The last 400 student tickets -- lower-level ones, it turns out -- are to be distributed at the Sun Dome at 5 p.m. today, but the line was already about 120 fans deep at noon, when USF officials had said students should start lining up. No companion tickets will be sold, no holding places for friends, nothing but one ticket for each student with ID.
The smart fans have umbrellas and lawn chairs to help them survive the afternoon, laptops and decks of cards to pass time. Some are even digging beach umbrellas into the grass on the Sun Dome's east side. It's one last boost of exposure and excitement for USF, with at least two TV trucks lined up for live reports from the hottest ticket in town.
The cynic in me thinks it's a little cruel to schedule hundreds of kids to line up in direct 90-degree heat for a few hours, especially when they're doing so directly outside a climate-controlled arena with several thousand empty seats, but then again, the tickets are free, after all.
The secondary market for tickets continues to be strong, with pairs of tickets selling on eBay.com in the $160 range this morning, at least double face value. Cheapest on there in the past 24 hours has been $66 for a single student ticket.
Times sportswriter Greg Auman, who covers USF, will post news and thoughts on the Bulletin and we invite your participation in the comments area.
They could possibly exclude football from the free sporting events and charge (say $10 or $15 per ticket) for football games. Look at all the additional revenue we could be generating to help the program. Florida, Georgia and Auburn all charge students for football tickets (and have no problem selling all of them) so it must be profitable.
Posted by: Joe | September 27, 2007 at 06:31 PM
The tickets are not exactly free. Each student pays $25 per semester and $10 per credit hour for the right to attend USF sporting events without an additional charge. Given the typical 3 semester, 30 credit hour year that works out to $375 per year for tickets...and student's cannot choose not to pay for them.
For this reason (if you only counted 20,000 full time students that equals 7.5 mil per year in fees for athletics) there is no way they drop the "free" tickets. USF makes too much money off of the deal.
Posted by: Kyle | September 27, 2007 at 05:05 PM
The Sun Dome was hosting the USF Career Fair today from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. That is probably why they couldn't let students wait inside the arena.
Posted by: Grouper | September 27, 2007 at 04:32 PM
Or for that matter, having to line up for tickets.
Posted by: g-man | September 27, 2007 at 03:08 PM
There's never been a need for a lottery system before this year.
Posted by: g-man | September 27, 2007 at 02:52 PM
What's up with those wristbands and why not just distribute tickets based on a lottery system like other schools do? This would eliminate the camping out and waiting in line in the heat.
Posted by: jk | September 27, 2007 at 02:12 PM
I have to admit I crack up 'every' time I read references to Cee.It's better than the movies! Greg,great work always...
Posted by: nickdelray | September 27, 2007 at 02:02 PM
They gave out the tickets early starting at 1:15 due to the heat. They had over 600 students already lined up.
Posted by: | September 27, 2007 at 01:57 PM
You can bet that there will be no free student tickets next year. Get ready to starting paying for the privilege to watch USF football.
Posted by: Tim | September 27, 2007 at 01:54 PM
that was me, btw
Posted by: Steven Stacy | September 27, 2007 at 01:51 PM
I do not believe
I have ever seen any
thing as dumb as cee
Posted by: | September 27, 2007 at 01:50 PM
Jim Leavitt has made a deal with the devil. That is why USF will win. Ask Cee and his family.
Posted by: DELdaBULL | September 27, 2007 at 01:41 PM
My brother told me that Jim Leavitt is to blame for the 90+ degree heat. Leavitt causes global warming. Now those poor students have to suffer because of it.
Posted by: Cee's Little Brother | September 27, 2007 at 01:38 PM