SMU/UH Nov 19 "a scalpers delight"

[Dairy Crampus]

Actually the complete article is pretty entertaining even before the mention that SMU/UH will be the hottest ticket in town if UH stays undefeated. Which I hope they do - until then of course.

http://houston.culturemap.com/newsdetai ... dium=email

"This is the program that needed to turn to Groupon to sell tickets early this season? Yes, before the fairytale fully launched - which is only within the last several weeks - UH used the online discount giant in an attempt to put more bodies into Robertson (capacity 33,000).

"U of H tried to move tickets on Groupon," says Pat Ryan, co-owner of The Ticket Experience, a Houston-based ticket broker that follows the trends in the ticket market like Theo Epstein tracks Moneyball stats. "They put some of their inventory on Groupon. They just don't have the season ticket base that other programs can rely on."

Now, well now, Houston is gaining one heck of a bandwagon base to go with its always committed core. Now, those signs all over campus touting that the Thursday night game against supposed city rival Rice is free for students look more like a charming cool perk rather than a desperate plea.

Case and The Coogs is an ultra-entertaining show that draws them in. From closer than China too. Take Diane Baxter. This 54-year-old has no natural tie to UH. She didn't go there. She doesn't have any friends who work there. She doesn't know any of the players on the team.

But she's found herself buying tickets to see the Cougars - and this is one latch-on fan who isn't all about Keenum. "I love Tyron Carrier," Baxter says of the super quick 5-foot-8 weapon who only returns the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and catches seven more passes on this night. "He and (senior linebacker) Sammy Brown are my favorites."

Hey, fevers hit in a rush. And with Houston falling for Case and The Coogs, the unthinkable's happening. Houston's next and last home game this season - a Nov. 19 Robertson matchup with SMU - is on the verge of becoming a scalper's delight.

"My partner and I took a gamble and we bought up a bunch of tickets to the SMU game," Ryan says. "If Houston loses one game before then, the ticket's worthless. We'll take a loss. But if they stay undefeated, it's a pretty big ticket in Houston. It becomes an event." "

[Charleston Pony]

both teams need to win out to make this anything close to a scalper's delight. Let's hope that's the way it plays out. Good PR for the new Big East