Football tickets hot at UCF, UF

[Brad]

Football tickets hot at UCF, UF

Stadium plans excite Knights fans, while Urban Meyer spurs the Gators' requests.

By Emily Badger

Sentinel Staff Writer

May 20, 2005

The promises of a new stadium, new coach and new conference homes have been boosting college football season-ticket sales in this state, showing a little newness can wipe out the memories of even an 0-11 season.

"Hardly anybody has even mentioned it," Gert Garman, UCF's assistant athletic director for marketing and promotions, said of the Golden Knights' winless campaign last fall.

Plans for a future on-campus stadium have UCF season-ticket holders already jockeying for the best seats. While certain donor levels are tied to seating sections at the Citrus Bowl, UCF has not used a priority points system in the past. A points system generally rewards longtime and big-spending boosters with the best seats. In anticipation of the new stadium, though, UCF will unveil a points system this summer that will allow fans to begin accruing credit for seats in the new stadium, which exists now only in artist renderings.

"It's going to change the whole way we do things here," Garman said of the stadium. "It's going to change the school spirit, change everything. It's going to change our lives."

Despite the 0-11 record last season, UCF is hoping for an increase similar to the 11 percent boost in season-ticket sales the school experienced last year. That boost came because of new Coach George O'Leary.

Excitement over Florida's new coach, Urban Meyer, has bumped up demand at Florida Field, where there was little room for new fans in the first place. The ticket office, whose renewal period ended in March, had to turn away about a thousand requests from new season-ticket holders.

"In a normal year, we have very little turnover, but this year there wasn't any," associate ticket director Margie Addison said.

Florida has sold out tickets for all but one area, the Bull Gator zone, where fans are required to purchase eight seats for $14,000.

Season tickets, meanwhile, still are available at Florida State, UCF, Miami and USF, although the Seminoles expect to sell out this summer.

No state school other than Florida requires a minimum booster contribution to purchase new season tickets, although a contribution often guarantees better seats.

This year, USF continues the rapid rise of its 8-year-old program with its inaugural season in the Big East. The new conference schedule this fall will be complemented by home games against in-state rivals UCF and Florida A&M.

Last year, the school sold between 15,000 and 16,000 season tickets at Raymond James Stadium, which is reconfigured for USF home games to seat about 42,000 (capacity for Tampa Bay Buccaneers games in the same stadium is 65,657). Those ticket sales have been growing by about 10 percent a year.

"The good seats are starting to disappear," said Tom Veit, USF's associate athletic director for external affairs.

USF has had a priority points system in place since the program's first season, so fans won't experience the growing pains that often come when rising programs displace loyal fans for those with bigger pocketbooks.

Miami closes its season-ticket renewal period today, but the 'Canes had only one sellout last season, so the school expects to continue selling tickets through the fall. Outside of the 7,000-seat student section and 4,000 opposing-team allotment, the rest of the stadium is open to season-ticket sales.

Florida State is wrapping up its renewal phase, with the school contacting season-ticket holders it hasn't heard from to confirm their plans for the fall. Coming off a 9-3 season and with a home schedule that includes Miami on a Monday night but also The Citadel, the excitement that exists on other campuses is a bit more cautious in Tallahassee.

"But it's pretty constant," ticket manager Patrick Martin said. "When we're coming off a national championship, we do a little better. But with us being second in the conference last year, I don't see it dropping off a whole lot."

USF, Miami and UCF won't have final season-ticket sales numbers until this summer, but FSU's allotment should be filled at 47,000 and Florida's at 55,000. Those figures don't include student seating or tickets sent to visiting teams.

Emily Badger can be reached at ebadger@orlandosentinel.com.

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[KNIGHTTIME]

any word on sales to the UCF/ S. Fla game?  I'm buying 8 tickets.  

[Velcro]

any word on sales to the UCF/ S. Fla game?  I'm buying 8 tickets.  

it was cancelled  

[Knight_Dive]

UCF was only alloted 5,000 tickets so the real numbers of the game sales won't be known until gameday.  There is no doubt UCF will sell its allotment, but how many others will buy them from ticketmaster or in front of the stadium.

[Knight_Light]

any word on sales to the UCF/ S. Fla game?  I'm buying 8 tickets.  

Unlike the USF/FAMU Game (single game tickets on sale now), Single Game tix for UCF/USF are not on sale now.

Won't probably get a head count till mid-late August when Single Tix go on sales and to see how many Student Tix are sold at UCF.

KL

[Brad]

UCF was only alloted 5,000 tickets so the real numbers of the game sales won't be known until gameday.  There is no doubt UCF will sell its allotment, but how many others will buy them from ticketmaster or in front of the stadium.

It's a safe bet that if/when you do sell your current allottment, you will be given more.  Let's see how fast you can sell 5,000.  Please report back here.

[Knight_Light]

It's a safe bet that if/when you do sell your current allottment, you will be given more.  Let's see how fast you can sell 5,000.  Please report back here.

Probably won't know till mid-August when Student/non-season Ticket holders can purchase USF Tickets thru UCF.

Only Season Ticket Holders can purchase USF Tickets till August.

KL