Ticket sales improving for new Big East members

[Brad]

No remark on USF sales:

Ticket sales improving for new Big East members

Andrew J. Beckner

Sportswriter

Whether your glass if half full or half empty depends, in large part, on your circumstances.

Take, for instance, Pittsburgh.

The last team to claim a BCS berth from the Big East, the Panthers have more than a few reasons to be miffed at the changes to the conference since Miami, Virginia Tech and (now) Boston College have taken their programs elsewhere. Simply put, it takes just a little bit of shine off that accomplishment knowing they didn't have to go through the ‘Canes or the Hokies to get it.

So, for all the talk about being confident in the league's football future, there has to be more than a little pessimism behind athletic directors' closed doors.

Unless you're one of those schools coming in. Then everything is coming up roses.

"You can sense the excitement," says Brian Teter, associate athletic director at Cincinnati.

And why not? What might be bad for the Big East in football is good for Cincinnati and Louisville. Officials from both of those schools say season ticket sales for football are better than ever, that the move from Conference USA is generating a buzz that's putting more butts in the seats.

In renewing our season ticket sales, "We are ahead of last year," says Rocco Gasparro, assistant sports information director at Louisville. "We can really see the excitement among fans of moving into the Big East.

"There's no question" it's playing a role in boosting ticket sales.

Of course, there's Louisville's status as an up-and-coming program to consider here, too. The Cardinals finished in the top 10 for the first time in school history last year after a 44-40 Liberty Bowl win over Boise State. It was perhaps the most entertaining postseason game of the year.

But that's only part of the equation. The more natural geographic fit in the Big East plays a role for both schools, too.

"With football now, the fans can easily identify with potential regional rivalries such as West Virginia, Pittsburgh and the one we already have with Louisville," Teter says. "When you can replace (Conference USA opponents) UAB and Houston with West Virginia and Pittsburgh -- and that's no knock on those programs -- there's more of an identity now."

Gasparro agrees.

"Everywhere we go, people talk about it," he says. "The new teams, the new rivalries. People are already talking about the West Virginia game."

South Florida has a different situation, of course. Not only are the Bulls projected to finish near the bottom of the new Big East standings, the closest conference school from Tampa is Louisville. A trip of nearly 900 miles and 14 hours isn't exactly enough to call someone a regional rival.

Still, officials at Cincinnati and Louisville are pleased with the way preparations for football in the Big East are coming.

"When you look at our three home games -- with Connecticut, Louisville and West Virginia -- that's a heck of a start for us," Teter says. "People are excited to see West Virginia, to see Pittsburgh. I really sense people are going to identify, especially with these names that have been around for years. This really, really strengthened the foundation of our home football schedule."

There is one complaint for Gasparro. He's not particularly fond of the timing of it all. After all, the Cardinals won't play their first Big East home game until Nov. 3. He says that has taken some of the luster off.

Uh-oh. Sounds like a little bit of pessimism is sneaking in.

But with ticket sales heading north and big-ticket games on the horizon, it's not enough to make his glass half-empty.

Story Link

[bulls96go]

what of usf ticket sales?

[BullDoug]

I hate to say it but our Bulls are being looked at as the new Temple of the NBE.  That's the vibe I'm getting from national media.  We seem to be an after thought in all articles about the NBE.  JMO.

[Brad]

I sort of had the same feeling - I guess we are so far away they thought the long distance charges to Tampa would be so great that they shouldn't get a comment on our season ticket sales...

[bulls96go]

WINNING WILL FIX THIS, THEN WE WILL BE ALL THEY WILL TALK ABOUT

[Velcro]

We had a bad season last year... we shouldn't expect anymore... we were beat bad by UL, Cincy, Pitt last year... 3 out of 7 of the big east opponents.  We have to earn the respect in this league... nothing we have done, except beating Pitt and LVille in our past, is noteworthy enough for us to be above being the perceived bottom feeder following a horrible season.  I don't think that view will last long.  We'll turn heads this year.

[UCF_Cardinals]

Considering the article is about "Ticket Sales" for new members, I'd assume the exlusion of USF's specific numbers has little to do w/ your program's profile, but moreover that your sales are not significantly Up. It would be some pretty **** bad journalism to exclude you on purpose.

The way I read the article, the author pretty much explains WHY (he believes) your ticket are not up, like the others'.

"South Florida has a different situation, of course. Not only are the Bulls projected to finish near the bottom of the new Big East standings, the closest conference school from Tampa is Louisville. A trip of nearly 900 miles and 14 hours isn't exactly enough to call someone a regional rival.  

Still, officials at Cincinnati and Louisville are pleased with the way preparations for football in the Big East are coming."