Kelly Hines article:
Amid dwindling attendance numbers at University of Tulsa home games, the university’s board of trustees has been working to deliver a bigger crowd for Friday’s game against SMU.
“It’s very important for us to have a big game crowd,” said John Forrest, a TU alumnus and an executive member of the board. “I think we have a pretty good team and they’re very entertaining, and it’s a national broadcast (on ESPN2).
“It’s the opening conference game, which I think carries some momentum with it into the heart of the conference schedule.”
Forrest and several other trustees embarked on an initiative to raise money to buy blocks of tickets to donate to groups, including several hundred City of Tulsa employees. St. John Health System also bought more than 1,000 tickets.
The tickets, purchased at a price allowed by the NCAA for them to count toward attendance figures, are for seats on the often-sparse east side of H.A. Chapman Stadium, which has a listed capacity of 30,000.
“I just think it’s important to support this particular community institution, the University of Tulsa and specifically the University of Tulsa football program, and continue to highlight it as an asset,” Forrest said. “It’s very worthy of the community’s involvement and support.”
The 7 p.m. game is designated as a blackout — meaning, fans are encouraged to wear all black and the team is expected to wear black uniforms — and there will be a fireworks show afterward. Tickets start at $15 in advance and $20 at the gates.
“We need our fans to show up,” coach Philip Montgomery said. “We need their help and support. We went on the road and came back (from a 31-0 deficit at Fresno State), but that’s so much easier at home when you’ve got the crowd on your side.
“I know there will be some great high school football games going on (at the same time), but we need a big crowd and we need them loud and out of their seats. Hopefully, we’ll have some fireworks on the field and then we’ll shoot some fireworks when it’s over.”
After rallying to defeat Fresno State in double overtime two weeks ago, the Hurricane is 3-1 heading into Friday’s American Athletic Conference opener. Since joining the league, TU has ranked last in home attendance in 2014, 2015 and the early portion of 2016.
Although fan turnout has steadily dipped each year since 2011, not helping matters this season is a home slate against five FBS teams that failed to finish above .500 in the 2015 regular season. The other home opponent, FCS team North Carolina A&T, left with a 58-21 thumping.
For the two September home games, Chapman Stadium averaged 17,430 fans, almost 7,000 fewer than anyone else in the conference. Five teams in the American are drawing crowds more than double in size.
Having an enrollment of 3,473 students, the fewest in FBS, and consequently a small alumni base produces a challenge when it comes to boosting attendance, but the goal is to generate more interest from people in the area who may not have any tie to the university.
“With the type of program we have, we love to expose it to as many people as possible here in the community,” athletic director Derrick Gragg said. “It helps with recruiting and I think it also is a great representation of the city of Tulsa, especially when we have a television game like this.”
