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North Carolina State University

NC State fans called out by Chick-fil-A Bowl president

Jul 24, 2012

Greensboro, N.C. — It is about a seven-hour drive from Raleigh to Atlanta. It is about a three-and-a-half hour drive from Knoxville, Tenn., to Atlanta. So does double the distance mean half the fans?

Apparently, the answer is yes.

Gary Stokan, president of the Chick-fil-A Bowl and a North Carolina State graduate, challenged Wolfpack fans Monday while joining Adam and Joe on 99.9 The Fan ESPN Radio, even going as far as calling them out directly. Slideshow     Quotes of the ACC Football Kickoff

The source of his frustration is the lackluster ticket sales for the season-opener, against a prime opponent, after he reached out to them specifically.

“I’ll be brutally honest, as an NC State guy I’m frankly disappointed in NC State’s support right now,” Stokan said while at the ACC Kickoff in Greensboro. “It shocks me, frankly, because every time NC State played at the old Peach Bowl, they would bring 25,000 people.

“Here we have Tom O’Brien that has done a magnificent job…they have a quarterback that is on all the lists, they have an All-American defensive back in (David) Amerson. I don’t understand why the NC State fans aren’t excited as heck to come to Atlanta, play against an SEC team, that they have a great shot at beating,” Stokan continued. More Info     More NCSU Stories

According to Stokan, Tennesse, NC State’s opponent for the season opener in Atlanta, has sold 26,000 of their 31,500 allotted seats. NC State has sold just 15,000.

In the second of the kickoff games at the Georgia Dome, Auburn has already sold out their 31,500 tickets, while Clemson has sold 26,000 tickets.

Stokan said that he approached NC State to play in the game specifically because he could not get the Wolfpack in the bowl game last season, believes that they would be a contender against Tennessee of the SEC and because he felt they would be able to sell out their allotment.

“I just don’t understand why the support isn’t there to get them to 25,000 ticket sales right now," Stokan said. "I’m calling out the Wolfpackers right now. If we’re talking about ‘Wolfpack Unlimited,’ let’s show our unlimited support to Tom O’Brien and NC State in the first game, because if NC State wins that first game, they could be in for a special season.”

The Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic between NC State and Tennessee is scheduled for Friday night, Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m.

• Web Editor: Aaron Schoonmaker