The top-ranked LSU Tigers opened their brand new state-of-the-art baseball stadium in Baton Rouge this weekend with a sweep of Villanova. It's named for Alex Box ... same as the old stadium. It was a tough ticket. Season tickets ate up most of the 9200 seats and most of the single-game tickets went to students, former players, and other assorted VIPs. The few left over from that were gobbled up quickly. I settled on tickets to one of the LSU-Illinois games in a few weeks. I really wanted to go see Ole Miss but the games I could make were sold out. Most of the early-season SEC games are sold out. Say what you will about big-time college athletics but it works at LSU. Many of LSU's athletic programs make money. Football makes the most, by far, but basketball (Men and women) and baseball contribute, too. The baseball team almost always leads the nation in attendance. 9200+ fans this weekend doesn't sound like a lot if you're used to football or MLB numbers but two ranked teams (Florida and Louisville) only attracted 3483 fans at Florida's McKethan Stadium Saturday. Done right, athletics benefits not just itself, it benefits the university and it surely benefits the mostly homegrown student-athletes at LSU. There is almost always a surplus in Baton Rouge. In a state where money doesn't grow on trees, it's not a bad thing. And the joy the teams bring to the citizens ... what's that worth?
Quote of the Day
This game is all about hustle.
Leon Landry, LSU Tigers
Blog of the day here.
Quote from said blog: "No. 23 Florida (2-0) clinched its weekend series with a 10-4 triumph over eighth-ranked Louisville (0-2) on Saturday afternoon in front of 3,483 fans at McKethan Stadium."
