The University of Delaware Athletic Department and Student Financial Services have rolled out what is known as the Cockpit HENergy Challenge, a contest to encourage UD students to attend all Delaware home football games. A single winner will get $10,000 in financial aid.
To be eligible for the drawing, current UD students must attend all six Delaware home games and have their student ticket scanned at the gate. After the season, the single winner will be chosen at random from all those who attended all the home games.
Tickets are no longer scanned at the beginning of halftime, so students must show up in the first half with their downloaded student ticket and scan into the game to be eligible for the contest.
The Athletic Department pulls data from its direct ticketing software and receives a report after each home game. At the end of the season, Athletics will pull a report that illustrates students who have scanned into all six home football games, and pull one student, at random, to win the award of up to $10,000 in student financial aid. The aid will apply toward tuition, room and board, and/or dining, depending on the need of the student who wins.
The contest is aimed at filling a stadium that has often seen lackluster student attendance over the years, especially when the days get colder
Some of this stems from UD being seen as a “suitcase school” where some students go home on weekends and and UD being in the second tier of NCAA college football programs.
A few years ago, Delaware Stadium underwent major renovations. Then came Covid-19 restrictions.
UD has worked to lure more alumni to games as its fan base of older adults, many with no direct ties to the university. Along the performance of UD football, changes in parking privileges, and limits on other perks have led to some unhappy season ticket-holders.
