The Tennessean attempts to explain why demand for Tennessee Volunteer tickets is down. It provides the usual options, “Certainly, the recession has taken a toll on discretionary spending. Likewise, it’s hard to get hot and bothered about a program that is just 36-27 over the past five seasons and hasn’t been to a BCS bowl since 1999.” However, the commentary doesn’t stop there. It just might be television’s fault.

“Could it be that high-def broadcasts equal a slow death to season-ticket sales?”

Right. It is all television’s fault.

We know that television exposure kills demand for football. Just look at the NFL with teams like Dallas or Washington. Just look at college football’s Alabama and Florida. Did you see all the empty seats at the spring game? That must be ESPN’s fault.

Wait. Never mind.

If the Volunteers want to examine why their program is facing a problem, it might be a good idea to examine Mike Hamilton. When Alabama had its troubles, leadership, or actually poor leadership was often the culprit.

7 thoughts on “SPIN: TV is hurting Tennessee”

  1. There’s something to it and I present Jacksonville Jaguars as an prime example.
    The Season Ticket Base has decreased every year since the start up. Florida Football is killing it too.

  2. Nobody tell the Vols that we’re just about done with our state-of-the-art, museum-like renovation of Bryant-Denny, boosting the capacity to 103,000, and yet there’s still a 10,000 person waiting list for tickets…and that’s AFTER making a hardy donation to Tide Pride.

    It would just be too depressing for them to hear.

  3. This has been a topic for discussion on the Nashville sports radio stations. No one, not even the UT season ticket holders that have been calling in, is buying this spin from the Tennessean. The hosts and most of the callers are attributing it to either the recession or the mediocre team. I heard a few UT long-time season ticket holders state that they were upset when their seats were moved due to the new suites that were installed.

  4. Too funny, the story and the thread! Poor things. Dooley just needs to win a few games….they will be back. The excuses in the mean time is a riot.

    Shut Up!

  5. “The excuses in the mean time is a riot.”

    Typical Uneducated Bammer MORON! Did you sleep through 5th grade English, or are you really that stupid?

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