SEATTLE, Wash. – Yesterday at 4 p.m. Washington State University told Nonstop Local that they had sold a total of 47,000 tickets for the Apple Cup. That’s about 21,000 fewer than the roughly 68,000 Lumen Seats.
Now, 68,000 seems like a lot, but it is about 1,400 fewer than Husky Stadium can hold, which is where the Apple Cup was last year.
Mind you, they have already sold about 14,000 more tickets for this year’s Apple Cup than they could have sold at Martin Stadium in Pullman this year (where the game would have been if not for UW leaving the PAC-12), as Martin can only hold about 33,000.
The question is – which team’s fan section will be more packed? WSU did not specify which side had sold more tickets, but according to Coug fans, it’s likely to be a pro-UW crowd.
Not only is Lumen Field about 10 minutes away from Husky Stadium, but Coug fans tell Nonstop Local they are upset about the game being in Seattle. Fans say it’s too far to travel, they don’t know where to tailgate, and they’d rather spend their money in Pullman than Seattle.
Nonstop Local asked 100 Coug fans if this Apple Cup is more or less important to them now that WSU left the PAC-12…
76 out of 100 say it is less important to them, some because it’s just another out of conference game, others say UW is dead to them.
Of the 14 who say this game is more important now than last year, many say it’s because the rivalry is even more personal now that UW left WSU for more money in the BIG 10.
Others look at the lack of elite teams on WSU’s schedule and know that a win in this game would do an awful lot to support WSU’s playoff hopes for the end of this year.
Of the 10 Coug fans who say this game matters the same this year as last, many say it’s ebcause a win against Washington is always a good thing.
Nonstop Local asked 60 of those Coug fans a follow up question: What impact will it have on the Cougs that this year’s Apple Cup is at Lumen Field in Seattle, rather than at Martin Stadium in Pullman?
Not a single one of those fans said it was good for WSU.
6 say it does not matter because WSU has to win regardless.
But 54 say it is bad for WSU because they do not want to travel, tickets are more expensive, and the game will be in Seattle for two years in a row.
