WVU eyes ticket sale numbers
It’s becoming apparent that season ticket sales for West Virginia University football will not reach the level they accomplished for the 2012 season.
At last report the ticket office for the Mountaineers reported that ‘around’ 32,000 season tickets had been purchased out of a possible 38,500 reserved for season ticket purchases.
Should fans of the old gold and blue be worried? The short answer is. No.
With a 6-game home slate that includes visits by Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State it would be hard to believe that Milan Puskar Stadium won’t be jam-packed.
Sure, contests against visiting William and Mary, Georgia State and Iowa State – which will come to Morgantown over the Thanksgiving holiday – will be lucky to draw more than 45,000 fans. But, those low numbers could rise.
Growing interest over the 2013 edition of the old gold and blue could result in a sellout crowd on opening day against the Tribe from William and Mary while a surprise victory against Oklahoma on the road in week two could mean a larger gate when Georgia State comes to town.
Ticket sales could increase with victories in those three games, just as they shot up following the Mountaineers’ 5-0 start last fall. They could also decrease should WVU experience another five-game losing skid like the one that caused it to fall out of the Top 25 and eventually led to a disappointing 7-6 mark.
Winning or losing, however, won’t be the only factors that will play into attendance figures.
The Big 12’s recent television contract as well as WVU’s Tier 3 media rights – yes, the ones being so bitterly fought over in both the media and court system – means that fans will be able to watch every game played this season from the comfort of their living room couch.
Combined with the ever-increasing price of fuel, which, in turn, causes increases in every other aspect of travel, attendance figures may not reach the level some fans may consider acceptable.
Whatever those numbers turn out to be, one thing will be certain – this will be one of the most intriguing seasons in some time in Morgantown. That fact alone should be enough to bring fans to town on Saturdays this fall.
- On a different topic, the West Virginia Coaches Association, as it has for years, honored several high school and one middle school coach during halftime ceremonies at the North-South All-Star Football Classic.
Coaches in football, girls and boys basketball, wrestling, baseball, softball, track and cheer were recognized for their accomplishments this past school season.
However, those aren’t the only sports in which high school athletes compete. Where were the soccer, golf and cross country coaches?
And, why was basketball the only sport where a girls’ and boys’ coach was named when track, cross country and soccer all have two teams?
It’s always a nice idea to honor coaches. It would be a better idea to include them all.