UCF President John C. Hitt issued a statement via UCF’s Athletic site urging fans to buy tickets to the Fiesta Bowl on January 1.
The Knights have to sell $3.4 million in tickets or else they will be on the hook for them plus the $1.9 million in travel expenses to go to Glendale, Arizona. School officials still haven’t released the exact amount of tickets they have sold so far.
Read Hitt’s full statement below:
Dear UCF Fans,
Our Knights have given us the football season we’ve been dreaming about: 11 victories, a conference championship and exciting finishes we’ll remember forever.
Now, you can help our team with one more thrilling finish – a UCFiesta!
With our invitation to the Jan. 1 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., the Knights have made college football history: at only 50 years old, we are the youngest university to ever play in a BCS bowl game.
Some have suggested that the BCS is too big for us, our team is out matched and our fans won’t travel. To them, I say, “You don’t know UCF.”
To you, I say, “Show the country what UCF is about!”
We need you to “Charge On” to Arizona and support the Knights in the final game of this historic season. The nation will be watching how the team performs on the field against Baylor and how our fans support the Knights in the stands.
The Fiesta Bowl will join the collection of “I was there moments” for fans, from our first game on a rain-soaked field in 1979 to memorable victories against Alabama, Georgia, Penn State and Louisville.
Tickets, travel information and the top five reasons “U Can Fiesta” are at http://www.ucfknights.com/tickets/fiesta-bowl.html. And stay tuned for upcoming information about Fiesta Bowl events, alumni gatherings and more.
I often say that at UCF, we dream big. But I’m not sure many of us would have dreamed this big – making our first-ever trip to a BCS bowl in this, our 50th anniversary year.
Jan. 1, 2014 is the start of our next 50 years. Join me in Arizona as we begin this new era by cheering on our remarkable team in the Fiesta Bowl.
Go Knights!
John C. Hitt
