# Question for Garyfish or someone who KNOWS for sure



## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

How many tickets does BYU give away for free to each game? 

After I get a straight answer, I'll explain what I'm getting at.


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## Dodger (Oct 20, 2009)

I don't know the number, but it is too many.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

For real??? That's it? One reply? I promise, this isn't a trap. I SWEAR BY IT!!!


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## proutdoors (Sep 24, 2007)

Then out with it already. :?


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

I really have no idea. I know that some seats are comped to high dollar doners, as at most places. I've not got into a game for free since I was in the marching band 21 years ago. Even as students, we had to buy our tickets. We got them for like $5 or $10 per game, but we still had to buy them. Otherwise, I am not aware of any freebies out there. The players get a few tickets for their friends and family - but that is limited by NCAA rules. I have some friends who are professors, and they have to pay for their tickets. So I really don't know of any free ticket giveaways. If you know, let me know! I'd like in on that one! I've been going to BYU games now for 20 years and am not aware of any ticket giveaways.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

My brother's name is on the stadium, I think those seats go for about an average $6k/year. I have not ever heard of any football seats being given away-not that I am any qualified source. However, bball is different where they two $1 seats once in a while for weekday games.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Are 4 days of waiting enough time?


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Were you talking about football, or basketball?

I've never heard of any kind of free ticket giveaway (aside from minor radio promotion kind of stuff) for football.

For Basketball, the tickets are nearly free. I know when I was a student, if you bought one season ticket, they'd give you two. I know with some hoops games, they do have large scale free ticket giveaways.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Sorry guys, I forgot about this thread. I have been "over" the whole thing since about wednesday, so I have somewhat avoided it. 

When I was younger, the youth in my ward used to go to a BYU football game every year. Knowing how much that might have cost to buy tickets, I figure there is no way that they got those tickets any other way than but for free. I have a friend who was trying to argue with me that BYU is better because they have more seats in their stadium, and they "sell out" every game, or at least fill the stadium. He was talking a whole bunch of smack that Utah just barely started filling RES, only because of the recent success. 

My argument was that BYU wouldn't have a "sell out" crowd every week unless they gave away hundreds of tickets. I wanted to know how many tickets are given away each game, and compare it percentage-wise to Utah's attendance. His argument made no sense, so I kinda just said "whatever" and let it go.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I don't want to have a pi$$ing match with you, but he is right. Go see who is at the Y games, these are a lot of old folks with season tickets for 20+ years, U fans who can say that are very few. Not that it matters, but you have to admit there is a lot of truth there, of course there were quite a few at least threatening giving up season tickets after 2004, was it? Any who, I hope the Utes continue their bowl streak!! Good luck!


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## Dodger (Oct 20, 2009)

Chaser said:


> Sorry guys, I forgot about this thread. I have been "over" the whole thing since about wednesday, so I have somewhat avoided it.
> 
> When I was younger, the youth in my ward used to go to a BYU football game every year. Knowing how much that might have cost to buy tickets, I figure there is no way that they got those tickets any other way than but for free. I have a friend who was trying to argue with me that BYU is better because they have more seats in their stadium, and they "sell out" every game, or at least fill the stadium. He was talking a whole bunch of smack that Utah just barely started filling RES, only because of the recent success.
> 
> My argument was that BYU wouldn't have a "sell out" crowd every week unless they gave away hundreds of tickets. I wanted to know how many tickets are given away each game, and compare it percentage-wise to Utah's attendance. His argument made no sense, so I kinda just said "whatever" and let it go.


I don't understand your argument.

Speaking from before Utah's recent success, which is what your friend assumed, at best, it seems like you are arguing that having a free butt in the seat is no better than having no butt in the seat? (P.S., his assumption is right - Utah had trouble filling up the stands when it only held 35k. The only game they consistently filled was when the Cougars came to town.)

That doesn't seem to make sense when you are talking about a 3 hour time commitment for a football game. People don't exactly go to a football game just because it is free.

RES was also enlarged for the Olympics and it is still maxed at 45k. LES capacity was reduced in 2000 to make some seats more comfortable and it still holds 65k. I think the record was almost 71k vs. Miami in 1991.

LES is a much nicer stadium, capacity aside.


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## proutdoors (Sep 24, 2007)

Dodger said:


> RES was also enlarged for the Olympics and it is still maxed at 45k. LES capacity was reduced in 2000 to make some seats more comfortable and it still holds 65k. I think the record was almost 71k vs. Miami in 1991.


By far the best sporting event I have ever been to. Sat on the 45 yard line 10 rows up on the east facing side. Close enough to hear the Miami players comments.

Utah, back before McBride, gave away tickets to the student body and still couldn't fill the seats.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

His argument was that BYU was better because more people show up each week. While I do agree that more people tend to show up for a better teams contests, its ridiculous to argue it the way he did. I had a theory that BYU probably gave away a larger percentage of tickets to each game than Utah did/does, but I haven't been able to confirm it. He was basically pissed off at all the "bandwagon" Utah fans, claiming everyone who had a gripe about Max Hall's comments were new fans because of the recent success. I had to put him in his place, letting him know that there are MANY long-time fans who took exception to the comments...people such as my family. I am a 4th generation Ute. My father, aunt, grandfather, and his father all graduated from the U, and my grandparents are season ticket holders of 20+ years, and members of the Crimson Club. Anyway, the discussion at this point is dead in the water.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

I don't think it means anything to tell you the truth, though I've argued the point of your friend before just to irritate my ute friends. The two campuses are really quite different. Utah is much more a commuter school, and BYU is much more a destination or resident school. I know many Utah grads who are BYU football fans - but no BYU grads who are UofU fans. I think that living at school for four years makes a different kind of connection. School isn't something you go to, it is a life style. I would make the same argument for Utah State and their basketball fan base. Going to the U and not living at/near campus simply does not create the same connection that it does when you move away from home and live in college housing with a bunch of roommates. With that as a backdrop, alumni from schools that are destination type schools tend to try to reignite that connection and are more apt to lay down for season tickets. I think that is why Cougar Club has a larger membership than the Crimson Club. And it is why Cougar Club has active branches all over the United States. Simply put, the connection to the school is different for destination schools, vs. commuter schools.

I'll have to look up the numbers on it, but BYU I believe, sells more season tickets for football, that Utah sells tickets. Season ticket sales have increased consistently over the years which is great for them. It will continue. But until RES can hold 65,000, BYU will always out-draw them. I don't mean that as a slight - just a statement of fact.

As for your ward group going - Both BYU and Utah have group ticket sales events during the year. When I coached my son's ute conference team, I looked into it. BYU will have one or two games a year - usually games like New Mexico or Northern Iowa - the least desireable games - and you can buy up tickets for your scout group, ward, little league football team, etc.... for $5/seat. So While I"m payin $40/seat to sit in the end zone, with the group deal you can get in for cheap. So you know I'm not slighting the utes, they do the same thing with the same type of games. So either way, you can take your scout group, youth team, or whatever to a lower tier game for cheap.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Thanks GaryFish. 

What you say about a commuter school vs a destination school makes sense. Of all my friends, the ones who went to BYU lived on or very near campus, they hardly worked at all, were very involved with their church groups, and they all finished up school before us Utes. On the flip side, all of us Utes got married first (ironic, I know), held part-time jobs, and lived off-campus. Kind of funny how that works. In the end, however, all of the BYU guys have ended up going to Utah to do their master's degrees, so I guess when it comes to higher higher-education, the U of U is superior! :wink: :wink: 8)


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

The U has more grauate school opportunities - hands down. As the flagship University of the State, it should. That is its defined role. BYU's defined role is primarily as an undergraduate school. Which makes sense to the Church. Fair enough. Like I've said - I have nothing against the University of Utah. It is an excellent university. I just hate the utahutes football team! :lol: :lol:


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

GaryFish said:


> I know many Utah grads who are BYU football fans - but no BYU grads who are UofU fans.


Count me in the former group, twice! 8)


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## jahan (Sep 7, 2007)

Huge29 said:


> GaryFish said:
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> > I know many Utah grads who are BYU football fans - but no BYU grads who are UofU fans.
> ...


Its because BYU is the LDS church school so members naturally root for their school/church. I know many on here disagree with this statement, but I would say at least 90% of the fans fall into this category. Nothing wrong with it, just don't try and deny it.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

jahan said:


> Huge29 said:
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> > GaryFish said:
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No, not at all, both parents went to the Y, grew up rooting for them, attending games. Applied a little late, so I would have had to wait a semester to start, whereas the U accepted me like a week before class started at a location more convenient for free room and board. Tried to give the U a chance, but after attending a few events and listening to nearly all of the freshman general ed type professors go off...well it only made me more of a Y fan. That is my personal story! I know several in the same boat. A coworker of mine actually attended USU, but who can truly root for them? He was a U fan growing up until he attended a U game and the U fan's disgraceful behavior made him quickly switch to the Y.


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## jahan (Sep 7, 2007)

Huge29 said:


> jahan said:
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I can, it really isn't that hard, they are my school even if they aren't very good.


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## Guest (Dec 9, 2009)

jahan said:


> I can, it really isn't that hard, they are my school even if they aren't very good.


Not hard to root for them in basketball. Best b-ball program in the state, IMO.


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