Rutgers, the state university of New Jersey, is considering outsourcing the ticket sales for it's sporting events. The university has had preliminary talks with the Aspire Group an Atlanta based firm that aggressively pursues alumni and parents to try to sell tickets. The plan would cost the school nothing up front as Aspire Group would take a percentage of the ticket sales as payment. Aspire Group performed this same service for Georgia Tech in football and men's basketball where it was able to increase ticket sales by more than $2 million in 18 months. They kept 35% of the ticket sales as payment.
I hope Rutgers thinks long and hard about signing a deal like Georgia Tech did. Winning in college sports drives ticket sales, not someone strongarming someone into buying tickets. When the football team had some success for a couple years the stadium was sold out, as soon as the team's performance slipped so did ticket sales. Win and they will come.
I also wonder why they don't allow some of their business students to try to increase sales before they turn over 35% of their ticket sales. Establish some intern positions and let the young, brilliant minds of Rutgers own to work on it. Either way it all starts and ends with winning.
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