One longtime Asheville, N.C., resident drew an Allen Fieldhouse-sized crowd to Kansas University’s Memorial Stadium in the middle of the summer.
Now another Ashevillian hopes to draw Memorial Stadium-sized crowds there this fall.
Marc Gibson an Asheville native like KU basketball coach Roy Williams, who used Memorial Stadium as the setting for his “I’m Staying” speech last month is the Jayhawks’ new assistant director of promotions in charge of football ticket sales.
On the job for just three months, the 25-year-old Gibson has instituted a couple of new football ticket promotions and he reports season-ticket sales are well ahead of last year’s pace.
“I’d actually say we’re going to do really well on that this year,” Gibson said, noting season-ticket sales were approaching the 20,000 mark. “This past week has picked up tremendously. People are starting to think about football, and it’s just going to pick up from here on out.
“It’s fun to be a part of something like this. What people don’t realize is, college athletics football included is cyclical. It comes around. If they don’t have tickets now, they’ll be sorry.”
Naturally, Gibson is doing everything he can to make sure they do have tickets.
Here’s a look at some of the packages KU has available:
Two-game test drive. Fans can buy tickets to KU’s first two games against Alabama-Birmingham and Southern Illinois with a money-back guarantee.
“We feel if we get you into Memorial Stadium, we’ll be able to keep you,” Gibson said. “If they’re not happy, if they don’t enjoy the experience in Memorial Stadium, they get their money back, period. Not too many people have inquired about that. It’s kind of strange, but it’s also encouraging. That means we’ll get people here for the whole season, not just two games.”
Big 12 minipack. Fans can purchase tickets for the Colorado, Kansas State and Texas games for $85.
“That’s the best package we’ve got,” Gibson said. “Last year, we had a premier game and a not-so-premier game in the minipack. These are great games.”
Recent grad package. Fans who graduated from KU in the last four years can purchase season tickets for 79 bucks.
“We’re really trying to get the young alumni back to the games,” Gibson said.
Family zone package. Fans can get two adult and four children’s season tickets for $245.
“When you think about it, the K-State game alone is $40 (per ticket),” Gibson said. “You’re getting half off for that package right there.”
Gibson also is involved in some of the game-day atmosphere enhancements, like the Jayhawk Fun Zone, a collection of inflatable games and other attractions underneath the MegaVision video board.
“We’ll have everything from basketball pop-a-shot to a football toss for accuracy,” Gibson said. “We’re really trying to promote the atmosphere before the game.”
Gibson also is promoting rental of tents on Campanile Hill.
“They’re fully catered corporate tents, for as few as 25 or as many as 1,500 people per tent,” Gibson said. “We’ll have 18 or 19 tents for the K-State game. The hill will be full.”
Gibson also is enlisting aid from the rank-and-file fan with “The Blitz,” a volunteer tickets sales force of 74.
“What I want to do is have as many people out there who are KU fans selling tickets to the general public,” Gibson said. “Me sitting in my office calling people won’t have the full effect as people in the general community. What we’ve done is create this force to hit as many people as possible. It’s very similar to the Chiefs’ Redcoaters organization.”
Gibson said he hoped each Blitzer would sell 10 tickets. The most productive seller will win a trip with the team to the KU-Oklahoma game in Norman, Okla.
If it sounds like KU is driven to improve its football ticket sales, it should.
The Jayhawks averaged 33,642 fans per game last season. Baylor, at 28,548 fans, was the only Big 12 school with a smaller average attendance.
In 1998 and 1997, KU ranked 12th in the league in average attendance.
“This is a big point of emphasis,” Gibson said, “and I’m happy to be a part of it. At the same time, I know Kansas is a basketball school, and I won’t try to change that. But I want to put as many people in the stands as I can. Coach (Terry) Allen and I sat down and, basically, it’ll come down to wins and losses. We feel like KU alumni and KU fans are ready to come out and support this team. It’s evident in ticket sales we’ve had already. I think with this schedule and the team we have coming back, I think we’re going to be pretty good. I’m intrigued by the challenge here. I know coach Allen and the administration are intent on winning and turning this program around, and I wanted to be a part of that.”
