Deseret News | Utah Utes football: 2009 season tickets almost sold out

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Utah Utes football: 2009 season tickets almost sold out

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Rose Holladay - Lehi | 8:10 a.m. July 17, 2009

Ute fans will stop going as soon as the utes loose a game.

Texasfan | 8:30 a.m. July 17, 2009

Looks like a classic "we're with you win or tie" reaction by Ute fans.

After | 8:48 a.m. July 17, 2009

the uties lose to an inspired and fired up team from Logan, those tickets will be on e-bay at half the price.

Comments continue below

RE: Rose and Texasfan | 8:58 a.m. July 17, 2009

Brilliant! I'll address each comment in chronolgical order:

- Stop going as soon as the Utes 'loose' a game. What exactly does that mean? When they drop a game from the schedule? When they get loosened up before the game? If you're going to talk smack... at least spell correctly... when you don't it undermines your entire point.

- Classic reaction? Judging by the last 5 years of breaking ticket sales... I'd say a classic reaction is completely acceptable. Don't know if you know this or not... but Utah has lost a few games in the last 5 years and they're still averaging better than a sellout.

Re: Rose | 9:15 a.m. July 17, 2009

You are absolutely correct about the fans not showing up after a loss. We saw the same thing in 2005. There is a very strong and dedicated base of Utah fans in the first 20K to fill the stadium but the second half are fair weather fans. Hopefully this sorry trend changes for my alma matter, but the U will still count the tickets sold rather than actual people at the game for attendance so we'll never really know how many empty seats there are if the season tickets sell out. That's why the chairs are all red so you can see the empty seats as easily.

Re: Rose Holladay | 9:24 a.m. July 17, 2009

Hey,rose,It's lose not loose.Come on,I'm pretty sure you cougar fans should know how to spell lose by now.You've become very familiar with the concept,considering Oklahoma will be your third loss in a row.Utah fans should be proud of the way that they have grown their season ticket base.Keep in mind that there are more BYU fans then there are Utah fans because of the predominant faith in this state.This means that in terms of percentages the Utes are getting just as high a percentage of fans at their games as the cougars are.

From a Cougar fan | 9:32 a.m. July 17, 2009

It's time to expand RES. When BYU started their run in the late 70's ticket demands were so great they had to expand. It's time for all the band wagon Ute fans to put their money where their mouths are and actually go to the games.

Percentages.. | 9:48 a.m. July 17, 2009

I have a friend that works at a local station and they track fan numbers...there are 10 kitty fans to every 1 Ute fan along the Wasatch Front and as the earlier poster said, it's mostly because of the predominant faith in Utah that's tied to the TDS. If that number is true, it's amazing that the Utes are able to draw a consistent sell out and it also points out how many fair weather kitty fans there must be because they should be able to fill up a Rose Bowl type stadium with all their 'fans.'
Once again kittys, you win the most important aspects of college football...
Attendance smack
Pre season hype (not post season like the mighty Utes)
Corny worthless slogans that continually come back to haunt you.
I'll stick w/ the Utes who produce wins in big games, bowl games, who beat top 25 teams etc.
Go UTES!

ballin | 10:04 a.m. July 17, 2009

Its spelled lose not "loose" byu fans should know how to spell that word! Go Utes!

Re:Re:Rose Holladay@9:24 | 10:18 a.m. July 17, 2009

You tell him it is lose not loose then you go on to say there are more BYU fans THEN there are Utah fans.. it is THAN not THEN, so stop being a grammar policeman if you're going to make the same type of mistake. It sure lessens your credibility.

Fans | 10:40 a.m. July 17, 2009

I've been going to Utah games for over 30 years now and think it's been that long that I have had to hear smack talk about attendance... to say it's getting old wouldn't quite cover it. But keep talking coog fans... that's all you have, so I understand.

As for me, I think there are plenty of fans that go our games.. are there some "fair weather" fans? sure there are - I think that happens everywhere but I know it happens down in happy valley.. remember the Crowton years??

It just doesn't matter - the fact is that season ticket sales have gone up for 5 straight years and what does matter, is that 2 of those years the Utes have gone undefeated!!! the why hasn't done that for 25 years.

Go Utes!!!

DR. CHRIS HILL | 10:57 a.m. July 17, 2009

Dr Hill, please get started with the expansion plans to raise the north endzone and to close off the south end zone.

If you build it............ we will come!

gobb | 11:23 a.m. July 17, 2009

typical yewt fan, after 2 more years attendance will drop off after they start back to thier normal ways, and after USU will start being more competitive.

I have news for U | 11:42 a.m. July 17, 2009

A packed stadium and skyrocketing season ticket sales are the new "normal" for the U. If you are a Y fan and you have the urge to say "our stadium is still bigger than yours", you should hit yourself in the face with a tack hammer.

Give and Take | 11:56 a.m. July 17, 2009

I don't care if I'm the only freaking Ute fan in the stadium and the Coug fans pile on Ute fans for not showing up for the games. The fact of the matter is, Utah has a better football program than BYU. So to all the Coug fans, you're right. You have more fans, your stadium is bigger, your grass is natural, the block Y on the mountain is probably bigger than the block U, you have more money blah blah blah blah. We have a better football program than you, end of story. See you in November! Go eat some more ice cream so you can once again win the annual ice cream eating challenge!

USU | 12:54 p.m. July 17, 2009

Utah State being competitive and beating Utah? I was rolling around laughing at that one. Game is going to be over by halftime. I bet Alta or Bingham could beat them. Go Utes!

Re USU | 1:26 p.m. July 17, 2009

I wouldn't knock the Aggies, they do have Gary Andersen now. Dude's crazy good! One thing I don't understand is why are Cougar fans saying Utah will "loose" against USU? Didn't BYU have trouble with them at the beginning of the game last year or am I just missing something?

Loyal Ute | 1:36 p.m. July 17, 2009

I don't think this year's opening game against the Aggies is going to be a walk in the park. If you do your research, you realize that the Aggies have a lot of returning starters and experienced back-ups together with a very good defensive-minded head coach. Coach Anderson will not allow his troops to be embarassed by the Utes. Let's not get overconfident and be prepared to back the Utes through a challenging season. GO UTES!

Silly Coogies | 2:06 p.m. July 17, 2009

Honestly YBU your claiming of victories of attendance, ticket sales, and recruiting are just pathetic victories on paper. The fact that this is all you have left to make youselves feel better in relation to the U is truely telling of your state of affairs. At least your ice-cream eating victory was a physical contest!

We crushed you last year, we beat Alabama in the Sugar bowl, and you guys embarrased our conference in the Vegas Bowl against the #5 Pac-10 team. Go out and win a big game and then talk. Try not to get beat by more than 40 by Oklahoma.

Re: Loyal Ute | 10:17 p.m. July 17, 2009

I think he's right. That's one of the most rational Ute fans I have heard in a long time.

Seriously Ute fans, I know your heads are big, but don't fall in love with yourselves too much. If you're not careful, the Aggies might not be the ones who get embarrassed.

sold out? | 11:25 p.m. July 17, 2009

Couple of loses here and there will see a drop in attendance. BTW when is BSU schedule to come back? Guaranteed an empty stadium by half time.

Home Field Advantage | 12:31 a.m. July 18, 2009

Stories like this are good to read. We've got to keep filling the stadiums (football and basketball). Bigger, louder crouds mean tougher place to play... more wins... better program.

Our loud fans helped a couple times last year (OSU, TCU).

Boise State Fan | 12:44 a.m. July 18, 2009

Silly little yewts!!!!

After we or Utah State beat you, the tickets sold on KSL are going to go through the roof.

I wonder what kind of gimic your PR man is using.....maybe combining a few basketball tickets of ah.......Southeast Baptist for example?

Ute in Philadelphia | 7:30 a.m. July 18, 2009

I remember attending RES games when I was a student back in the mid-to-late 90s. U students could get into the games by just swiping our student I.D. card at the turnstiles [except for the games vs. the tdS]. I also remember being turned away at the gates on multiple occasions, because the stadium capacity was full. I only remember ONE game where we weren't anywhere close to a sellout....the '98 UTEP game, in a blizzard. UTEP was awful. They won 3 games all season. Fan interest was low.

I guess only tdS fans get excited about beating 3-win teams ['84 Pitt? '94 ASU? '01 Miss. St?].

RE: Ute in Philadelphia | 9:42 a.m. July 18, 2009

Your expectations of the silly little yewties for 2009 and your fogged memories of the MIGHTY COUGS are really in question.

Maybe its the heavy smog you have to breath in in Phily that is "Mind Boggeling!!!!"

re: sold out? | 10:34 a.m. July 18, 2009

correct me if I'm wrong but i believe BSU lost to a team (TCU)that UTAH beat. So sorry if I find your "guarantee" hysterical.

Re: BSU Fan | 11:52 a.m. July 18, 2009

Hey buddy, you might want to check your schedule donkey fan. UTAH does not play BSU this year. Are you obsessed with UTAH? Why are you concened with what UTAH is doing?? You need to worry about your season...oh wait you really only have one game, and that is at home against Oregon. You all need to get a schedule!!! Play some decent teams. If you were in the MWC you would have at least three losses. I hope the Ducks whip you on that god awfull turf you all play on. Then the UTES go into Autzen and smack the ducks in the mouth.

GO UTES

@ 9:42 a.m. | 6:58 p.m. July 18, 2009

Silly, ignorant, and illiterate tdS fan. I never made any predictions or offered any suggestions toward our 2009 season.

Neither had I brought up any "memories" of the weakling cougs other than to say students would not be able to obtain admission by swiping our student ID cards at the gates.

Incidentally, from what I've read, our air quality in Philly is better than in the Salt Lake Metropolitan footprint [Ogden to Provo].

Evidently, so is our spelling. "Phily"? "Boggeling"? Well, what can I expect from you backwater "hooked-on-phonics" rednecks from Utah County ["yewties"]. You don't really need an education, or to be able spell well to work your customer service job at your local call center now, do you?

So before you come on back here and call me a "looser", pick up the 'ole Dictionary and see if you can't pick to proper term.

Go zoobs.

Curious? | 8:12 p.m. July 18, 2009

Are the TDS fans more angry about where "fair weather fans" go.... or where they come from? I'm pretty sure they come from somewhere a lot closer than Casper or Vegas.... like, let's say.... "Happy Valley"?

football fan | 6:33 p.m. July 19, 2009

byu fans should talk about the U losing to the aggies. we beat them what 56-10 last yr and you almost lost. it is funny that byu fan can only talk about attendance at games and how they have more fans. the funny thing about that is we average more then a sell out. a bad year for utah is 7-5. a bad yr for byu is 4-8. byu will continue to do what they do best. recruit OL, TE, QB's. and they do great at that. utah will continue to have a balanced team with SPEED. we are as deep as we have ever been and this is a rebuilding year or RELOADING YEAR. byu may have 2 good receivers, utah has reed, key, brooks, smithson, wesson and christopher. the bottom line is this. to really compare utah and byu lets see how we do against similar foes. in order to be in the same conversation with utah byu needs to beat OU to start off with.

oh please | 10:56 p.m. July 19, 2009

Being up 24-0 in the first quarter, forcing 3 fumbles and an interception, and still being up 34 to nothing at the start of the fourth quarter isn't "almost losing." 7-5 isn't a bad year for Utah, it's a typical year for Utah. the 4-8 you're referring to are the rock bottom Crowton years, and just in case you didn't notice, Crowton left in 2004.

Deep as you've EVER been? Do you realize you lost all of your best offensive starters from the best offense you've ever had, plus the best players from the defensive side of the ball, which was the STREGNTH of your team? Utah has MAYBE 3 good receivers, or maybe 2. Jereme Brooks is one, Key hasn't done anything yet, and Reed is the other one. BYU has Mckay Jacobsen who had the best freshman year at BYU next to Austin Collie, O'Neill Chambers who is proven on special teams, Stephen Covey who is the fastest guy on the team, Luke Ashworth who's been around since '05, Spencer Hafoka who was highly recruited, and Thompson and Matthews who were both top 100 receivers.

36-3 | 11:04 p.m. July 19, 2009

"Almost" sold out? That's pathetic!

Patrick | 12:06 a.m. July 20, 2009

What is up with all these aggie fans?? I won't even capitalize your name!!! Its not worth it!! Are you guys even comparable to the U?? When was the last time you hit the top ten of any charts?? I hate BYU with a passion, and even they can get on top once in a while!!! As soon as you guys can get even close to BYU and the U in Football Athletics, you gals can talk your smack, but until then, please just keep your mouths shut.... I would say something else, but i really want this to be posted.... Hopefully it will get the point across....

Pathetic | 7:47 a.m. July 20, 2009

Cougar fans are quickly losing the only smack talk they have left, attendance smack. You can't do any better than selling EVERY season ticket in the house.

I love hearing kitty fans talk about Ute fans leaving when the team loses. I recall watching games against CSU and Boise in the glorious Crowton years when you could have counted the fans in LES. But that part of football history has been blacked out by BYU. Just like when your church team gets up by 20 and they stop keeping score, BYU fans quit keeping records when it reflects poorly on them.

BYU has now pinned its hopes on a 17 year old high school junior, who won't see the field for years.

That's sad.

re: Boise State Fan | 7:48 a.m. July 20, 2009

Yeah, like a BSU fan would actually know anything about the Utah basketball team.

Are BYU fans really so desperate that they now masquerade as Boise fans to try and get cracks in on the Utes?

How the mighty have fallen.

DRLL | 8:58 a.m. July 20, 2009

Just want to comment that more than half the comments are from zoobs or zoobs pretending to be USU or Boise State (why on earth do we care about Boise State fans -- talk about little brother jumping in to the big brothers' busiess). Nice, since zoobs love to characterize Ute fans as the "haters." Just be honest and admit that the rivalry goes both ways.

Re:oh please | 11:59 a.m. July 20, 2009

Is Stephen Covery really the fastest guy on the team? Truly not a slam on either team, just wondering. How fast is he? I am ignorant on the subject.

@ 11:59 A.M. | 2:59 p.m. July 20, 2009

Covey is faster than the fastest player on the Utah Offensive Line. And you saw how fast our O-Linemen were vs. Alabama. Wow!

Can't wait | 5:43 p.m. July 20, 2009

for summer to end so we can get into some Utah Football. Last time I visited Utah Valley it was covered in red Utah Football tees, I guess I did visit right after we dominated our BCS game. Probably all the wanna-be and closet Utah fans were just trying to be cool while the national publicity was pouring onto the hill.

I'm sure UV is back to Blue and Green...lame! Don't worry bubble it won't to long until you bust your Red out of hiding and you can walk around being cool again...lol

Utah Valley is a joke to the rest of the civilized world.

nice try | 10:14 a.m. July 21, 2009

But Stephen Covey would be the fastest player on your team this year too. I wouldn't have said that last year with Sean Smith and Brice McCain on the team last year, but I would definitely say it this year.

BYU may not always have the most team speed, but there are a lot of fast individual players who are waiting in the wings to see the field.

Tomas | 1:20 p.m. July 21, 2009

Just want to say that although few in overall number... there are some extremely faithful Utah fans that survive in Utah Valley.

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