ALBUQUERQUE N.M. (KRQE) – The University of New Mexico is less than a week away from the first Lobo football game. The team is coming off a winning reason, the first time in nearly a decade, and the program is still figuring out ways to pack the stadium.
It fits nearly 40,000 fans.
In past years, the program has had a rough time filling the stands but Drew Ingraham with UNM’s Athletic Department said things are looking up.
“We were below 9,000 season tickets this time last year,” Ingraham said.
As of Friday afternoon, the department has sold 9,121 season tickets. Although it’s not a huge jump, Ingraham said the department is just looking for any kind of increase that will move the program forward.
“I don’t think we’re where we want to be,” he said. “I think this department, this program wants to be at a higher level with our season ticket holders, our revenue numbers and just overall attendance numbers and all those things go hand-in-hand.”
Ingraham said the program has added a few incentives to help increase attendance. This is the first year fans will be able to purchase alcohol during the game. Fans will also now be able to go onto the field after the game to take pictures; it’s all part of the plan to have more fan interaction.
But everyone knows Lobo fans really want one thing: “I want to see the Lobos winning,” Danielle Roach said.
“Obviously you want to see UNM winning, but what happens, happens,” Matthew Narvaiz said.
Last year the team ended with a 7-6 record, their first winning record since 2007.
The last season with a record high season tickets sold was back in 2005 with 17,404. UNM opens up against South Dakota, Thursday at 7 p.m. The department has already sold 13,511 tickets.