Journalist
Listen up maggots! And that's an order!
http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/sports/14486212.htm
The following is the complete story from off the AP
COLUMBIA, S.C. ? University of South Carolina President Andrew Sorenson wants the athletic department to look at how many tickets it is offering South Carolina State when the Bulldogs come to Columbia for a 2007 game.
Sorenson?s request came after Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, wrote a letter criticizing South Carolina State?s proposed allocation of around 2,000 tickets in Williams-Brice Stadium, which seats more than 80,000.
Sorenson has talked with athletic officials at both schools about the contract for the 2007 game, which has not been finalized, University of South Carolina spokesman Russ McKinney said Tuesday.
In his letter to Sorenson last week, Ford wrote the 2,000 tickets were ??irreverent and derided the African American community by limiting the school?s ability to sell more tickets.??
??We as the members of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus contend that South Carolina State University should have the opportunity to sell tickets to their students, alumni and fans,?? Ford wrote.
In an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Ford said he would not be satisfied with less than 20,000 tickets for South Carolina State.
The 2,000-ticket allotment is what South Carolina offers all Division I-AA teams, including other in-state schools like Furman and Wofford, athletic spokesman Steve Fink said.
Nobody gets 20,000 tickets for a Gamecock home game. ??I don?t think Clemson even gets 20,000 tickets when they come here,?? Fink said.
The bulk of South Carolina?s tickets go to season ticket holders. ??The stadium seats just over 80,000. Last year 62,676 season tickets were sold. We normally have to allow for 10,000 tickets for USC students,?? McKinney said. ??So, it?s not like you have half a stadium not being used.??
Ford said South Carolina State should get more tickets because the first ever matchup between the Bulldogs and Gamecocks would be more than a football game to blacks.
??Black people are going to take it differently from white people,?? Ford said. ??Whites are going to think its just another sporting event but blacks are going to take it differently and there?s going to be a whole lot of participation from the black community. They?re finally playing the big boys.??
The game will also bring massive crowds of tailgaters, similar to when South Carolina State played Benedict at Williams-Brice Stadium for a few years, Ford said.
??For them to offer South Carolina State 2,000 tickets is a big insult and total disrespect to black people in South Carolina and black folks are already mad,?? Ford said. ??It was an irresponsible, stupid mistake.??
South Carolina officials did not respond to the racial issues brought up by Ford.
A call to South Carolina State?s athletic department was not immediately returned Tuesday.
Wofford Athletic Director Richard Johnson said his school would not be requesting an increase in the number of tickets set aside for the Terriers when they come to Columbia on Sept. 16.
??A lot of our fans are dual season ticket holders,?? Johnson said. ??So I?m not sure we would exceed that demand for that game because a lot of them already have them or have access to them.??
Schools like Wofford and South Carolina State will make a lot of money by coming to South Carolina. They will be paid around $230,000 for games until 2010, which will increase to $250,000 through 2014, Fink said.
The following is the complete story from off the AP
COLUMBIA, S.C. ? University of South Carolina President Andrew Sorenson wants the athletic department to look at how many tickets it is offering South Carolina State when the Bulldogs come to Columbia for a 2007 game.
Sorenson?s request came after Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, wrote a letter criticizing South Carolina State?s proposed allocation of around 2,000 tickets in Williams-Brice Stadium, which seats more than 80,000.
Sorenson has talked with athletic officials at both schools about the contract for the 2007 game, which has not been finalized, University of South Carolina spokesman Russ McKinney said Tuesday.
In his letter to Sorenson last week, Ford wrote the 2,000 tickets were ??irreverent and derided the African American community by limiting the school?s ability to sell more tickets.??
??We as the members of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus contend that South Carolina State University should have the opportunity to sell tickets to their students, alumni and fans,?? Ford wrote.
In an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Ford said he would not be satisfied with less than 20,000 tickets for South Carolina State.
The 2,000-ticket allotment is what South Carolina offers all Division I-AA teams, including other in-state schools like Furman and Wofford, athletic spokesman Steve Fink said.
Nobody gets 20,000 tickets for a Gamecock home game. ??I don?t think Clemson even gets 20,000 tickets when they come here,?? Fink said.
The bulk of South Carolina?s tickets go to season ticket holders. ??The stadium seats just over 80,000. Last year 62,676 season tickets were sold. We normally have to allow for 10,000 tickets for USC students,?? McKinney said. ??So, it?s not like you have half a stadium not being used.??
Ford said South Carolina State should get more tickets because the first ever matchup between the Bulldogs and Gamecocks would be more than a football game to blacks.
??Black people are going to take it differently from white people,?? Ford said. ??Whites are going to think its just another sporting event but blacks are going to take it differently and there?s going to be a whole lot of participation from the black community. They?re finally playing the big boys.??
The game will also bring massive crowds of tailgaters, similar to when South Carolina State played Benedict at Williams-Brice Stadium for a few years, Ford said.
??For them to offer South Carolina State 2,000 tickets is a big insult and total disrespect to black people in South Carolina and black folks are already mad,?? Ford said. ??It was an irresponsible, stupid mistake.??
South Carolina officials did not respond to the racial issues brought up by Ford.
A call to South Carolina State?s athletic department was not immediately returned Tuesday.
Wofford Athletic Director Richard Johnson said his school would not be requesting an increase in the number of tickets set aside for the Terriers when they come to Columbia on Sept. 16.
??A lot of our fans are dual season ticket holders,?? Johnson said. ??So I?m not sure we would exceed that demand for that game because a lot of them already have them or have access to them.??
Schools like Wofford and South Carolina State will make a lot of money by coming to South Carolina. They will be paid around $230,000 for games until 2010, which will increase to $250,000 through 2014, Fink said.
