Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 9, 1993 TAG: 9312090026
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Salem and NCAA officials announced Wednesday they have sold out Salem Stadium for Saturday's Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl and will offer 200 additional standing-room-only tickets on game day.
The Stagg Bowl, the national championship of NCAA Division III football, kicks off at noon and will pit Rowan, N.J., against Mount Union, Ohio. Carey Harveycutter, Salem Civic Center manager and Stagg Bowl director, said he thought the teams' offensive power helped lure more ticket buyers.
"I think the sellout is a reflection of a good, quality sporting event," Harveycutter said. "They're good teams with great offensive potential. People want to see points scored."
Both teams average more than 450 yards of total offense per game and have potent passing attacks.
The sellout was listed as 7,242 tickets. Rowan sold 400 of its allotted 500 tickets. Mount Union, which has an enrollment of 1,325, sold approximately 1,500.
"Mount Union has been in before and they've had a strong following all year," Harveycutter said. "It's a town following not just a school following. Also, a lot of people that couldn't get tickets [through the ticket offices] at Mount Union or Rowan have been calling on our 1-800 number here."
The additional tickets, which will be for seating on an embankment in the south end zone, go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. at the ticket windows at the stadium.
Harveycutter said he was pleasantly surprised with the sellout and had expected to sell about 5,000 tickets. Just more than 3,500 tickets were sold for last year's Stagg Bowl in Bradenton, Fla.
"We have a three-year commitment and I think this proves very well what the valley is capable of doing," Harveycutter said.
The sellout assures television coverage for the bowl in the Roanoke area. The game will be shown at noon on cable's ESPN.
by CNB