Chanticleer Fans - It was so exciting to join all of you Saturday in what continues to be the Rise of Teal Nation. Our football team's Fam1ly mantra was evident as we stuck together through a weather delay at Brooks Stadium to witness Coach Tim Beck's first head coaching win with the Chanticleers. Congratulations to Coach Beck, his staff, and the players! 

Our student section was electric and continues to grow in number and power. For the second consecutive season, we have sold a record number of season tickets, thanks to popular packages such as the Myrtle Beach Family Golf Family Zone. Consider this: Our consistent attendance over the last few seasons could not be contained or accommodated inside the pre-expansion footprint of Brooks Stadium, a reality that demonstrates the steady development of our fan base and engagement with Chanticleer Athletics. Simply put, our brand is strong and growing!

Additionally, and most importantly from my seat, we have enjoyed record revenue from many sources, including ticket sales, over the last two fiscal years. This income is crucial to support the operational costs and budget realities of all our athletic programs.

Managing the balance between revenue and budget demands and items such as ticket prices is delicate. I am proud to say that we have not raised our football season ticket prices for three seasons, and our single-game rates have not varied by more than a couple of dollars.

While I empathize with fan concerns – please note that our ticket office will always attempt to accommodate any fan through payment plans and other options – the fiscal realities of college athletics, increasing costs, and the investment required unfortunately impact pricing decisions. To continue our emergence as a top-tier program, we need to sustain our product with top-tier resources.

While we celebrate Saturday's victory, we will continually strive to improve and execute our gameday experience within the resources and infrastructure available. In the meantime, I encourage fans to take advantage of flash sales, mini-packs, and other already planned ticket options this season, which has been our tradition. 

And as always, I welcome in-person feedback, and I am happy to discuss new ideas.

Matt Hogue
Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics and University Recreation