Maryland Stops the Bleeding, Expects Season Ticket Sale Increase

by Ben Broman on Jul 11, 2011 1:29 PM EDT in Football

Maryland's season ticket and attendance efforts in football have been a famously sinking ship. In fact, that was one of the reasons (presumably, at least) that Ralph Friedgen got the plug. We have good news, then: for the first time in seven years, Maryland is expecting to sell more season tickets than the season before.

With nearly two months left until the season opener against Miami on Labor Day, indications are that the Terrapins could see modest gains in season ticket sales this season. One year after Maryland sold a little more than 19,000 season tickets, athletic department officials say the school has sold 18,400 to date for the 2011 season and is projecting to sell 21,000.

The current renewal percentage of 86 percent is 7 percent higher than last year's final renewal percentage, school officials said. And Maryland has sold more than 1,200 new season tickets to date, which is already higher than its new-ticket sales total in 2010.

Must be that exciting Edsall/Crowton offense and Randy's entertaining personality. Er...wait, no, that was someone else. Well, maybe that cheesy website and referral program did some damage.

Setting aside the pointless point that Leach would've brought in more tickets, it's a good sign. Ticket sales ultimately have everything to do with winning games, so it's no surprise that sales jump after fielding a competitive team, particularly one as likable as the current iteration. That's also why Leach doesn't matter in the long run.

The real takeaway for me: this helps for future investment in the sport. Maryland needs to make a bigger investment in football. With Under Armour right behind them, it'd be a horribly wasted opportunity to keep treating it like they've treated it. But building indoor practice facilities and renovating a stadium that just had a recent (failed) renovation are tough sells for a sport that no one cares about. Ticket sales need to increase. Luckily, it looks like that's exactly what's happening.

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win games and play a wide open offense and people will come to the games.

by fkterp on Jul 11, 2011 1:36 PM EDT reply actions

DOB and a 9-4 season is why ticket sales went up.

by stlterp on Jul 11, 2011 1:49 PM EDT reply actions

also:
Miami, West Virginia, Temple, Towson, Clemson, Boston College, Virginia is a WAY better schedule than Morgan St., FIU, Duke, Wake, Florida St, NC St.

Plus the best games this year are in the front of the schedule, not the back… makes for more season tickets.

by UtzTheCrabChip on Jul 11, 2011 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions

7 (or less) wins in 2011 is why tickets sales will decline next year.

by Fushezzi on Jul 11, 2011 2:05 PM EDT reply actions

we might be the only place in america...

where football is a complete afterthought. I never understood why people in the area, especially alumni can’t be bothered to watch a football game. People want to complain about recruiting, well were never going to get 5 star players on a regular basis if the stadium is half empty, that’s just a fact. Kids want to play in front of passionate fans. There is a direct correlation between fan support and winning in college sports. I know when im an alumni if there is a sure to be nfl bound, stud QB and a team that can win games id want to go see that, but maybe that’s just me

by churl77 on Jul 11, 2011 2:29 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

When you're an Alumni

Games aren’t free, and nobody wants to pay to see a team lose.

Also, if you’re going to compare paying for basketball vs paying for football, at least the Basketball team is usually exciting.

I like Turtles!

by RedTurtle on Jul 11, 2011 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions

well if you dont go to a single game

then I don’t think you have the right to complain about the output on the field or the recruiting front. If you have tickets sure, bitch and complain all you want. But otherwise if your not going to any games and all you do is complain, then what are you bringing to the table? Nothing

by churl77 on Jul 11, 2011 3:21 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

When I get tickets

for free I always go. People I work with have various seat and box plans and occasionally throw some tickets my way for free/very cheap.

But in a world where an Alumni can go watch (insert name of local pro team here). I think the school should actually win on the field before they come to us for our alumni dollars.

I like Turtles!

by RedTurtle on Jul 11, 2011 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions

understandable

and obviously i cant predict the future, but id like to think when im an alumni ill go to the games, but obviously that could change down the road. i just think that if the fan base is mediocre, the team will continue to be also. just look at clemson, if they could get a decent x’s and o’s coach they would be a power house with all the premium recruits they get. and the reason they get those recruits is death valley and all those hillbilly fans. so at the very least, as far as i can tell better fan support=better recruits.

by churl77 on Jul 11, 2011 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Most recruiting junkies will agree

Winning means better recruits, but to win you need to get the better recruits.

The same could be said for fan support, but I firmly believe fan support will come when the team starts winning.

I like Turtles!

by RedTurtle on Jul 11, 2011 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Chicken-Egg?

Win and they get your alumni dollars. To win they need your alumni dollars.

by Timothy Winters on Jul 12, 2011 7:56 AM EDT up reply actions

Really?

Because the Redskins and Ravens do a pretty good job of selling tickets to see football. I’d say this isn’t a place that considers football a complete afterthought.

And it’s easy to complain when your tix are free, and you live within 10 minutes of the stadium. When you’re an alumni living a few HOURS away and have to pay for tix, let’s have this conversation.

"Complacency is your demise." - Kerry King

by duck on Jul 11, 2011 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

well even a ot of the students cant be bothered to go to a free football game

and that my man is a problem. hopefully that changes this year, and I think it will

by churl77 on Jul 11, 2011 7:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Their math is off

If they have only renewed 86% of last years 19K season tickets, they’d be at 16,340, meaning they’ve sold 2K+ new season tickets in order to hit that 18,400 mark.

I thought the website was actually pretty cool. At the least it shows an internal commitment to making the football progream succeed. As for Operation 54K, cool idea but hard to implement. If it’s not done well it will just look like a disorganized mess. Why can’t UA pony up 50K shirts to make it look awesome?

by terp121 on Jul 11, 2011 3:05 PM EDT reply actions

Terrapin Sports Marketing

Great Ideas – Poor Execution

by stlterp on Jul 11, 2011 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Terps are in a tough Football market

If you have X amount to spend and have a choice of attending a Ravens, Redskins or Terps game, what would you choose?
I remember going to a Penn St. game way back, and they set up temporary end zone bleachers at Byrd . Over 50,000 fans came that day to watch Joe Pa beat the Terps, but it was a great atmosphere.
For me, college games are much more exciting. I wish I still lived in the area.

by Snappin Terp on Jul 11, 2011 4:23 PM EDT reply actions

Coaching

I believe that it boils down to coaching. Look at Navy’s well executed running game or how Northern Illinois used to play us. 3 & 4 star talent can go a long way with great coaching. Physically fit, high IQ players that are tough is what I would be recruiting no matter what their star rating is and maybe these “under the radar kids” are just that.

by TwerpsNoMore on Jul 11, 2011 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Season Tickets

I don’t understand why so few alumni have season tickets. A full season is so much less expensive than NFL tickets. The total cost is very reasonable.

I always sport my Terps flags and gear every Saturday in the fall to get people excited. I even had a great time during the 2-10 season because the beer was cold and the Cornhole was plentiful :)

by TerpFan2001 on Jul 11, 2011 11:31 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 2 recs