Season ticket sales for Memphis football and men's basketball are trending in opposite directions compared to this time a year ago, according to figures presented by athletic director Ed Scott at the University of Memphis' Board of Trustees meeting on Sept. 2.
So far in fiscal year 2027 — as the Tigers' football program ushers in the Charles Huff era and prepares to settle in to a renovated Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, beginning with the home opener against Arkansas State on Sept. 5 (6 p.m., ESPN+) — Memphis has sold 297 more football season tickets (9,850) than it sold year-to-date in fiscal year 2026. Meanwhile, with the men's basketball program coming off a 13-19 season (its worst in 56 years), the Tigers have sold just 1,988 season tickets,
which is 2,012 fewer than had been sold by this point in 2026.
Scott told board members during the meeting that the pace of the football program's season ticket sales has increased since the Tigers opened the season with a 27-21 win at UNLV on Aug. 29. Scott's presentation also highlighted women's basketball (230 total; up 30 year-over-year) and volleyball (35 total; up 35) for outpacing last year's season ticket sales.
Despite the uptick in the volume of sales, revenue generated from tickets and parking is down for both football and men's basketball.
Memphis football has banked $2,475,205.64 in ticket and parking revenue, according to the figures Scott presented to the board. That is $530,673.23 shy of what the program produced year-to-date last fiscal year.
Memphis men's basketball has made $1,014,054.32 in ticket and parking income so far this fiscal year, which is $940,648.92 behind fiscal year 2026's pace.
Scott also told the board of trustees that the athletic department has raised $44,641,298 of the $50 million match donation from late FedEx founder Fred Smith and the Smith family.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com, follow him @munzly on X.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis football ticket sales are up. Men's basketball way off last year's pace
