Plenty of seats – more than 24,000 – still remain for Florida Atlantic season opener against Wagner
by Tom D'Angelo

Judging by the tickets sales obtained by The Palm Beach Post, new FAU AD Pat Chun has a lot of work ahead.

As of late Friday FAU had sold 4,989 season tickets, which includes 1,636 distributed as part of sponsorship packages. An additional 770 single game tickets have been sold for Friday’s opener at FAU Stadium against Wagner.

All of which means more than 24,000 tickets remain for the first game in what FAU is hoping is a new (and improved) era for the football program. The numbers do not include tickets that have been claimed by the students.

Chun said the disappointing turnout he is sure to encounter Friday will not get him down. The reality is the Owls are coming off a 1-11 season, scheduled an unattractive FCS team to give them a better chance of winning and are competing against high school football’s opening night. In fact, the West Boca at Boca Raton game will be played across Glades Road from the FAU campus.

“Part of my job is to paint reality,” Chun said. “Expectations need to be realistic about what we’re going to draw. But this isn’t the end, this is just the beginning.

“Once we open those doors everyone is going to see first hand the great work Carl Pelini and his coaching staff and those (players) have done to change the tide of that football program.”

The 4,989 season tickets is a slight increase from the 4,633 sold last season.

Another loser in this financially is Pelini. Hopefully Pelini hadn’t spent the bonus that is tied to season tickets.

Pelini’s contract calls for an additional $100,000 if FAU sells 12,000 season tickets, another $50,000 if they reach 18,000 and a $50,000 more if they sell 24,000.

Safe to say Pelini’s won’t be seeing that money anytime soon, but with a base pay of $450,000 a year for five years, he should be set.

1-11 Previous record
Friday night
FCS opponent.

Not a great scenario for tickeets to be sold.

Look for announced attendnace around 12K IMHO. 4-5K students will show up.

1. I don't know why this is being posted on the SBC board, and not in the FAU section
2. I'm expecting 17K. Most ticket sales happen the week of the game, another good bunch will come from walk-ups, and I'm expecting 6K of that to be from students.

(08-28-2012 09:17 AM)OwlFamily Wrote:  1-11 Previous record
Friday night
+ Labor Day Weekend (students may go home)
FCS opponent.

Not a great scenario for tickeets to be sold.

Look for announced attendnace around 12K IMHO. 4-5K students will show up.

(08-28-2012 09:25 AM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  1. I don't know why this is being posted on the SBC board, and not in the FAU section

because mr panther fan obviously thinks it's funny and trying to hit us when were down.

Look back at the archives and see how many of these types of articles were posted about FIU (by OwlFamily, an administrator, and BMarkey), when we were struggling. I have no problem in saying that I'm just returning the favor.

(08-28-2012 09:29 AM)NCowl Wrote:  

(08-28-2012 09:25 AM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  1. I don't know why this is being posted on the SBC board, and not in the FAU section

because mr panther fan obviously thinks it's funny and trying to hit us when were down.

Al Quida torchers, so why shouldn't we? Be the better man. I go on the FIU board often, and have even befriended some of y'all because many of you FIU die-hards win with class and lose with class. I guess there's always one exception.

Im gonna move this to smack because it has no shot at a discussion of why this game is an attendance nightmare for FAU.

I dont usually talk attendance smack because I dont have a leg to stand on. FIU is missing that leg too IMHO.

P.S. FIU sucks

Yeah, that's a great comparison. It shows a great deal of perspective of the situation from your part. Have a great day!

(08-28-2012 09:37 AM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  Al Quida torchers, so why shouldn't we? Be the better man. I go on the FIU board often, and have even befriended some of y'all because many of you FIU die-hards win with class and lose with class. I guess there's always one exception.

wow. Must be nice to remove negative articles about your school to a board no one goes to whenever you want.

(08-28-2012 09:40 AM)OwlFamily Wrote:  Im gonna move this to smack because it has no shot at a discussion of why this game is an attendance nightmare for FAU.

I dont usually talk attendance smack because I dont have a leg to stand on. FIU is missing that leg too IMHO.

P.S. FIU sucks

(08-28-2012 09:45 AM)FIU Panther Fan Wrote:  wow. Must be nice to remove negative articles about your school to a board no one goes to whenever you want.

(08-28-2012 09:40 AM)OwlFamily Wrote:  Im gonna move this to smack because it has no shot at a discussion of why this game is an attendance nightmare for FAU.

I dont usually talk attendance smack because I dont have a leg to stand on. FIU is missing that leg too IMHO.

P.S. FIU sucks

Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.....

It really is a matter of fairness. Apparently it can be dished but not taken.

(08-28-2012 09:55 AM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.....

Bet some people show up Saturday thinking the game is then, pretty unusual to have a Friday night game.
Kind of understandable that attendance is down, maybe not that much, but understandable.

(08-28-2012 10:02 AM)FIU Panther Fan Wrote:  It really is a matter of fairness. Apparently it can be dished but not taken.

(08-28-2012 09:55 AM)FAUAEPi Wrote:  Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.....

Please tell me when I have ever public dished it to y'all. Please search on here and on the FIU board.

We went 1-11 this past year, whats FIU's excuse?

FIU had the bowl game with the lowest attendance of any bowl game that year(20,072) by about 4000 seats. FIUs bowl game
placed behind the Idaho potato bowl(28,000) which is played outdoors... in boise idaho...in december.

Which is especially laughable considering FIU's bowl game was a 4 hour drive on I-75 from their main campus.

More people showed up for the FCS(I-AA) championship (20,576) this past year than the FIUs bowl game.

That's twice as many as will be there for your game tomorrow. Thank you for watching our bowl game last year, we hope to give you another exciting season where you can look forward to another FIU Bowl Game and trying to keep track of how many of our fans attend. Good luck against Wagner.

(08-29-2012 09:18 PM)voss749 Wrote:  We went 1-11 this past year, whats FIU's excuse?

FIU had the bowl game with the lowest attendance of any bowl game that year(20,072) by about 4000 seats. FIUs bowl game
placed behind the Idaho potato bowl(28,000) which is played outdoors... in boise idaho...in december.

Which is especially laughable considering FIU's bowl game was a 4 hour drive on I-75 from their main campus.

More people showed up for the FCS(I-AA) championship (20,576) this past year than the FIUs bowl game.

"That's twice as many as will be there for your game tomorrow. Thank you for watching our bowl game last year"

Again your comparing a Friday night game by 1-11 FAU against I-AA opponent to FIU's bowl game. The point is FIU even when winning even when in a bowl doesnt draw fans.

FIU couldnt get its fans in its most successful season ever to show up to a bowl game within a 4 hours drive.

The only way FIU will get 30,000 fans to show up to the New Orleans bowl is by playing FAU.

Make sure to stay tuned in December during the New Orleans bowl so you can count how many FIU fans are present! Go F I U!

P.S. FIU and FAU have played many times and it has NEVER even come close to 30,000. I doubt a meeting in New Orleans would be any different. Good luck against Wagner, enjoy it as it might be the only owl win of the season.

(08-30-2012 11:00 AM)voss749 Wrote:  "That's twice as many as will be there for your game tomorrow. Thank you for watching our bowl game last year"

Again your comparing a Friday night game by 1-11 FAU against I-AA opponent to FIU's bowl game. The point is FIU even when winning even when in a bowl doesnt draw fans.

FIU couldnt get its fans in its most successful season ever to show up to a bowl game within a 4 hours drive.

The only way FIU will get 30,000 fans to show up to the New Orleans bowl is by playing FAU.

(08-28-2012 09:45 AM)FIU Panther Fan Wrote:  wow. Must be nice to remove negative articles about your school to a board no one goes to whenever you want.

I'm gonna defend the mods because they often get a bad rap. I'm always amazed at people who break the rules and act like the only reason they got called out is because they are of a certain fanbase. You posted smack, it got move to guess what...the smack board. Any real surprise there? Sometimes we just don't want to follow the rules, and claim our case is special, when its not. Plenty of other fanbases have been regulated for different issues. I've been told to "stop" by a Troy mod that was probably more my fault than anyones. The rules are the rules. I do my best to follow them just like everyone else.

That said, good luck against Duke. Yall are the most talented team in the sunbelt this year, my preseason #1. Go get us a win.