With 40,000 tickets sold, focus shifts to attendan

[ChiTownBull]

http://www.al.com/sports/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/sports/116626451322930.xml&coll=2

Saturday, December 16, 2006

JON SOLOMON

News staff writer

About 40,000 tickets to the Papajohns.com Bowl have been sold one week before Birmingham tests the bowl waters again Dec. 23 at Legion Field.

"The key is actually getting those people to come to the game," said Mark Meadows, the bowl's executive director. "We're very pleased with where we are with seven months basically to plan it, put it together and make it happen."

Meadows on Friday outlined the approximate breakdown of ticket purchases: 20,000 between East Carolina and South Florida as contractually obligated; 15,000 to corporate sponsors; and 5,000 in general local sales.

The NCAA counts actual attendance, not paid, when monitoring bowl turnouts. Bowl games must average 25,000 over a three-year period to remain certified.

"Anything north of 30,000 (this year) would be really strong," said Robbie Robertson, chairman of the bowl's executive board and president of The Colonnade Group. "My personal feeling is with any kind of reasonable weather, we'll get in the 40,000 range."

CollegeFootballNews.com rated the Papajohns.com Bowl matchup 19th of the 32 postseason games, one spot ahead of Alabama-Oklahoma State at the Independence Bowl. CBSSportsline.com placed Birmingham's bowl in the category of "only for the diehards."

Discounted tickets at $20 each are available with purchases of four or more by calling 996-6343. All tickets will be $30 apiece on game day.

East Carolina says it has sold 6,000 tickets and intends to have 7,000-plus fans in Birmingham, including complimentary tickets.

"My guess is that this is a huge number for a team 600 miles away in a pre-Christmas bowl," East Carolina athletics director Terry Holland said via e-mail. "And since many of our folks work on Saturdays, it is even more impressive to travel so well on the last shopping day before Christmas."

South Florida reports having sold 4,300 tickets after taking 5,000 fans last year to the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte. Coach Jim Leavitt said this month he wants to see 7,000 to 8,000 fans in Birmingham.

"I think it took folks a little while to get used to making their plans given we're a young program," said South Florida assistant athletics director Jim Louk. "We didn't have a huge outpouring early, and we've been steady since then."

Fans unable to attend the game can purchase and donate tickets to Birmingham-area charities. This allows schools to unload tickets they are obligated to buy and attempt to boost how they look to future bowls. For the bowls, the tactic gets much-needed people in the seats.

Local charities receiving tickets include: Alabama Youth Homes, Homewood Youth Group, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Hoover Youth Football, Birmingham Athletic Partnership, Restoration Academy and Magic City Youth Football League.

Mixed results:

Other pre-Christmas bowls have encountered varying results during their inaugural years.

San Diego's Poinsettia Bowl debuted in 2005 with a reported attendance of 36,842 for Navy-Colorado State. On the other hand, the 15-year-old Las Vegas Bowl struggled with some crowds as low as 10,000 until recently improving.

Ultimately, Birmingham's response will determine the fate of its new bowl, which ESPN Regional Television backed by posting a $2 million line of credit.

"The thing I have a little bit of fear is because there's no one sort of on the hook (in Birmingham), will we just let it be whatever it is and not really get after it?" Robertson said.

Robertson's executive board, comprised largely of Monday Morning Quarterback Club members, has about 16 people committing $2,000 for tickets and perks. The goal is to eventually have 100 board members.

Robertson spoke passionately Friday about what he described as the "marginal state" of leadership in Birmingham.

"Birmingham's got to keep interacting with the world or it's going to go away," he said. "ESPN won't say it, but I will. Our goal is to have a very successful bowl in Birmingham again. We've been stuck in the mud and this has come to us, almost like an olive branch being served up by the television people in the world, and we've got to respond."

E-mail: jsolomon@bhamnews.com

[Brad]

62 reads and no comments...okay I'll say it.

No way.

But I hope to be wrong... Hope to see fannies in the seats (mostly in green and gold (and black, Shoop) (oops, there's the Auman double paranthesis) (make that triple or quadruple)))

I'd like to see a good crowd, don't get me wrong, but I think announcing 40K tickets sold on that formula may lead to let down...

[ChiTownBull]

i say the local 5k show up

4k from usf (other tix bought to help the school)

5k from ecu (other tix bought to help the school)

7.5k from corp

21.5k at this point

[BullsFanInTX]

26-27K total butts in seats at gametime.

[Triple B]

7.5k from corp

Do they have club seating or suites there? Why would 7500 non-fans of either team go this game?

[Joe]

Well a lot of the "corporate" for these bowl games are companies like "Jim Bob's Critter Control" for donating $500. He gets proud and uses all 4 of his seats to show his name on the Jumbotron.

I think 25,000 is realistically a good number. However in that 40,000 it looks as if they are counting USF and ECU as bringing 10k each.

[ChiTownBull]

However in that 40,000 it looks as if they are counting USF and ECU as bringing 10k each.

You are correct

[Brad]

And I'll bet anyone in critter control gets more than 4 tickets for $500...   ;D

[Matt]

i think they need to be more selective of what cities host bowls.

[bulls96go]

:-? really?