The impact of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh's arrival is "evident in the season tickets sold," with the school having sold 89,795 season tickets, its best figure since '12, according to Angelique Chengelis of the DETROIT NEWS. That total -- which "includes 72,076 non-student season tickets," the most since '09 -- is "larger than the stadium capacity for all but 11 other universities in the country." Students have contributed to a "major spike in sales." After student season tickets "dipped to 11,597 last fall, there's been a substantial increase to 17,899 student season tickets sold for the upcoming season." UM "added 2,147 to its football season ticket interest list last winter, and each individual was offered tickets for the upcoming season." Of that group offered, 1,926 "bought tickets, adding 4,988 new season tickets." UM last year "saw its 16-year hold as the nation's attendance leader snatched by Ohio State, which averaged just more than 106,000 fans to Michigan's 104,909, ranking third behind Texas A&M" (DETROIT NEWS, 7/17). In Michigan, Brendan Quinn noted UM previously announced that all premium seating areas "are sold out in Michigan Stadium." The school's 81 luxury boxes "did not sell out last season" (MLIVE.com, 7/16). In Detroit, Steve Schrader notes attendance "had lagged in recent seasons, with some fans put off by the product on the field and some students alienated" by former AD Dave Brandon's ticket policies. But now UM "has cut off season-ticket sales" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 7/17). ESPN.com's Mitch Sherman wrote UM fans "simply can't get enough Harbaugh," as evidenced by the fact that only "scattered single-game seats remain for home games this fall against Oregon State" for the coach's home opener, Northwestern and Rutgers. Games against Michigan State and Ohio State "are sold out at Michigan Stadium," however, seats do "remain for meetings with UNLV and BYU" (ESPN.com, 7/15).
I WANNA BE A COWBOY BABY: Oklahoma State AD Mike Holder predicts that the university this season "will set a new school record for football season-ticket sales." In Tulsa, Bill Haisten noted OSU in advance of the '13 season "established a record high with a sales total of 50,223" before the '14 total "dipped to 45,061." Holder on Monday said, "We’re well on pace to surpass what we did last year. We’ve already sold more tickets to the public than we did last year" (TULSAWORLD.com, 7/14).
