One of dumbest things about the bowl system, especially the BCS bowls, is the designated ticket allotment that many bowl organizations make schools purchase upon getting the bid. For the five BCS games, it’s ridiculous and nothing more than another way to weasel more money out of where it belongs: with the school.
Most of the athletic departments have been able sell out their ticket allotment and in a hurry this year. Oklahoma State, Oregon, Michigan, Stanford, Wisconsin -- they’ve all either sold out or are close to selling out their ticket allotment. Of course, that doesn’t mean every single one of those fans will show up. Additionally, some fans go to ticket sites and buy them for a cheaper price rather than go through the school.
It’s a broken system that benefits the bowls and not the schools. A program’s fortunate if their conference ponies up the tab for whatever money they lose in required ticket sales.
But two schools haven’t sold out their allotment this year and they’re not even close.
Virginia Tech and West Virginia.
Neither should really be in a BCS game this year, but the one thing you can say about each is that their fans usually travel well. Not this year, at least not so far. The Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl “gave” VT and WVU 17,500 tickets; Tech has sold just over 9,300 and WVU around 5,700, according to each program’s ticket office.
In fact, VT’s athletic department has started asking fans who can’t make the game to buy up proxy tickets to be distributed to military and charitable organizations in the New Orleans area.
Why again were the Hokies selected over Kansas State again?
For WVU, it’s astounding that the school may sell half of its allotted amount. WVU fans traditionally travel pretty well, especially to places they can drive to. Morgantown to Miami is a haul, but it’s doable. But placing these games in the middle of the week doesn’t help either.
Not that the BCS cares. They got their money from the schools and they’ll get more through advertising dollars and broadcasts. What happens after their check is signed and cashed is of no concern to them.