The Department of Athletics is determined to kick off the football season with a full house at Wallace Wade Stadium Saturday--even if it means handing out freebies.
Duke issued ticket vouchers for the opener against Richmond to alumni, employees and members of the local community in hopes of expanding the team's fan base.
"We want to try to set a tone for the rest of the year," said Jon Jackson, Duke's assistant athletic director of communications. "The main goal is to get people into the stadium so we have a good crowd and enjoy the game, and hopefully they'll come back."
Duke targeted specific groups for the distribution--including local civic groups and businesses, along with Duke staff and alumni in North Carolina, South Carolina and southern Virginia.
Each group received different color-coded vouchers. The athletics department will determine the most responsive group by tracking the number of redeemed vouchers from each target group.
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Attendance for home games has averaged 20,796 since 2000 in Wallace Wade, which seats 33,391.
Jackson declined to disclose how many tickets were distributed but said this was the biggest giveaway in his six years as assistant director.
"It's not something we want to do too often," Jackson said. "We're going through the exercise to see how it works and what the response is."
Besides handing out tickets, Duke is decking out Wallace Wade with a NASCAR-themed showcase and a post-game fireworks display to increase attendance.
Fans will be able to take pictures with Dale Jarrett's No. 88 Ford car and enter drawings for eight NASCAR prize packages.
"NASCAR is a very popular sport in the state and locally," Jackson said. "We thought that by adding that angle to the game, we might draw more fans."
Football head coach Ted Roof said fan presence plays a critical role during games and boosts the team's performance.
"I'm for getting people in the stadium," Roof said. "It would be great to come out against Richmond and see the place packed in Duke blue."
Although officials cannot determine the success of the vouchers until Saturday, Jackson said he is optimistic.
"The feedback has been fairly positive based on my conversations with the ticket office," he said. "They have been receiving a lot of calls about the vouchers."
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