The first time Clemson played in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium in 2011, the game was sold out. A ticket was hard to find that night as the Tigers beat Virginia Tech to win their first conference title in 20 years.
The same thing happened when the Tigers returned to the title game in 2015. Clemson fans flocked to Charlotte and did not leave any tickets available for the North Carolina fans as the Tigers won their second ACC Championship under head coach Dabo Swinney.
Clemson fans did the same thing last year, coming within a few 100 people of breaking the 2015 ACC Championship Game attendance record of 74,514 as they downed Miami for a third straight league title.
In the three ACC Championship Games the Tigers have played in Charlotte, the average attendance is 74,187, Clemson fans have blanketed Bank of America Stadium with orange in all three cases.
When the second-ranked Tigers (12-0) play Pitt (7-5) this Saturday night in Charlotte, once again orange will be the dominate color at Bank of America. However, there might not be as many people this time around.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the ACC Championship Game still has close 10,000 seats available, and unlike years past, Tiger fans are not buying up all the unused tickets.
Clemson and the Panthers are scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m., and the game will be televised nationally on ABC.
The Clemson Insider reached out to the ACC on Wednesday and got no word from the conference on where it stands with ticket sales and what kind of crowd is it expecting for Saturday night.
However, Clemson’s Deputy Athletic Director, Graham Neff, told TCI Clemson sold out its allotment of 5,500, but knows Pitt did not. He also reported the ACC told Clemson, as of Wednesday morning, it’s expecting a little more than 60,000 for Saturday’s game.
That figure could go up, but not enough to sellout the stadium. The conference even announced a deal where it is offering fans who buy three, they will get a fourth ticket for free.
The ACC has already placed covers in parts of the upper decks of Bank of America Stadium, but they have rolled a few off as Clemson fans continue to purchase tickets off StubHub.
The question is will Clemson people buy enough tickets to make up for the lack of support Pittsburgh is bringing to The Queen City?
Fan attendance for Clemson’s 3 appearances at the ACC Championship game in Charlotte
2011: 73,675 vs. Virginia Tech
2015: 74,514 vs. North Carolina (ACC Championship Game record)
2017: 74,372 vs. Miami
IPTAY Postseason ticket request: Clemson’s postseason ticket request for IPTAY donors is due on Thursday. However, because the Cotton Bowl is in play, Clemson is asking those who have not turned in their request to please mark if they plan to attend the Cotton Bowl should the Tigers play in Dallas.
If No. 5 Oklahoma makes the playoff, which is a strong possibility if No. 4 Georgia loses to No. 1 Alabama in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday, then the Crimson Tide will want to play the game in Miami, the site of the Orange Bowl.
Of course, Oklahoma still has to beat No. 14 Texas, who it lost to earlier this season, in the Big 12 Championship Game.
Neff also asked those fans who have already turned in their ticket request and did not request the Cotton Bowl, but they want to go to the Cotton Bowl if Clemson is to play there, to please call 1-800-CLEMSON and they will get that fixed for you.
2021 Football schedule dates: Questions about Clemson’s 2021 schedule in regard to games being moved, came up Wednesday afternoon.
As of Wednesday, according to FB Schedules.com, the Tigers are expected to play Wyoming on Sept. 25 that year, UConn on Nov. 13 and at South Carolina on Nov. 27. A date for the S.C. State game has not been set.
Neff told TCI, Clemson nor the ACC has announced any of those dates as official dates and said those dates are subject to change at any time. He says the conference is always asking to move games, especially games against FCS opponents so there are not so many ACC teams playing FCS teams on the same weekend.
With the ACC Network launching next year, the possibility of moving non-conference games, to give more balance of good matchups for the network, will become even more prevalent than it currently is.