Plenty of seats are "still available" for six of the Univ. of Oregon's seven home football games this fall "despite the buzz" first-year football coach Willie Taggart has created, according to Ryan Thorburn of the Eugene REGISTER-GUARD. Oregon "sold out 110 consecutive games at Autzen Stadium (54,000 capacity) from 1999 until drawing 53,817 fans" for the '16 opener against UC-Davis. The "average renewal price of a season ticket is down" by 3.9%, with 65% of seats "decreasing in price" and the other 35% remaining flat at '15 rates. As of Monday, Oregon had "sold 36,840 season tickets, which is down from last year’s total of 37,404." The program’s "record was 43,295" in '11. The six games in '16 at Autzen Stadium "averaged 54,677 fans," down 5% from '15. Revenue from the football program "pays for about" 70% of the athletic department’s budget. Oregon AD Rob Mullens said, “We need to sell football tickets. It’s the economic engine that allows us to support these other sports. ... So it’s not to where we want it to be. We’re exploring everything that we possibly can to make that happen" (Eugene REGISTER-GUARD, 8/9).
GATOR BAIT: In Orlando, Edgar Thompson reports Florida is on pace to sell 50,000 football season tickets for the first time since '13, "on the heels of a 11-win season in Year 2 under former coach Will Muschamp." UF has "re-established" itself during coach Jim McElwain’s two seasons both "on the field and in the ticket office." Just "around 2,000 of the 20,500 student-ticket allotment remain" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/10).
OPPOSITE END OF THE SPECTRUM: Indiana AD Fred Glass said that optimism among IU fans is "already leading" to increased football ticket sales. Glass: “We’re well ahead of last year’s season-ticket sales. We’re close to 30,000.” Glass added that the Aug. 31 home opener against Ohio State is "nearing a sellout in 52,929-seat Memorial Stadium." Glass said, “My expectation is we’ll sell out for the Ohio State game.” Glass thinks that the uptick in season-ticket sales has "more to do with IU’s growth than any of its opponents." In Indianapolis, Anthony Schoettle noted IU last year had "average home attendance of 43,027, down a bit from 44,314" in '15, which was up from 41,657 in '14. Glass is "confident IU will average 45,000-plus this season for six home games at Memorial Stadium" (IBJ.com, 8/9).
