Univ. of Texas Senior Associate AD & CRO Steve Hank on Thursday announced that football season-ticket sales stand "at 52,823 for the 2015 season," which is 92.3% of last year’s total of 57,233 season tickets sold to the public, suite holders and faculty members, according to Brian Davis of the AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. UT faculty members last year who received the federally mandated 20% discount "bought 680 season tickets." The athletic department "raised prices for this coming season," as much as 31% for those sitting near the 50-yard line. As one would expect, the price hike "has led to more money." Texas has taken in $23.4M in ticket revenue so far this year; UT last season "topped out" at $22.2M. Season-ticket sales for new customers begin Tuesday. The athletic department in May "was sitting" at an 85% percent renewal rate on public season tickets. The numbers "got a bump with the department’s new Ticket Relocation and Upgrade Experience, or TRUE system." Hank said that more than 10,000 season-ticket holders "logged into the TRUE system to view their seats." A report shows that by logging in and "seeing what inventory remains, fans bought an extra 3,167 season tickets in the last three weeks alone." People "were rearranging themselves, too, as 4,477 seats were moved around" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 6/19).
HORNS' NEST: In Oklahoma City, Jenni Carlson notes that a "lengthy piece on growing tensions" between UT men's AD Steve Patterson and fans cited interviews with three dozen people connected with UT athletes as indicating that Patterson "has alienated many because he is doing just about anything to increase the bottom line." Carlson: "He wants more green in the burnt orange coffers. Quick, someone send a doctor. The Horns need a healer. They're suffering from the disease of more. ... The price of success is steep. But at what cost?" (OKLAHOMAN, 6/19).
