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Paraphrasing Bronco: Yeah, we need to work harder at selling tickets

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bronco mendenhall
Bronco Mendenhall. Photo courtesy UVA Athletics.

It’s gotta be frustrating to be Bronco Mendenhall, who left a place that routinely draws 60,000 fans for home games for one that has to get creative to claim that there’s 38,000 in the house.

I’m not saying anybody is misrepresenting how many people are coming; I’m just not sure they all actually make it to the stadium.

Anyway.

A reporter asked Bronco this week about fan support, such as it is.

As if it’s the coach’s job to do more than win games, division championships, go to Orange Bowls, the rest, to get people to buy tickets.

“Yeah, I’d love to improve everything in our program, so everything we do is intentional and step by step, and that’s just one of the areas of the program I’d like to continue to see grow and become and improve,” Mendenhall said.

Warning: coachspeak coming.

“I’m thankful for the support we do have,” the coach continued. “I’m thankful for the fans that are there. I love the ones that stayed through the rain and everything. I’m grateful for the support we do have, and we’ll look to continue to improve that just like the other areas of our program.”

One idea would be to borrow from our friends down on Tobacco Road at Wake Forest.

You know, the team off to its first 6-0 start in 77 years that plays in a 31,500-seat stadium, and struggles to draw fans – averaging 26,553 per game in 2021.

It ain’t for lack of tryin’.

The folks in the ticket office there almost literally throw the kitchen sink at the problem, offering $20 tickets, four-packs for $99, bundles for the Duke and NC State games starting at $80.

Just so y’all know, I’m only writing these stories because I want a full house – yeah, I know it’s not happening, but still – for Saturday night.

The time has come for somebody to put their foot down to get these tickets moving. And that foot is me.

Story by Chris Graham

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