The University of Cincinnati alumni association says the school has about 90,000 graduates living within an hour's drive of campus. Most of those alums, for various reasons, will not be attending UC's Humanitarian Bowl game in Boise, Idaho.
UC has sold about 500 tickets for the Dec. 29 game. That figure is low for a bowl team, but more than UC sells for a typical road game.
''We're not bowl-conditioned here yet,'' said UC Athletic Director Bob Goin. ''People haven't been sitting around waiting for a bowl trip for 47 years.''
UC last went to a bowl game in 1950.
Stephanie Nett, director of bowl sales for the UC ticket office, said the school has sold about 400 seats ($30 per ticket). Another 100 have been sold through Provident Travel, which offers a round-trip package (airfare, hotel and game ticket) for $830 per person.
Still, UC could have a few thousand fans at 30,000-seat Bronco Stadium in Boise. School administrators, out-of-town alumni and boosters, and players' families will fill hundreds more seats. The low pre-sale was expected, given UC's average attendance (20,135 per home game this year), short notice for holiday planning, and the game being 2,000 miles away. It also will be televised on ESPN2 (3:30 p.m.).
Goin has sent letters to all 8,000 UC season-ticket holders, asking them to buy bowl seats. ''We are getting support from people that will purchase tickets, even though they can't go,'' he said. UC coach Rick Minter said, ''It's an expensive souvenir, but if you can't be there in person you can still buy a ticket and be there in spirit, helping our kids.''
Goin has committed UC to paying for 15,000 seats, which is a $450,000 outlay. UC will cover that with the bowl's $750,000 payout, but figures to lose money once travel costs are figured. However, Goin said that unnamed private donors have agreed to cover any deficit.
SEASON IN STORIES
