Football season ticket sales on the rise
Big contributions help add to rising revenue
The Gamecocks’ first SEC division title and 11-win season is bringing more fans to Williams-Brice Stadium, more members to the booster club and more money to the athletics department’s coffers.
South Carolina football season-ticket sales hit a four year-high of 49,195, athletics director Ray Tanner told USC trustees Friday.
That’s up by nearly 1,500 from a year ago and the most since the Gamecocks started charging a seat fee of $50-$395 on top of the $320 price for tickets.
USC sold 59,600 season tickets in 2008, the year before the seat fee started. The fee is used for new facilities to better compete with SEC rivals, athletics department officials said.
The Gamecocks have their first sellout of the season with Saturday’s against Missouri. The only other sellout is against rival Georgia on Oct. 6. USC has been 2,000-3,000 short of a sellout in wins against East Carolina and UAB this season.
Meanwhile, the athletics department raised $15.3 million in 2011-12 — just short of the total collected during the previous four years combined.
Announced major contributions include: $4.4 million to make over the plaza around Williams-Brice from Tami Spring-Brooks, whose late husband expanded the Hooters restaurant chain; and $4 million for the new athletics administration building from the family of Joe Rice, a Charleston attorney.
Columbia businessman Bill Stern and his wife, Linda, gave what the school calls a “leadership gift” — not earmarked for a specific project — that usually totals more than $1 million. The department also received a $2 million leadership gift from an anonymous donor in the past year.
Gamecock Club membership hit a record high of 14,195 this year, up 28 from three years ago. Booster club membership is required to buy season tickets. Revenue figures were not available Friday.
link: http://www.gogamecocks.com/2012/09/21/283770/ggf-football-season-ticket-sales.html
Big contributions help add to rising revenue
The Gamecocks’ first SEC division title and 11-win season is bringing more fans to Williams-Brice Stadium, more members to the booster club and more money to the athletics department’s coffers.
South Carolina football season-ticket sales hit a four year-high of 49,195, athletics director Ray Tanner told USC trustees Friday.
That’s up by nearly 1,500 from a year ago and the most since the Gamecocks started charging a seat fee of $50-$395 on top of the $320 price for tickets.
USC sold 59,600 season tickets in 2008, the year before the seat fee started. The fee is used for new facilities to better compete with SEC rivals, athletics department officials said.
The Gamecocks have their first sellout of the season with Saturday’s against Missouri. The only other sellout is against rival Georgia on Oct. 6. USC has been 2,000-3,000 short of a sellout in wins against East Carolina and UAB this season.
Meanwhile, the athletics department raised $15.3 million in 2011-12 — just short of the total collected during the previous four years combined.
Announced major contributions include: $4.4 million to make over the plaza around Williams-Brice from Tami Spring-Brooks, whose late husband expanded the Hooters restaurant chain; and $4 million for the new athletics administration building from the family of Joe Rice, a Charleston attorney.
Columbia businessman Bill Stern and his wife, Linda, gave what the school calls a “leadership gift” — not earmarked for a specific project — that usually totals more than $1 million. The department also received a $2 million leadership gift from an anonymous donor in the past year.
Gamecock Club membership hit a record high of 14,195 this year, up 28 from three years ago. Booster club membership is required to buy season tickets. Revenue figures were not available Friday.
link: http://www.gogamecocks.com/2012/09/21/283770/ggf-football-season-ticket-sales.html