Season-ticket price increases, an ongoing economic recession, and the departure of star-player Eric Maynor and head coach Anthony Grant might lead students to think university basketball ticket sales will suffer. Wrong.
For the upcoming season, the university is doing financially better than last season. The uncertain future for the fall season and schedule are contributing factors to surging sales said Assistant Director of Ticket Operations, Vic Cegles.
“We have the excitement from the new coach,” Cegles said. “(The) excitement of not knowing how this year is going to go has kept people very interested. Also, our schedule is excellent this season. We have the best schedule we’ve ever had.”
VCU alumnus, Scott Jones, has been a season-ticket holder for nearly 30 years. Owning college basketball season tickets are the best value in sports, he said
“I think VCU college basketball is the best thing going,” Jones said. “I went to a Celtics-Wizards game last season and hated it. Of course it was packed because it was the Celtics, but the crowd wasn’t into it like at the Siegel Center.”
According to VCU athletics, since the 2002-03 season, total ticket revenue has increased steadily every season. Student and public attendance reached the highest numbers of the decade in the 2007-08 season. This past 2008-09 season was the highest year of revenue in the history of VCU basketball.
Pro-team season-ticket prices cost up to thousands of dollars. The $189 price tag for the 2009-10 VCU men’s basketball season-ticket is a bargain for sports fans.
“The value has no comparison,” Jones said. “VCU has gone from the Coliseum with 2,000 people, to the Siegel Center almost full every night.”