IU's fall break, 3-3 start mean plenty of tickets available for Saturday's game
Indiana has drawn at least 44,000 fans for each of its four home games so far this season including more than 50,000 for last Saturday's home game against Michigan, but for a number of reasons, Saturday's 3:30 p.m. game at Memorial Stadium against Maryland is expected to be more lightly attended.
IU began its fall break after classes on Thursday, so many of the students have left town. Student tickets have been a driving force for high attendance so far. The Monroe County Community School Corporation is also on its fall break, which will likely mean a lot of Bloomington residents will be out of town for the weekend as well.
Also, the Hoosiers have lost three straight games after a 3-0 start to fall to 3-3, 1-2 in the Big Ten, which has depleted fan interest. In Maryland, they are facing a geographically-distant opponent that won't bring many of its own fans. The Terrapins represent one of Indiana's best hopes to claim a victory in their remaining six games, but Maryland is still considered a favorite by a margin of 10 to 14 points.
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All of which is to say, plenty of tickets are still available for Saturday's game. Jeremy Gray, IU's associate athletic director for strategic communications, said somewhere around 35,000 tickets have been sold in the 52,929-capacity Memorial Stadium.
Traffic should also be lesser for this game. Tailgate fields and parking lots will open at 8 a.m., and with the 3:30 kickoff, there shouldn't be much issue in terms of congestion.
Promotions and other events associated with the game follow.
The Indiana Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2022 will be inducted at a dinner at the Heinke Hall of Champions on Friday night and then the inductees will be honored at halftime of the game. Inductees include football and basketball play-by-play broadcaster Don Fischer, former women's tennis coach Lin Loring and star athletes D.J. White (men's basketball), Ashley Benson (Volleyball), Jenn Cristy (women's swimming), and Tina Parrott (women's track and field). Fischer's induction coincides with his 50th year of broadcasting IU games.
It's Junior Hoosier Kids Club Day. About 250 Junior Hoosiers are expected to be in attendance.
It's Parents Weekend for the Student Athletic Board.
IU dance marathon student volunteers and Riley Children's Hospital families will have a dance performance at halftime.
Student Athletic Board directors and families, IU dance marathon student volunteers and Riley Children's Hospital families will be the Indiana state flag bearers before the game.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: IU football expecting fewer than 40,000 for game against Maryland
