Stanford Daily Indian: Students buy more tickets for Big Game

Staff Writer

“Penetrate, penetrate! Score, score!” Whether this cheer from the Stanford student section will be heard across the stadium at Big Game tomorrow, or only from the Stanford All Male Dorm tonight, depends in large part on how many students show up to the game, because if there are more people then the chant will be louder. However, the Cardinal are off to a good start, with 2,330 student tickets sold as of press time, and more than 2,500 tickets are expected (sic) to be sold by Saturday. This total has already surpassed the 1,950 student tickets that were sold two years ago. Some of the increase can be attributed to successful ticket sales in White Plaza, increased odds for victory and more perceived student spirit surrounding the annual faceoff. “The Big Game is always good, but this year, with the improved play of the team, the new stadium on the horizon and the importance of the game regarding bowl ramifications, there is more excitement than the last Big Game,” said Bob Carruesco, director of marketing and ticket sales for Stanford Athletics. “It is always an added plus when the student body really gets into it.” But Stanford’s chances of maintaining an observable home court advantage are dwindling, with 37,000 Cal tickets already purchased, compared to Stanford’s 26,000, according to Carruesco.  “37,000 is more than 26,000, so unless we sell more than 37,000, then we will not have sold as many tickets as Cal did,” Carruesco noted.

Another reason for the increased student participation might be the lowered ticket prices, falling from $60 two years ago to $40 this year for the All-Axess (sic) pass. “I almost didn’t want to go because the ticket price is really high,” said senior David Post, who missed the game two years ago to attend a poetry reading. “More students would go if it were cheaper, because the price would be less money than if they were more expensive. But I decided to go because I think we have a chance this year, and I’m excited about tailgating.  We’re going to make some sandwiches and sit in the dirt outside the stadium.  It’s going to be a blast. Since I’m a senior, I’d hate to miss out on a win, and it’s a Stanford tradition.”

This is the first year tickets are being sold in White Plaza, according to Krista “Ratso” Zizzo, director of outreach and assessment in the Freshman Dean’s Office. The Big Game Committee thought that if football tickets were sold in White Plaza, students could purchase them more easily than if the students were required to walk more than half a block. The Ticket Office agreed to let the Athletics Marketing team sell tickets in White Plaza from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. There were 60 tickets sold outside yesterday, and 150 total sold in the last three days.  14 churros were also sold at the hotdog stand, with Diet Cokes beating out regular Cokes.

The Big Game Committee also wants to turn the student section into a “sea of red,” requesting all RAs to order red or cardinal Big Game shirts for their houses. The official “Red Zone” student section shirts will also be available from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. to all students with tickets. “Student response has been great,” said junior Troy Steinmetz, student chair of the Big Game Committee. “It seems that there’s been a tangible difference this year in the hype for Big Game. People are wearing red and attitude seems to have changed. The Stanford Dollies even shaved their legs.  If given a nudge, students will show their school spirit.” The week of planned Big Game events has also been noticeably more successful this year than last. On Tuesday, the Class of 2007’s “Beat-A-Bear” giveaway saw 350 bears given out in less than two hours. It was supposed to be a two-day event, but they gave all of the bears away before the end of the first day. In contrast, last year only 200 bears were distributed, according to Zizzo.