Lagging ticket sales for Wisconsin`s opener Saturday against Hawaii and other home games are prompting concern among the athletic department officials.
At the start of the week, 44,067 tickets had been sold for the Hawaii game. The last time the Badgers drew less than 50,000 for a game at Camp Randall Stadium was in 1973 when 46,248 saw the Badgers beat Northwestern 36-34.
”We`re concered that the numbers aren`t where we`d like to see them,”
said Athletic Director Ade Sponberg. ”But we are confident the real Badger fans will come out and fill it up eventually once they see the potential this program has.”
Attendance at Camp Randall Stadium slipped to an average of about 68,000 last season when Wisconsin lost 9 of 12 games. The stadium seats 77,280.
Alabama`s annual game against Penn State, which has become one of the major intersectional rivalries, may not be played after 1990.
Alabama Athletic Director Steve Sloan said the school is considering playing other top teams, such as Oklahoma, UCLA or Southern Cal.
”We have not decided to continue the series,” Sloan said. ”But we haven`t decided to discontinue the series, either.”
The Crimson Tide has won five of the nine games between the two teams, including victories in the 1975 and 1978 Sugar Bowls. Eight games have been on national television.
”We talked with Alabama about continuing the series within the last couple of weeks,” PSU coach Joe Paterno said. ”I don`t think Alabama is interested in doing it. We would be.”
Sloan said playing Penn State every year in the regular season diminishes the chances that the teams could meet in a top bowl game.
Washington`s Don James and Michigan State`s George Perles have been named to coach the East and West teams in the annual Shrine Game. The 63d annual game will be played Jan. 16 in Stanford, Calif.
Pitt has lost fullback Nate Heyward and linebacker Jerry Olsavsky for at least two weeks because of knee injuries suffered in practice. Arthroscopic surgery will be performed on each player to determine the extent of the injuries.
If Gateway Conference official Loraenzo Cleamons looks familiar, think movies. He has appeared in more than 40 films. Cleamons` latest screen role was in
”Raw Deal.”
Fully recovered from a slight shoulder separation, Kerwin Bell will be the starting quarterback when Florida faces Tulsa Saturday. Bell suffered the injury in a loss to Miami (Fla.).
Georgia coach Vince Dooley has received a $6,900 pay raise, according to figures released by the athletic association. The figures show Dooley will be paid $95,000 in addition to a $4,500 subsistence allowance.
