16-21 record in the last three seasons.

They went 4-8, 9-4, 3-9, and made one appearance in the Alamo Bowl. And BYU wiped the floor with them in a humiliating 14-36 game.

Dejected Buffs fans are no longer driving out to show support for their program and coach, and will continue to do so until Sanders takes action.

And the numbers speak for themselves.

In the recently concluded Black and Gold spring game on Saturday, the Golds won 7-6 in front of an audience of around 17-18,000 fans at Folsom Field. 

But his first-ever spring game in 2023 played out in front of a packed, sold-out stadium that hosted 47,000 fans. That year, fans were first introduced to quarterback Shedeur Sanders, now with the Cleveland Browns, and 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. 

But the Coach Prime effect has not worked its magic since then. The turnout dropped to nearly 28,000 before it became this year’s sparse collection of fans.  And they were not happy. 

If the management hears the fans, it cannot do anything if they want to because of Sanders $33.6 million buyout. 

Sanders, a Hall of Fame member, is under immense pressure to raise the team from last year’s 3-9 record while dealing with long-term health issues.

In the media session after Saturday’s game, he told reporters that he underwent another set of treatment for the blood clots. Sanders has been dealing with them since his college days and was diagnosed with bladder cancer last year.

This adds a new layer of concern for Buffs fans, who are slowly losing all hope in the two-time Super Bowl champion.  

‘Not Shiny Anymore’: Fans Have Qualms With Coach Sanders

In their Sunday report, The Shadow League spoke with some fans in attendance at the spring game. And they shared the same sentiments over the stalled progress of the Buffs.

“We’re not anything new and shiny anymore,” one viewer said.

Another addressed how the Buffs are in the news cycle because of Sanders’ flamboyance. 

“We’re just kind of a mediocre team that somehow still makes headlines because of our coach,” they said. 

“I think the honeymoon phase has ended. And they’re really struggling to try to keep it up, in my opinion,” said Stephan, a Minneapolis native.

The report said her parents were enamored with the Deion Sanders Effect. One had an interesting take on the program’s trajectory.

“This was a reality TV show from the beginning. The only thing that has changed is that it is impossible to deny now,” a fan said.

However, one Sanders fan maintained their faith and left a heartfelt comment under his X post about the spring game.

“I only came here to stay and support. Keep progressing. Staying down to the come up right, because life has so much in store if you focus and believe,” another fan added.

What are your thoughts on Deion Sanders' fourth year with Colorado? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore