The Univ. of Kentucky athletics department as of May 27 "had sold 31,841" football season-ticket plans, which represents an 81% renewal of '15 plans, according to Jon Hale of the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL. Season-ticket sales "have lagged behind the first three seasons" of coach Mark Stoops' tenure. Including student tickets, UK sold 45,710 season-ticket plans in '15, the "first season after massive renovations to Commonwealth Stadium." Of that number, 38,658 "came from the K Fund and public sales." The 45,710 season tickets sold in '15 "marked an increase of more than 3,000 plans from the 42,305 sold" in '14 but "failed to match" the 48,465 plans sold in '13, Stoops' first season. The 31,841 plans currently sold "fall short of the 37,109 sold" by February '15. UK Dir of Strategic Communications Guy Ramsey noted the athletics department "expects to sell more tickets before the season opener." Ramsey: "There's typically a little bit of a spike when fall camp hits and football gets back in the news cycle." Hale notes in an effort to "provide more options for fans, the department has also added a new season-ticket plan that costs $210 and does not include a donation to the K Fund this year" (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 6/1).
LEADER OF THE PACK: In Raleigh, Joe Giglio notes N.C. State has "already surpassed a school-record for season-ticket sales" for the '16 football season. The school yesterday announced it "has sold 36,342 season tickets for the upcoming home schedule." It is the "first time N.C. State has sold more than 36,000 season tickets for Carter-Finley Stadium." The previous record for season-ticket sales was 35,156 in '07. Notre Dame's first trip to N.C. State, slated for Oct. 8, "certainly helped boost the total" (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 6/2).
