BOISE -- We're two weeks out -- and seats still remain for one of college football's most prestigious bowls.
It was roughly two weeks ago that tickets to the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl went on sale. Most of them are gone.
But what about the remaining few? Boise State University now has less than two thousand tickets still to sell. BSU started out with 19,000 tickets. As of Friday afternoon there are only 1,700 left. BSU wants to do something very special with those remaining seats.
"It's a chance for people to donate tickets to the military. You call in and purchase a ticket and then we will donate it to a member of the military so they can watch the game," said Anita Guerricabeitia who is the Assistant Athletic Director of Ticket Sales.
Boise State calls it Operation Bronco Storm. Athletic Director Gene Bleymeir says they decided to do this program as a way for fans to give back. Darrell Matthews is doing just that.
"It's something I think is a worth while cause. I think Boise State has done more for the state of Idaho in the last five years than any other athletic team," said Darrell Matthews who bought two tickets for the military.
Matthews decided to buy two tickets.
"Why did you do that? Primarily to help Boise State football," said Matthews.
As of Friday afternoon, Boise State had sold more than 17-thousand of its tickets. That's about how many were sold during the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. However -- this year the Bowl gave BSU more tickets. And there are still some left.
"Ticket sales have been going really really well," said Guerricabeitia.
But ticket sales are slowing down as the game approaches.
"I think people are having a hard time finding flights and a lot of people are deciding to drive so we're still getting some people in here buying, but I think flights are hard to get at this point," said Guerricabeitia.
"I don't like the travel, and the stuff that goes along with that. It wasn't so much the expense. It's actually getting everything together and doing it. I just don't really have the energy, I think, anymore to go through that," said Matthews.
That's one reason Matthews wants to send a service member in his place. Although he'll be there in spirit -- cheering on his Broncos.
"They've finally put Idaho on the map, and I'm proud of that, and I think that's a good thing. It's just a contribution, just I guess the Christmas spirit here and so on, well, I thought it would be a good thing to do," said Matthews.
Operation Bronco Storm kicked off Thursday. As of Friday afternoon the program has sold 18 tickets. Those tickets can be purchased by going to the ticket office.
If Boise State does not sell all of its allotted tickets it would work with the Fiesta Bowl in getting those tickets distributed.
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