Virginia Tech Associate AD/External Affairs Tim East wrote in an e-mail that the Redskins informed the school that "only 38,000 tickets had been sold" to Saturday's game against the Univ. of Cincinnati at FedExField, according to Mark Giannotto of the WASHINGTON POST. However, Redskins CMO Mitch Gershman said the club expects "well over 50,000 distributed tickets" by Saturday. That figure "includes tickets given to Redskins premium seat and suite holders who receive them as part of their season ticket package." Despite VT's large DC-area alumni base, it "appears fans have been turned off by face-value ticket prices that are as high as $174.95 for a game between two unranked teams." VT Assistant AD/Ticketing Services Sandy Smith said, "We had a lot of people balk at the price. I think that may have hurt their sales, at least through us." The Redskins this week in "response to lagging sales ... began advertising tickets for $41.70, although that price was only available if someone were willing to buy four tickets" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/26). In Virginia, David Teel noted VT's previous games at FedExField were against No. 1-ranked USC in '04 and No. 3 Boise State in '10. Those contests "attracted crowds of 91,665 and 86,587, respectively" (DAILYPRESS.com, 9/25).
MONEY TALKS: In Cincinnati, Bill Koch wrote, "Why did the Bearcats agree to move a marquee home game to another city? Simply put, they needed the money." UC Deputy AD Bob Arkeilpane, who oversees football scheduling, said that the school will "receive in excess" of $3.5M for the game. That money is being used to help pay for the recently dedicated $15M Sheakley Athletics Complex, "a practice facility for football that also serves as the home field for UC's women's lacrosse team." Arkeilpane said that when the "guarantee grew so high that it became a good way for the school 'to do something for our football program and for our women's lacrosse program' ... UC officials decided the offer was too lucrative to turn down." He said, "I don't think you'll see us do something like this again" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 9/26).
