I lied, ticket sales and donations are up from 2009 and 2010. Kind of hard to boycott a school you never contributed to in the first place.

UM ahead of pace in ticket sales

Kyle Veazey

OXFORD — Ole Miss’ priority deadline to renew season football tickets came and went this past weekend with the school ahead of pace from where it was at the same time the last two years, UMAA Foundation officials said today.

Thanks to Danny White and Evin Beck, here are the numbers:

As of late this afternoon, just over 31,000 season tickets had been sold.

That’s about 1,000 ahead of where UM was this time last year.

And that’s over 5,000 ahead of where UM was this time in 2009.

The foundation says its football priority seating donations are $609,057 ahead of last year’s mark and $2.25 million ahead of the 2009 number.

You’ll probably remember that 2009 resulted in a season ticket sellout of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium and 2010 didn’t. Renewal deadlines have been a constant, but more effort was placed this year in stressing to fans the importance of beating the deadline.

The attractive 2011 home schedule is helping move tickets, too. This fall, Ole Miss has BYU, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas and LSU among its seven-game home schedule. Last fall, the highlights of the Oxford schedule were Auburn and Mississippi State.

Also, some Rabble:

docjcdc

If this news is indeed true, KV is probably accurate in his insuation that many fans are buying tickets to see some good football from the visiting teams...It is hard for me to believe that we would sell more tickets, after a 4-7 season and dismanteling traditions and heritage as DJ and PB have done, than we did after COTTON BOWL seasons. I dont buy it! Colonel Reb is my mascot!!!!

Increasing student enrollment might be a factor, solid recruiting class never hurts, and yes the schedule will be a big draw for Rebel fans. However, at the end of the day, expect an average season where Rebel fans come late and leave early. Ticket sales mean nothing if we don't win games.