'M' football renewals may break record

It's going to be another record-breaking season for Michigan football fans.

Student demand for the upcoming football season is at a "potential record high" said former associate athletic department director Keith Molin.

Molin said the athletic department is getting closer to having specific numbers.

"Student renewal is considerably ahead from where we were last year," Molin said, adding that last year's freshman class was the largest in history.

Last month, the Athletic Department approved recommendations to guarantee that all students would receive full-season tickets, after complaints last fall over split-season tickets for incoming first-year students. The proposal was to reserve sections 25-30 for students and saving section 31 as a "cushion."

But Molin said that the section 31 cushion "is gone and will be used for student seating." He added that students will still be guaranteed a full-season, but because of the high demand for season tickets, some students may be dispersed throughout the stadium.

"We have room to accommodate even the most optimistic projection, but we need cushion," Molin said.

An additional 1,308 seats from recent stadium renovations have increased capacity to 18,345 in sections 25-30

Athletic Director Tom Goss described the upcoming season as "interesting right up to the first game."

Goss said it will be "impossible" for students intending to purchase tickets on a game-by game basis. "We don't know how many freshmen have ordered tickets," Goss said.

Goss said the high demand is linked to the momentum and excitement of winning a national championship last year.

"Students are excited about Michigan athletics," Goss said.

LSA sophomore John Roberts said he will be happy as long as he can watch the games in the stadium.

"After winning a national title, everyone probably wants a ticket," Roberts said.

In addition to other changes, 238 ticket-holders will be relocated in sections 34-37 for handicap access..

"Close to 1,000 season-ticket holders will be relocated and be offered comparable seating," Molin said. "We have the inventory and the space to do it. Quite honestly, it's being well-received by some folks."

Molin added that regardless of how many students receive tickets, there will always be a demand for more.

"It's still going to be the hottest ticket in town," Molin said. "There won't be any empty seats."

Molin compared his job of finding seats in Michigan's stadium to "the guy at Purdue who is trying to figure out how to fill the stadium."

"I would take our problem anytime over his," Molin said.

06-08-98