huskerhaze Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Football first: Wake Forest smells sellouts "I'd be very surprised if we didn't sell out." Craig Keilitz, Wake's associate athletics director for marketing and promotions. WINSTON-SALEM -- A couple of years ago, when winning regularly was just a concept and seats needed to be filled, Wake Forest welcomed paying football customers regardless of their rooting interest. Join the party. The box office is to the left. It was the "Entourage" approach to marketing college football. In 2007, however, the message to opposing fans is closer to "Curb Your Enthusiasm." In the aftermath of an ACC championship and a successful premium-seating sales drive, the Demon Deacons are confident they will sell out season tickets for the first time. They're so convinced, in fact, that they won't immediately guarantee seats to any applicant who might inquire from, say, Omaha. A four-pronged priority system designed to reward obvious Wake Forest constituents is in place, and administrators hope the rolls will be filled entirely by those inclined to "Paint It Black," the 2007 season slogan and the title of a 1966 Rolling Stones hit. "That's the next step," said Barry Faircloth, chief administrator of the Deacon Club. "Look at the Virginia Tech and Clemson games (last year). We're trying to create a home-field advantage, and the crowds at those games certainly cause you to reflect and try to change that." Mick Jagger could not be reached for comment, by the way, but Wake officials saw plenty of maroon and orange and other colors at a couple of home games and are seeking a more friendly palette. Therefore, they implemented the checks and balances. Season-ticket requests will be prioritized to the benefit of current Deacon Club members, Wake Forest alumni and previous season-ticket holders. The final criterion will be the order in which a ticket request was received. Having received orders for 6,000 of the 16,500 available season tickets, Wake is far ahead of the pace established in any previous year on record. Those requests have all come online; printed order forms won't arrive in constituents' mailboxes until later this week. "I'd be very surprised if we didn't sell out," said Craig Keilitz, the school's associate athletics director for marketing and promotions. The biggest target of the pre-emptive measures is probably Nebraska, which comes to Groves Stadium on Sept. 8. The Cornhuskers have sold out every home game in Lincoln since the Cuban Missile Crisis, which means some fans will go to any length -- geographic and otherwise -- to see their team. Last year, an estimated 20,000 Cornhuskers fans attended their team's game at Southern California. About 3,400 of them purchased single-game seats and another 300 went all in for season tickets through USC before the Trojans put a stop to the commerce. Of course, if Nebraska fans really want to get into a football game at Wake, they can go the scalping route. In 2000, more than 30,000 of them did that at Notre Dame, creating a "Red-Out" scene that caused the Fighting Irish considerable embarrassment and helped turn then-Notre Dame coach Bob Davie into an ESPN broadcaster two years later. Wake doubts the demand for this one will approximate the Nebraska-Notre Dame game. By contract, every visiting team gets 4,500 seats at Groves. Another noteworthy element of Wake's 2007 ticket package is the price structure, which didn't change radically in the aftermath of the greatest football season in school history. Two packages increased by $20 and the Deacon Hill plan, which offers two adult and two children's admissions, is now $249 -- up from $209 a year ago. Even with the increase, the average cost of each ticket in the package is a little more than $10. "We know we could have done more (revenue)," Keilitz said, "but our first priority is to fill the stadium up with Wake Forest fans." Quote Link to comment
huskerhaze Posted April 18, 2007 Author Share Posted April 18, 2007 Seems like they are a little short on the # of season tickets Nebraska fans bought last year at USC. Quote Link to comment
BIGREDIOWAN Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 We need to take that stadium over!!!! Quote Link to comment
papersun87 Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Ha, they're scared we're gonna pack out their stadium. Groves Stadium only holds 31,500, if 20,000 Nebraskans turn up, that would be sweet. Quote Link to comment
Eric the Red Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Love reading about stuff like that Quote Link to comment
Jarred04 Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 wow, that's a small stadium. That would be nice to gave the # advantage. It would not be easy, but we don't go to the east coast too often. We'll see, but it looks like they are nervous already. Quote Link to comment
BigWillie Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 I better damn well be one of those 20k in the stadium that are cheering on the Huskers. I'm waiting on the single game tickets, but it sounds like I'm going to make the 4 hour drive down and hope I get a ticket from the scalpers. Quote Link to comment
Touchdown Tommie Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 I don't understand why people don't get that the Husker faithful travel very well. Some seem to be suprised by the amount of Husker fans that show up. I hope it is a RED out at Wake!!!! I wish I was going.... Quote Link to comment
jkmullen Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 I already have my tickets!!! Let's paint the town RED!!!! Quote Link to comment
kc_husker Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 I don't understand why people don't get that the Husker faithful travel very well. Some seem to be suprised by the amount of Husker fans that show up. I hope it is a RED out at Wake!!!! I wish I was going.... Who doesnt think that we travel well Quote Link to comment
HuskerJosh82 Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 Ha, they're scared we're gonna pack out their stadium. Groves Stadium only holds 31,500, if 20,000 Nebraskans turn up, that would be sweet. 31,500 Quote Link to comment
Drowning_in_the_Sea_of_Red Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 RED OUT!! Or are we not doing that anymore? I'm lost... Quote Link to comment
AF_Husker Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 I am in South Carolina, at Charleston AFB, only 4 hours away! Where can I purchase tickets? Quote Link to comment
papersun87 Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 I don't understand why people don't get that the Husker faithful travel very well. Some seem to be suprised by the amount of Husker fans that show up. I hope it is a RED out at Wake!!!! I wish I was going.... I think Wake Forest is very much aware of how the Husker Faithful travel. It's probably the whole point of this season ticket blowout. Quote Link to comment
Husker B Posted April 22, 2007 Share Posted April 22, 2007 I bought 4 season tickets the day they came out. Now I gotta unload the other 5 game tickets Quote Link to comment
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