Average sports fan isn't going to "search" anything very much, if at all, for sports news.
Outside of the Huntington area, and to a lesser extent, greater Charleston, Kanawha Valley area, everyday coverage of MU Sports is hit or miss, often "missing" and non-existent, in terms of TV coverage, newspaper coverage (not sure if we even have what traditionally used to be a Sports Information Director, to put out HERD sports info, etc., that could be picked by AP sports writer(s), etc., in the State). And can't be sure, but it doesn't appear that MU's radio "network" with game coverage is all that "great". Has disappeared in some Southern WV areas lately, like Bluefield-Princeton, etc.
Not exactly the kind of conditions that would grow a fan base, increase crowds at athletic events, etc., etc.