On his first day as Portland State’s head football coach, Jerry Glanville was already making an immense impact on Viking athletics, as approximately 500 new season ticket requests have been made since his hire. Following a candid press conference last Wednesday, where Glanville stressed the need for getting members of the city involved, and made guarantees like, “If you come here, to our home-field advantage, we’re going to knock you out,” a sudden buzz filled the Park Blocks.
Buzzing the box office
On his first day as Portland State’s head football coach, Jerry Glanville was already making an immense impact on Viking athletics, as approximately 500 new season ticket requests have been made since his hire.
Following a candid press conference last Wednesday, where Glanville stressed the need for getting members of the city involved, and made guarantees like, “If you come here, to our home-field advantage, we’re going to knock you out,” a sudden buzz filled the Park Blocks. It seems students, past and present, faculty and city members have a new vested interest in what is brewing at Portland State.
“This is absolutely a direct result of Glanville’s hire. The calls that we have received have been from people who hadn’t been season ticket holders for a long while, and now they want to purchase them,” said interim Athletic Director Teri Mariani.
Last year, the Viking football team attracted an average of 7,070 fans to its home games at PGE Park. In stark contrast, Big Sky Conference foe Montana shuffled in an average of 23,438 fans to its home tilts.
Over the years, the Grizzlies have established themselves as the model of consistency both on the field and in the stands in the Big Sky, something Portland State will strive to do with Glanville’s hire.
“Well, the reason we hired [Glanville] was to get more people in the seats at PGE Park,” Mariani said.
Many hope the unique personality and catchy one-liners of the former Houston Oilers’ and Atlanta Falcons’ head coach will attract Viking fanatics to more than just Saturday-night gridiron matchups. Nearly all Portland State sporting events, including basketball and softball games, volleyball matches and track and field meets, suffer from a lack of committed fans. The wave of support Glanville suddenly fostered for Viking football has the potential to seep into the stands of Portland State’s other sporting events.
Presently, Portland State is swimming in season ticket requests, which have brought both relief and joy for those devoted to Viking athletics.
“The ticket sales are hopping, and that is the buzz we were hoping to create,” Mariani said. “So, now I have made even more work for myself, but it is a good problem to have.”
