Home games not the same for Hurricanes

In what could be called an interesting marketing move, the Miami Hurricanes are encouraging their fans to attend fewer football games in 2014.

The Hurricanes, who host Arkansas State on Sept. 13 and have not won a national championship since the 2001 season, have had trouble filling up Sun Life Stadium in more recent years.

To combat that, Miami placed advertisements in several local newspapers, including The Palm Beach Post, for a two-game mini-plan this season.

"Not many teams would tell you to go to fewer games," the ad begins. "Most would try to push a full season package on you, even if that requires more money or more time than you possess.

"We are extremely thankful for the support of our Miami Hurricanes season ticket holders, but we understand that a full season of tickets is not for everyone, and that's OK."

The ad lists criteria for fans who might fit the two-game plan:

"1. I like exciting college football in rocking, sold-out environments.

"2. I want to see the Hurricanes play the defending national champion Florida State Seminoles and the preseason top-25 North Carolina Tar Heels.

"3. I'm not so sure I can make it to the other 5 home games."

The real benefit of buying the two-game plan, which starts at $108 and includes a Hurricanes hat, is it's the only opportunity for Miami fans to attend the Florida State game without being a season-ticket holder. The university is not selling tickets to the public for the Florida State game only.

So what kind of response is the university getting for the two-game plan?

"Some people have told us we're crazy for offering a two-game mini-plan package that's THIS good," the newspaper ad states. "Our response: IT'S WHAT OUR FANS HAVE ASKED FOR."

"At this time of year, most big-name college football programs are hassling fans with demands to purchase expensive season tickets -- but not the University of Miami," SI.com blogger Stu White wrote. "Some marketing genius at the school has come up with a foolproof plan of asking fans to attend fewer games in 2014, because that totally seems like a strategy without a chance of backfiring."

Pied Pfeiffer

UALR shortstop Austin Pfeiffer was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 27th round of last week's major league baseball first-year player draft.

A blog site devoted to covering the team, OriolesHangout.com, had a brief and possibly disappointing synopsis of the selection.

"And with the 27th round pick, the Orioles have finally selected a shortstop," the website stated. "Pfeiffer is pretty big for a middle infielder, clocking in at 6-4, 225 pounds. He's a senior who just turned 23."

Now for the possibly disappointing part: "No relation to Michelle Pfeiffer."

Life's a beach

As Omaha, Neb., prepares to host the College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park beginning Saturday, fans were reminded of items that are not allowed at the stadium. Among those items are outside food, water or drinks, large umbrellas and beach balls.

"This is why only 40 are circulating in the stands by the second inning of the first game," Omaha World-Herald columnist Brad Dickson wrote Thursday.

Sports quiz

What was Jimmy Johnson's overall record while coaching the Miami Hurricanes?

Answer

Johnson was 52-9 in five seasons with the Hurricanes, including a 12-0 record during the Hurricanes' national championship season in 1987.

Sports on 06/13/2014