Ticket Prices, Fan Enthusiasm Rising at Tournament

WRALSportsFan

Ticket Prices, Fan Enthusiasm Rising at Tournament

Mar 15, 2008

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Charlotte, N.C. — Quarterfinal Friday at the ACC Tournament brought basketball fans of every color to Charlotte to party.

"The energy level goes up each and every day of the tournament," Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford said.

Wallace and Pam Bradsher, of Roxboro, came to town as a divided household. They had an even split of University of North Carolina and Duke University fans in their home – until their seventh child came along

"The 4-month-old will be the most confused. We're fighting over whether she'll be a Duke fan or a Carolina fan," Wallace Bradsher said.

Pam Bradsher said she would concede the majority to Duke and her husband, saying it wasn't worth the effort of having an eighth child to even things up again.

Samine Jernigan-Jones packed extra clothes for her son, Dakota, who had to change from a UNC jersey to a Blue Devils jersey.

"My husband is a Carolina grad. I'm a Duke grad. So, (Dakota) switches between whatever team is playing," Jernigan-Jones said.

"It's been fun to watch the other teams play. It's a festive atmosphere, and it's always good to be at the tournament," Pradeep Rajagopalan said.

Kristen McMahan, a University of North Carolina-Charlotte student from Cary, was busy selling T-shirts and other souvenirs to fans Friday. But she wasn't too bust to take in a bit of the tournament.

"Back home in Cary, I'm a huge Duke fan. So, to be here and get to watch, it doesn't get much better than this," McMahan said.

Outside the arena, tailgate parties flourished. The tournament is known for good-natured ribbing, served up with the good food.

"We have all boys, two husbands, and the women get to come to the tournament," said Kim Royal, part of a group of women with a tradition of drinking champagne on Quarterfinal Friday.

All the excitement filled the stands. With each of the 12 ACC schools getting equal ticket distribution for the first time since the league expanded several years ago, the competition off the court – for tickets – is even tougher that the battles on the court.

"One of the mystiques of the tournament has been the difficulty getting tickets. This year only enhances that, and that's not all bad," Swofford said.

Tickets were plentiful outside the arena Friday, but the prices were on the way up.

One man from Raleigh said a seller was asking $700 for lower-level seats for the rest of the tournament. Another fan found tickets for $600, while upper-level seats were about $285.

Some fans cash out and head home when their teams do, which made UNC fan Scott Sherrill hopeful he could buy some tickets from departing Florida State University fans after the Tar Heels beat the Seminoles on Friday.

"I'm trying to get back for (Saturday) and Sunday. I'm hoping to catch some Florida State fans with their heads a little low," Sherrill said.