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Show Thanksgiving 2007 THE RIVALRY Profiting from the 'Holy War' Jon Gilbert STAFF W R I T E R Who knew hatred could be such a financially sound habit? That's the case with the BYU-Utah football rivalry. The schools, stadium vendors and retail stores reap the benefits when passionate fans invest in supporting their team. And it all starts with ticket sales. Whether the contest is held in Salt Lake City or Provo, it sells out months in advance. Sean Farrell, an assistant ticket manager at Rice-Eccles Stadium, said that when BYU visits Utah, the game is sold out in June, "(The sale of tickets) usually never gets to the general public," Farrell saidSeason-ticket holders and Crimson Club members have first access to the tickets through a pfe-ordcr system. A few thousand student tickets are set aside, which are free. Normal ticket prices at Rice-Eccles Stadium are $15, $25 and $40 depending on the seat. When the Cougars come to town, the same seats sell for $35, $45 and $60. But the price hike is not just a practice at the University of Utah. LaVell Edwards Stadium's end zone and sideline tickets that normally sell for $18 and 533, respectively, jump to $30 and $50 for a game versus Utah. "We price a couple of games differently for premium tickets," said Duff Tittle, BYU's associate athletic director. Those premium games this season were against Arizona and Utah. Tittle said the Utah game was sold out well before the season started. So just how much do the universities earn when their archrival visits? Utah Associate Athletics Director of Internal Operations Peter Oliszczak has the answer. The 2006 game between the rivals in Salt Lake City produced $863,908 in revenue for the U. A Sept. 15 matchup against No. 11 UCLA earlier this season at Rice-Eccles Stadium fell more than $100,000 short of that mark. Even though the ticket offices and the universities rake in tons of money because of the rivalry, the actual week of the "Holy War" doesn't see too much chaos. "Things don't really get busier around here because the game is sold out so early," Oliszczak said. The same cannot be said for retailers. The University Campus Store at the U and the BYU Bookstore welcome a hectic week of sales when the rivalry comes to town. "Our sales are usually about double that week than if we play any other team," said Earl Clegg, director of the U's campus store. Having worked there for 21 years, Clegg has seen different coaches influence the store's sales. Urban Meyer, Clegg said, "brought in a whole new era." Included in that era was an increase in stadium vendors. The campus store features four game-day locations, called Red Zones. It Heated competition calls for extra 'heat' Eric Williams STAFF W R I T E R After driving only 45 minutes and playing in front of a crowd that's nearly 20 percent Utah fans, it's hard to call the Utes' biennial trip to Provo a real away game. Nonetheless, LaVell Edwards Stadium will feel a long way from home for the folks in red, both on the field and in the stands. . All 64,300 seats in BYU's stadium were spoken for by early August The vast majority of those tickets went to the 40,000 Cougar season-ticket holders. BYU students claimed 14,000, and 1,200 were held for Utah to distribute. The remaining 9,100 tickets were then sold on a first-come, first-served basis at the BYU ticket office to fans of either blue or red blood Because the game will be played during both schools' Thanksgiving break, having the Necessary staff on hand will be a challenge for the BYU events department Although the stadium might have to stretch to have enough ticket-takers and ushers, it is not cutting any corners when it comes to security. "We need extra security because of the nature of the game," said David Miles, assistant director of special events at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Miles says the stadium's biggest concern is athlete and fan safety. "It's not like this is a brawl waiting to happen," said Miles, a former BYU football player and old friend of Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham. "The extra security is to protect the field after the game." The worst nightmare for any stadium security staff happens, ironically, when the home team wins a close game and celebrating fans take the field to tear down the goal posts. One student was killed during such a postgame celebration at the University of Minnesota in October 2005. "People love to express their emotion more on (the BYU-Utah) game than any other game," Miles said. See SECURITY Page 12 also places a trailer in the Olympic Plaza and another in the tailgating area. Last season's battle with BYU brought in a 25 percent higher paycheck for the campus store than this year's brawl with then-No, n UCLA. Dave Smith, manager of general merchandise at the BYU Bookstore, agrees that a home date for the rivalry game brings in tons of cash. "If it's not a home game, there isn't much of a change," Smith said. "But if it's a home game, then we definitely see an increase." Smith, who has worked at the bookstore for 19 years, has watched the rivalry grow and sales grow with it. "Sales have gone up, but I don't think it's because of any commercialization," Smith said. "I think it's because fans' enthusiasm has increased." With the rivalry maintaining intensity, the benefits have trickled down to retail stores such as Fanzz. Brian Park, manager of Fanzz at University Mall in Orem, said BYU gear is the store's top-selling apparel. But Utah is in the top five, even hi the middle of enemy territory. BYU has already won financially, even if the team that takes the field loses. The same could be said for the Utes during their loss to the Cougars last season. Any day that has revenues of nearly $900,000 is a good day, no matter the outcome. j.gilbert@chronicle.utah.edu LENNIE MAHLZR/Tbe Daily Utah (hronidt Term Jackson celebrates at the annual rivalry football game, which is a big moneymaker for both the University of Utah and flrigham Young University. All about the bragging rights W hen it comes right down' to it, the Utah-BYU football game is all about the bragging rights. Nothing else really matters. Occasionally, there is something else on the line, such .as bowl eligibility or a battle for recruits. But the fans of both teams know that the right to brag surpasses everything else. Some boast with bravado. Others prefer the smug approach. Some fans live for the moment when they finally get to elbow a coworker in the ribs. But whatever your style, ifs finally November, which, means bragging rights are up for grabs once again. Every year, after a three-hour gridiron battle, the upper hand for the next 12 months is decided For the loser, it's like being sentenced to the hoosegow for 365 days. After the game, fans of the losing team brace themselves for an entire year of water-cooler smackdowns. That's one full revolution around the sun. Four seasons. Seven dog years. For the vanquished, it's an eternity. For the victor, it's never long enough' Popular forms of bragging include the in-your-face look directed at the neighbors—fans of the other t e a m when dropping the trash bags off at t h e c u r b . -.: .."', •.-•.••- . -"•''•'S •'•••':• responding to bragging. Some people bite their lips. Others predict next year's result. But whatever defense mechanism NATALIE the losing fan utilizes, the wound DICOU left by a "Holy War" defeat doesn't heal until the following November rolls around. Winning in basketball or other sports eases the pain slightly, but it's just not the same. There are the "harmless" remarks At the end of last year's Utah-BYU in which the braggart's voice wavers game at Rice-Eccles Stadium, when ever so slightly as he tries to dis- John Beck found Johnny Harline guise his snide intentions. wide open for the game-winning Some fans prefer to buy products touchdown as time expired, many to the play visthat do the bragging for them. Ute Ute fans responded : *V fans wear T-shirts bearing the fa- cerally. mous 34-31 score. BYU fans attach Not because it narrowed the alllicense-plate frames to their cars time tally to 53-32-4 for Utah. Not that read, "Harline is still open." because it caused the Utes to.finish Some fans prefer gloating as a the regular season at 7-5 instead of group. At last year's women's basket- 8-4. Ute fans felt a gnawing at their ball game between the rivals in Pro- very core because they knew that at vo, the Cougars pulled ahead with that moment, their precious bragtime winding down. Sure enough, ging rights flew out the window. the chant in the Marriott Center rang They knew what the future would out in that familiar sing-songy tone. bring. The knowing smirks across '7ust like football, just like footbalL" the aisle at church. The Jim Romestyle taunts on the radio. The winks. A dagger. For* the Ute fans in attendance, sit- The license plate frames. For Utah ting in the visitors' section with their fans, it was-all too much to absorb arms folded and their faces twisted at once.' in scowls, there was no comeback. On Saturday, there won't-'be. aNo argument, under any circum- national championship on the line. stances, trumps the Scoreboard. There's much, much more at stake. -] v Methods vary, when it comes to,. :, , TL.dicou@chronicle.utah.edu: |
