by Fred Seely
Editorial Director
A week ago, a Gator Bowl official predicted a turnout of about 55,000 for the Jan. 1 Gator Bowl football game at Alltel Stadium.
After the competing schools’ athletic directors visit here Thursday, that number is being revised way upward and it may hit the magic sellout number of 73,000.
Both Jim Weaver of Virginia Tech and Dave Hart of Florida State said they felt their schools would sell far more than the 12,500 requirement.
Weaver had the best news.
“My guess right now is that we’ll sell 20-23,000 tickets,” he said. “We’ve already sold our allotment and we’ve asked for more, plus I know a lot of people have bought directly through the Gator Bowl or off the internet.”
Hart agreed that his fans will come.
“Too early for a number,” he said, “but don’t think it’s going to drop because we aren’t going to a bigger bowl. You’ll lose some people that way, but you’ll gain in another: they can drive to this game.”
The GBA has sold about 25,000 locally and game chairman Jim McCollum mentioned a recent Times-Union sports headline which called taking the teams a “risk.”
“If we took a ‘risk,’ it was a little one,” he said. “It turned out to be a good decision.” For instance, he said, no club seats remain.
If VPI sells 23,000, that leaves around 20,000 for FSU to take. Both teams’ bands are coming plus there will be large officials parties, so a true sellout _ in terms of tickets actually sold — may be only about 70,000.
FSU last played here in the opener of the 2000 season against Brigham Young and sold about 25,000 for that game.
Several hoteliers were present Thursday and indicated they expected a full house for the Gator Bowl week, which will run from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1.
“Everything is positive that this will be a big crowd,” said McCollum. “What I’m hearing adds up to a lot of tickets.”
Both VPI and FSU had — for them — disappointing seasons, but the atmosphere at The River Club news conference was upbeat.
The opposing coaches, Bobby Bowden of FSU and Frank Beamer of VPI, predicted a close, physical game.
Beamer was here last year, playing — and soundly defeating — Bowden’s son Tommy and his Clemson team.
“I heard that Tommy went to Frank after the game and said, ‘I’m gonna tell my daddy,” joked Bowden, “and Frank replied, ‘Tell him, and I’ll kick his tail, too.”
Beamer’s Hokies will be the visiting team and he said he’s expecting the worst.
First, game chairman Jim McCollum made no secret that he’s a big Seminole fan. Then, City Council President Matt Carlucci, who presented the coaches with keys to the city, admitted that his son attends Bowden’s quarterback camp.
“I see how this is going right away,” said Beamer.