Memphis basketball coach Josh Pastner on his radio show "had a strong message for any Tigers basketball fans planning not to attend the team's final three home games this month as part of a stand against him continuing as head coach." Pastner: "If you're upset, send an email to the president and the athletic director. ... Send me an email. But put your butt in a seat, cheer the Tigers on and root for your team." In Memphis, Jason Smith notes UM needs to average 6,666 fans this month at FedExForum to "earn a part of an $800,000 annual payment from the Grizzlies." The average for UM home games has "dropped to 5,889 this season." The dip "could result in no payment if the per-game count remains below 6,000" (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 2/16).
PRICE HIKE: In Des Moines, Chad Leistikow notes the cost of a '16 general-public season ticket for Iowa football is set at $405 for renewals or $415 for new/additional tickets, up 2.5% and 5%, respectively. The program is coming off a 12-2 season and a Rose Bowl appearance, which followed a 17% decline in season-ticket sales following the '14 season. The school’s first appearance in the Big Ten Championship and "an attractive home schedule should push those numbers higher" in '16. Iowa "not only hosts Iowa State (annually a sellout) in non-conference play, its four home Big Ten games are against border-state rivals Northwestern, Wisconsin and Nebraska plus early East Division favorite Michigan" (DES MOINES REGISTER, 2/16).
BIG EXPECTATIONS: In Ohio, Rick Armon notes Akron put its "first winning football team on the field in a decade last season," and the total number of fans going through the turnstiles rose 2.3% to 32,280 during six home games. That is an average of 5,380 per home game at InfoCision Stadium, a "sparkling facility" that cost $65M to build and holds about 30,000. Akron AD Larry Williams said, "Attendance always does lag performance. I’m really looking for big things coming next year" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 2/16).
