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Alternative support: fans improvise for bowl game
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East Carolina fans want to support their football team, and many will do so by not traveling to Hawaii for the Pirates match-up with No. 24 Boise State in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.
Instead, many ECU fans will purchase tickets to the bowl game and then donate them to military personnel who expect to spend time there during the Christmas holiday.
The donations will be made in hopes that the team’s 5,000 allotted tickets will be used, since East Carolina only expects to send approximately 400 fans to the game.
“We know we’re not going to take 5,000 fans to Hawaii,” Assistant Athletic Director for Ticketing and Marketing Scott Wetherbee said in a press release last week. “Right now, we’re pushing 200 that have ordered. If I had to guess, I would hope that we have 400 or 500 make the destination.”
Hawaii Bowl Executive Director Jim Donovan had contacts with all five branches of the armed services, Wetherbee said, and the idea was to give those stationed on the islands (preferably those not from Hawaii) a chance to request tickets for the game.
According to the Hawaii state government, the five branches of the military have 45, 564 active, reserve and National Guard troops and sailors stationed at 13 installations throughout the islands.
Wetherbee said that if there are not enough takers in the military, tickets will be offered to firefighters, police officers and local charities.
Wetherbee also reported that in exchange for their donations, ECU fans will receive a commemorative bowl ticket.
“I think it’s an interesting idea, but I think it’s great,” BSU Head Coach Chris Petersen said. “We know our fans face a similar challenge in traveling there. The idea is pretty clever.”
Hawaii’s stadium seats roughly 50,000 people and of those BSU anticipates sending approximately 300 to the islands. Some will make the trip for the second time in less than a month.
It is believed that ticket and flight sales are down for BSU fans, and even lower for East Carolina faithful.
“It’s a tough trip to make,” Petersen said. “It’s expensive and it’s a longer trip than ones we usually make. But we’ll gladly welcome anyone who comes to cheer on the Broncos.”
For East Carolina, Wetherbee has confirmed that some fans have chosen to be more charitable than others.
The donation process began last Monday. The biggest givers include one fan who donated 25 of the $40 tickets in the hopes that a handful of football fans have a very happy holiday.
TATE CASTLETON
Assistant Sports Editor
