USF returns nearly 9K tickets for Saturday’s FSU game

Karl Hicks is focused on the opportunity – not necessarily the financial dilemma.

South Florida’s return of 8,595 tickets for Saturday’s non-conference football game at Florida State has allowed the athletics department an opportunity to extend the special Youth Day ticket offer for a second consecutive home game.

But Hicks, Deputy Director of Athletics for External Operations at FSU, admitted that even with the promotion, the school doesn’t expect to sell the full allotment of returned tickets.

Saturday’s kickoff is 11:30 a.m. at Doak Campbell Stadium.

“We will move a good number of those tickets, but I don’t know that we will move all 9,000 of those tickets,” Hicks said Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s not all bad. It’s a great opportunity for the youth of Tallahassee to have a chance to come to the game – and those who couldn’t make it last (Saturday) – at an amazing price.”

The tickets, located in the upper south end-zone on the visitor’s side, are $12 for youth (18-and-under). With the purchase of a youth ticket, adults may also purchase tickets in these sections at a reduced rate of $35.

USF was contracted to receive 10,500 tickets – and 500 comped tickets.

According to FSU officials, USF informed FSU on Aug. 3 that it would not need 4,500 of its allotted tickets. The Bulls two weeks ago returned 3,000 tickets. The returned another 900 on Aug. 28 and 195 on Sept. 3.

While road opponents are contractually obligated to pay for returned tickets in games between Atlantic Coast Conference members, Hicks said that agreement is not in place for non-conference games.

USF sold 13,000 tickets for its last game at Florida State in 2009, when the Bulls upset the Seminoles 17-7 behind former Lincoln High quarterback B.J. Daniels.

USF, a 51-3 winner over Florida A&M in its season opener last Saturday at Tampa Stadium, is 7-18 in three seasons under coach Willie Taggart.

FSU’s season-opener against Texas State last Saturday attracted 80,917 fans, just shy of a sellout (82,300). Texas State sold nearly 500 of the 2,000 tickets (400 comped) it received.

Following Saturday’s game, the Seminoles don’t play at home again until Oct. 10 against Miami.

“Our fans have done amazingly well – we sold all the tickets that we had,” Hicks said of the Texas State and USF games.

“Unfortunately, (USF) has returned around 9,000 tickets. Moving all those tickets in a short period of time as we have probably will be a challenge. Can we move three to four (thousand)? I think so, we probably can do that. I don’t know if we will move all 9,000.”

Tickets for Saturday’s game are on sale on Seminoles.com or by calling the FSU athletic ticket office at 1-888-FSU-NOLE or 644-1830.