What a better way to spend spring break than to have everyone travel to Tampa for a great 4 day weekend in sunny Tampa at the St. Petes News Arena in downtown Tampa. With the weather being miserable in Washington DC and Syracuse where my sons live - we were lucky to get them to Tampa on time for the games. Both of their flights were delayed or cancelled - and it took some quick thinking to change a flight to Orlando - but I was able to pick up my youngest son near Disney and drive him back to Tampa at 2AM. That was good because his original flight was cancelled and not re-scheduled until after the Seminoles were to play on Thursday at noon.
In the first day - Miami and FSU - our teams - won - but Duke fell in the second session at 7 PM. Friday - FSU lost early and was followed out the door by Miami. With only 2 days down - all of our teams are out of the picture.
Tickets were being sold way below face value. All ticket books cost $363 - that is a lot of money. Every fan that bought a book had to buy tickets for all 11 games at $33 a game. Even if their team was knocked out and the fans wanted to go home - they were stuck with $363 worth of tickets. I never saw so many people standing outside the arena selling tickets. Prices for any game could be had for $10 per game if you were not particular where you sat.
During the first FSU game - I bought 4 tickets for $20 each in a super box with kitchen and bathroom. For the Duke game - I bought 4 tickets on courtside - 8th row - for $30 each. After that I bought 4 ticket books which cost $363 for $50 each - total $200. The tickets were at exactly midcourt but in the 300 level. We still have tickets for the 3 games left on Saturday and Sunday from those books - but will probably sell them and make a profit - hopefully.
One of my students - Matt Fredericks - drove over from Palm Beach with another teacher. We got to sit with him durng the Boston College/Miami game. Matt told me that Charlie Depuy said that, "Harry will have you sitting on the floor." Check out those seats.
So with 2 days left - all of our teams have lost. The teams left are - UNC - BC - NCSU - and either Wake or VT. I guess UNC is the favorite to win it all.
Probably Lulu and the boys and I will spend some time at the beach tomorrow. Weather has been sunny and in the 80s. Tampa is a beautiful town but it does not seem to have many basketball fans. I would really be a cranky fan if I paid $363 for a ticket booklet only to see people outside buying tickets from other fans for $10 to $20 - and usually getting better seats.
It is so nice to be going to basketball games during the afternoon on a day that is a work day for everyone else but The Trailing Spouse.
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