FoghornLeghornCock
11-17-2007, 11:58 AM
Women's hoops team offers free tuition to attract fans
By DUNCAN MANSFIELD
Associated Press Writer
Published on: 11/17/07 http://www.ajc.com/news/content/sports/stories/2007/11/17/ladyvols_1117.html KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Even Tennessee, the NCAA's top draw in women's basketball, knows it takes more than seven national titles to put fans in the stands, especially students.
"One of the things we have always heard from students is that they have so much going on. So I said, 'What can we do to entice you?'" said Jimmy Delaney, the Lady Vols' marketing director.
The promotion Delaney and coach Pat Summitt came up with? Free tuition.
"In the realm of women's basketball, we are always trying to be the leader," he said.
The Lady Vols will give away a year's in-state tuition for 2008-09 to a student who attends at least 10 of 14 home games. The winner will be picked randomly from those eligible, tallied electronically when they swipe their student cards at the gate.
It's a $6,000 value.
"This is a win-win situation!" said Anna York, student body vice president and a student member of the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees. "The students can enjoy our amazing Lady Vols while also having the chance to win free tuition and other prizes."
The other prizes include two tickets and hotel accommodations to the Women's Final Four in Tampa, Fla., assuming the Lady Vols are in it. The winners will fly down with the players.
"Some people are more stoked about traveling with the team than getting free tuition," Delaney said.
Tennessee has ranked No. 1 in home attendance in nine of the past 10 years, according to the NCAA. The Lady Vols averaged 14,678 fans during their 2007 championship season. No. 2 Connecticut averaged 10,802.
But filling a 444-seat student section with screaming, cheering fans for every game remains the goal in newly remodeled 21,678-seat Thompson-Boling Arena.
"The enthusiasm of our fans, especially the students, brings such an electrifying atmosphere to our games. We hope they fill the seats at every game," Summitt said.
The Lady Vols' exhibition game against the USA National Team on Nov. 4 drew nearly 500 students and an exhibition against Carson-Newman the following Tuesday — the fifth sporting event on campus in five days — attracted about 200 students.
"We want the base to be 500 kids," Delaney said. "But obviously our goal is 1,000, 2,000, whatever. We want to get as many students in there as we can."
More on ajc.com
I know we have complained about our fans going to games, but if only 444 students go to TN womens basketball maybe students are apathetic about womens basketball and maybe title 9 isn't having as much success as you might hope if you have to give away free scholarships for attendance. I support title 9 by the way, but maybe it is not working as hoped and should be revisited if other sports are more popular with students. Maybe some women's sports and even men's need to go away and maybe there should be more academic scholarships? Maybe we should spend more on libraries or computers for students?
By DUNCAN MANSFIELD
Associated Press Writer
Published on: 11/17/07 http://www.ajc.com/news/content/sports/stories/2007/11/17/ladyvols_1117.html KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Even Tennessee, the NCAA's top draw in women's basketball, knows it takes more than seven national titles to put fans in the stands, especially students.
"One of the things we have always heard from students is that they have so much going on. So I said, 'What can we do to entice you?'" said Jimmy Delaney, the Lady Vols' marketing director.
The promotion Delaney and coach Pat Summitt came up with? Free tuition.
"In the realm of women's basketball, we are always trying to be the leader," he said.
The Lady Vols will give away a year's in-state tuition for 2008-09 to a student who attends at least 10 of 14 home games. The winner will be picked randomly from those eligible, tallied electronically when they swipe their student cards at the gate.
It's a $6,000 value.
"This is a win-win situation!" said Anna York, student body vice president and a student member of the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees. "The students can enjoy our amazing Lady Vols while also having the chance to win free tuition and other prizes."
The other prizes include two tickets and hotel accommodations to the Women's Final Four in Tampa, Fla., assuming the Lady Vols are in it. The winners will fly down with the players.
"Some people are more stoked about traveling with the team than getting free tuition," Delaney said.
Tennessee has ranked No. 1 in home attendance in nine of the past 10 years, according to the NCAA. The Lady Vols averaged 14,678 fans during their 2007 championship season. No. 2 Connecticut averaged 10,802.
But filling a 444-seat student section with screaming, cheering fans for every game remains the goal in newly remodeled 21,678-seat Thompson-Boling Arena.
"The enthusiasm of our fans, especially the students, brings such an electrifying atmosphere to our games. We hope they fill the seats at every game," Summitt said.
The Lady Vols' exhibition game against the USA National Team on Nov. 4 drew nearly 500 students and an exhibition against Carson-Newman the following Tuesday — the fifth sporting event on campus in five days — attracted about 200 students.
"We want the base to be 500 kids," Delaney said. "But obviously our goal is 1,000, 2,000, whatever. We want to get as many students in there as we can."
More on ajc.com
I know we have complained about our fans going to games, but if only 444 students go to TN womens basketball maybe students are apathetic about womens basketball and maybe title 9 isn't having as much success as you might hope if you have to give away free scholarships for attendance. I support title 9 by the way, but maybe it is not working as hoped and should be revisited if other sports are more popular with students. Maybe some women's sports and even men's need to go away and maybe there should be more academic scholarships? Maybe we should spend more on libraries or computers for students?