0:59Less than 24 hours after getting their first New Year's Day bowl invitation since 1962, the Gophers already had sold more than 2,500 tickets, senior associate athletics director Chris Werle said.
In one day of tickets sales for the Citrus Bowl against Missouri, the Gophers approached the final number they sold for last year's Texas Bowl (3,375), which was up from 3,163 the previous year, when that bowl was called the Meineke Car Care Bowl.
"I think people are thrilled just like we are here within the department," athletic director Norwood Teague said. "We're honored for the state of Minnesota, and for the university, as well as athletics, just to be able to go to a Jan. 1 bowl. It shows what a great football program can do for all those parties."
The Gophers have a 9,000-ticket allotment, and Teague said the bowl will help them get more if needed.
Fans traveling from Minnesota could see some steep air fares. The cheapest flights to Orlando from MSP leaving on Dec. 26 and returning Jan. 2 were $770 round-trip, as of Monday morning, and most fares were above $900.
One travel agent said those returning Jan. 2 or Jan. 3 will face steeper fares, no matter when they take their outbound flight.
However, fans willing to drive to Rochester and fly to Tampa can lower the fare substantially. For example, as of Tuesday morning, there was a $478.20 fare between those cities leaving on Dec. 30 and returning Jan. 2. Tampa is about a 90-minute drive from Orlando.
"We want to get as many Gophers down there as we can," Teague said. "The response so far has been terrific. It's such a great destination that time of year. We're playing a big-time opponent, so we want as many people to come down there as possible. It's going to be a great time."
