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Football still booming
OU leads the way as area schools see strong market for season tickets.

OU fans cheer against Cincinnati last season. The Sooners' season-ticket renewal rate is 99 percent. MICHAEL WYKE/Tulsa World
 
By MIKE STRAIN World Sports Editor
Published: 7/9/2009  2:29 AM
Last Modified: 7/9/2009  3:50 AM

 College football in Oklahoma appears to be recession proof.

Despite an economic downturn, the University of Oklahoma has a higher football season-ticket renewal rate than any time in the Bob Stoops era. At Oklahoma State, the Cowboys could be on track to set another school record for season ticket sales. And at TU, the school is on a comparable sales pace to a year ago, as reported on tulsaworld.com.

OU has sold approximately 69,000 season tickets to the public — a 99 percent renewal rate. The athletic department will sell approximately 8,000 more season tickets to students, for a total of 77,000 season tickets. The few thousand remaining tickets in the 82,000-seat stadium are sold on a single-game basis.

"We don't have all the figures, but it wouldn't surprise me if that renewal rate led the nation," OU athletic director Joe Castiglione said in a statement issued by the school. "This rate would be exceptional any year but is especially notable during these challenging economic times."

The increase in renewals this season came despite the difficult economic climate and a rise in ticket prices. The base price for an OU season ticket is $375, or $62.50 per game on the six-game home schedule. Last year, season tickets were $357, or $59.50 per game, according to an OU official.

OU's season-ticket renewal rate has averaged 96 percent in the Stoops era, which began in the 1999 season.

At Oklahoma State, the Cowboys set a record for season-ticket sales last season, and a spokesman said Wednesday that the school is on track to break that record.

A year ago, OSU sold 39,976 season tickets, with 30,000 going to the public and the remainder to students. This year, the Cowboys have a 97.5 renewal rate on public sales and expect that to climb, said associate athletic director Kevin Klintworth.

"It's pretty amazing for us with the economy and no OU home game this year," said Klintworth, referring to the lift in ticket sales the Cowboys received last season from hosting the annual Bedlam game.

A year ago, OSU didn't sell single-game tickets to the OU game. Fans had access only if they bought season tickets. This year, the Cowboys will have the same policy for the Sept. 5 season-opening game against Georgia.

Oklahoma State has sold 29,216 tickets this year, Klintworth said. He said sales trends indicate that OSU will reach the 30,000 mark in the next two weeks through sales of the final season tickets available in the in the renovated west end zone of Boone Pickens Stadium.

The season-ticket capacity in the west end zone is 14,000. The Cowboys have sold 13,200 of those seats, and OSU officials expect the final 800 tickets to be gone before August. Boone Pickens Stadium has an official capacity of 60,218.

OSU's ticket prices on a per-game basis have remained the same for the 2009 season. In OSU's first season with an eight-game home schedule, the basic season-ticket price is $479 — $59.88 per game. Four season tickets in the west end zone are sold for $280 per ticket — $35 per game.

In May, the Cowboys averaged 176 season tickets sold per day. In May 2008, that number was 114 per day, Klintworth said.

OSU also has had growth in its fundraising arm for athletic scholarships — the Posse Club. The donor group has grown from 5,900 members two years ago to a record 9,100 during a drive to reach 10,000 members.

At the University of Tulsa, the school has sold 8,100 season tickets. Last year, TU sold 9,532 season tickets. The 80 percent renewal rate is comparable to last year at this time, according to the university. A TU spokesperson said the school expects to reach the same ticket sales as a year ago, even though ticket prices have risen.

A year ago, TU's lowest season ticket price was $60. This year, it's $78. The highest season-ticket price a year ago was $210. This year, it's $240. The school also has season tickets priced at $132 and $180 this season.

At OU, the school has a record number of donors to the Sooner Club. The club has 10,277 members, a rise of 715 donors in the last year — a period that included a third consecutive Big 12 football championship, a Heisman Trophy winner (quarterback Sam Bradford) and a berth in the BCS national championship game.

OU's capacity at Memorial Stadium is officially 82,112. But the school routinely attracts larger crowds. Last year, OU averaged 85,075, according to the NCAA. The Sooners had a Memorial Stadium record crowd of 85,646 on Nov. 22 last season against Texas Tech.

"From a coaching perspective, it's rewarding to me to hear our players talk about (the fans)," OU coach Bob Stoops said in a statement released by the school. "They can't wait to tell people what it's like to play in front of that crowd in Norman, and the personal meaning it has to each one of them is something that's hard to describe."

The Sooners' football program has more than tripled its revenue during Stoops' tenure as head coach. The year before Stoops arrived, OU's football program generated $11.6 million. In the 2007-08 fiscal year (the most recent data available), OU's football revenue was $40.9 million, according to numbers reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

OU recently announced that its athletic department has contributed $7 million to the university for academic programs.

Last month, OU president David Boren said a recent $3 million contribution from the athletic department for academic programs "helped the university avoid tuition increases for students and layoffs of faculty and staff."

Mike Strain 581-8356
mike.strain@tulsaworld.com
By MIKE STRAIN World Sports Editor

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "99 percent of OU, 97.5 percent of OSU football season tickets renewed," which was published on 7/8/2009.
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/8/2009 11:56:39 AM)
BOOMER SOONER!!

Expensive but fun!!
Report Comment
DrewTU, (7/8/2009 12:18:07 PM)
In related news, credit card debt rises in rural Oklahoma.
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/8/2009 12:21:22 PM)
CHARGE!!!!!!!!!
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/8/2009 12:29:59 PM)
Because they can get it L.Hayes Also, having 6 home games increased the price.
Report Comment
Peter Piper, TULSA (7/8/2009 12:38:27 PM)
Coach Stoops has gone 0-5 in his last 5 BCS games.
Nebraska, with 1/2 the population of Oklahoma, has had some bad seasons lately, yet they draw 85000 for each game. No matter who coaches at OU, a sellout 85000 will probably happen. It's TRADITION.
Five Million, or maybe much more for all the coaches?? Fiddle-faddle!!
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/8/2009 12:41:33 PM)
My season tickets became a lot better during the Blake era. I never gave up on the Sooners Peter,but rather, used the down seasons to upgrade my seats from those that did give up.

BOOMER SOONER!
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/8/2009 1:14:53 PM)
Why a statement like that Billy? I pay hundreds to dollars each year to the Foundation, just for the opportunity to purchase my tickets. The Athletic department funds itself AND gives millions each year to the School.

My support of OU athletics is ALSO, pride I feel for having earned a degree from OU.

Your comment was ignorant, to say the least.
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/8/2009 1:32:23 PM)
Check out the number of Merit Scholars Billy.

Did you sell enough corn out there Billy?
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/8/2009 1:34:34 PM)
GOP. Nebraska? Please!! One day they were competitive, but not anymore.

AND, fans are not split in the State, check out the stands at TU or OSU on game days.
Report Comment
Verysecure, bixby (7/8/2009 1:38:22 PM)
Mr. Bill ...people like you who do not realize just how important this program is should really keep your opinion to yourself. They not only support every other function of the school...not just sports, but offer other schools millions of dollars in revenue as well. Read your paper...sip your rum and have happy, happy thoughts about whatever it is that is making you so unhappy
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/8/2009 1:58:43 PM)
He chugs rum.
Report Comment
CowboyBobDog, Creek Cty (7/8/2009 2:03:45 PM)
What else is there to do in Nebraska besides football games, getting drunk at football games, horse racing, and growing and eating corn.

(Bobdog just had to get a shot off at Nebraska cause he just don't like um. Bobdog bit a Nebraska football fan once and Bobdog was in the hospital a week. Bobdog was so sick he couldn't even eat any Bobdog treats.)
Report Comment
CowboyBobDog, Creek Cty (7/8/2009 2:08:27 PM)
Ok, Ok
The closest the average OU fan has been to the University of Oklahoma campus much less a classroom is passing by on I-35 on their way south to visit a family member in the Texas Penal system.

(Bobdog appoligies to the OU alumni.)
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/8/2009 2:11:46 PM)
DR Johnny Fever, SOONER!!!
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/8/2009 2:12:45 PM)
Your data and or your ability to surf the internet is flawed Billy. Now go play in the rain.
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/8/2009 2:14:43 PM)
Or maybe Billy spelled Rhodes wrong.
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/8/2009 2:17:59 PM)
Change the picture back!!!!!!

And 97% renewal at OSU is great. Does that fill half the stadium?
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/8/2009 2:21:20 PM)
If you scalp them, you might get a pint of ripple Johnny.
Report Comment
Maarek, (7/8/2009 2:31:31 PM)
Arbythree,

I figured prices went up because with lagging car sales local dealerships in Norman couldn't afford to pay the players anymore. Perhaps it was to help pay the five million dollars to Big Game Bob? Who knows though?

I am glad to hear OU has a graduate out there cheering for the Sooners, been a while since I had seen evidence of any. Do you buy your mesh hats at Wal-Mart too, or do they have a special store for Alumni?

.......

All mean kidding aside, it's good to see sales of tickets being high for both major schools in OK (sorry TU). It means that things are just going to get interesting, especially if both teams continue to go in the direction they are going.
Report Comment
hootie, Tulsa (7/8/2009 2:32:36 PM)
Arby - Check out the number of Merit Scholars Billy.
The reason ou has so many MS is because they give more "assistance" to those that receive those scholarships than any other university. ou did that so that they could use it as a marketing ploy "Hey, we have more MS than anyone in the US." It is just like how their busines program mad the Top 50 a few years ago. Things were skewed to make them better than they actuall were to "improve the ratings". I worked for ou for over 10 years, so yes I know what I am talking about.
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/8/2009 2:42:20 PM)
I take it OU fired you hootie.
Report Comment
CowboyBobDog, Creek Cty (7/8/2009 2:45:26 PM)
Arf, Arf, Arby,

(Bobdog sits and chuckles.)
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (7/8/2009 2:49:19 PM)
Kinda chuckled myself BobDog.
Report Comment
hootie, Tulsa (7/8/2009 3:19:10 PM)
Nope Arby, left for a better job!
Report Comment
The Reaper, Hells Gate (7/8/2009 3:28:35 PM)
I guess hootie can thank OU for training him those 10 yrs so he could get a better job somewhere else. Since he wasn't qualified to move up the ladder at OU.
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