We're all familiar with the image: After a team captures the NCAA title in college basketball, they cut down the net, and each member gets a strip of nylon to commemorate the accomplishment. All the legendary coaches, from Jim Calhoun and Mike Krzyzewski to Bobby Knight and John Wooden, have made the climb at some point in their careers, and the tradition is such an ingrained part of college basketball that few people stop and think where it actually came from.
There's no agreed upon date for the first time a coach cut down the net, but most believe that the tradition was started by Everett Case, the legendary North Carolina State University coach. After coaching in Indiana, he brought the tradition with him to N.C. State and reportedly cut down the net with the Wolfpack for the first time in 1947 after capturing the Southern Conference title.
Over the years the participants in the tradition have changed, but the process remains largely the same. The coach is the first to make his or her way to the top of the ladder and makes a few snips to get things started before allowing each player to get his own time to soak in the victory. Cutting down the nets may seem like a simple gesture, but it has given college basketball fans some of the most memorable moments in the sport's history.
One of the most famous scenes comes from the 1983 National Championship after Jim Valvano and his underdog N.C. State team upset the heavily favored Houston Cougars in what's considered to be among the greatest title games ever played. While his image after the final buzzer - frantically looking to celebrate with players - is one that most people think of when they think of this victory, Valvano's total elation upon finally cutting down the net is also a lasting image.
College basketball changes greatly from year to year, but the one thing fans can hang their hats on is that a team will be draping the net around their necks come early April. Who will it be this year?
And for those of you who want to see this year's net cutting live and in person...we can help you out there: http://bit.ly/YELfTe
It's Monday morning … everyone is in zombie mode, right? Wrong! Here at TicketsNow ticket sales are super hot! By 9:00am we were already knee deep in baseball and concert ticket bliss. So what events were smokin' early on Monday morning? No need to hold your breath until you turn blue, just take a look below:
Looks like the rest of the world is already planning what hot events they'll be attending this upcoming week. So what are you waiting for? You don't even have to get up off your duff! Just click, click to TicketsNow and start plotting!
With temperatures on the rise, the concert scene is heating up across the nation with some of the most popular musical acts going on tour this summer. From country to rock, classics to pop, some of the hottest musical artists are taking their shows on the road, creating great demand for concert tickets. Below we provide a snapshot of the most sought-after concert tickets of the season in our Entertainment Index for May.
“Now that we’ve officially kicked-off the summer entertainment season, we are seeing a number of artists launching their tours,” said Julia Vander Ploeg, general manager of TicketsNow. “Music fans can shop our site with confidence, as TicketsNow is the only resale marketplace able to offer Ticketmaster verification and barcode reissue on all Ticketmaster tickets, including tickets for all events held at Live Nation amphitheaters.
Did you see any shows in May? Tell us about it the comment section below!
Top-Selling Concerts for May 2012 (by tickets sold):
From Bonnaroo to Lollapalooza, there are a number of long running music festivals throughout the summer, but few can hold a candle to the Ravinia Festival. The Chicago-based event has hosted talented musicians in Highland Park since the early 1900s, and this year welcomes the likes of Seal, Sarah McLachlan, Duran Duran and Natalie Merchant.
The first moth of the schedule is packed full of great artists. Here are some highlights:
June 9 Earth, Wind & Fire with Orchestra
June 10 Iron & Wine/Dr. John
June 15 Al Green/Chicago Children’s Choir
June 17 Jimmy Cliff
June 24 Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers
June 25 Esperanza Spalding
June 28 Glen Campbell “Goodbye Tour”/Ronnie Milsap
June 29 Colbie Caillat & Gavin DeGraw
June 30 Sarah McLachlan
Download PDF of full schedule here.
The oldest music festival in the country, Ravinia runs from June through September, with shows scheduled for most days throughout the summer. Many of today's most popular festivals owe their existence to Ravinia. Here's a look at two of this summer's most anticipated festivals.
Bonnaroo Music Festival
Held in Manchester, Tennessee, Bonnaroo Music Festival began as a celebration dedicated to jam bands and has since expanded to include artists of all different genres. This year, the weekend-long festival is slated for June 7 through 10 and will welcome some of the biggest names in music. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead and Phish are the scheduled headliners, and although they may be the most recognizable acts, there are many other must-see artists making appearances throughout the weekend.
Fresh off his Best New Artist win at the Grammys, Bon Iver, the musical project of Justin Vernon, is another one of the most anticipated acts. Additionally, bluegrass favorites The Avett Brothers are set to be on one of the featured stages along with 2011 breakout stars Foster the People. Music legends The Beach Boys and Alice Cooper will also be taking the stage.
Lollapalooza Music Festival
Much like the Ravinia Festival, Lollapalooza is held in Chicago, but a short distance away in the city's Grant Park. This year, the festival is set for August 3 through 5, and although it features a somewhat different lineup than Bonnaroo, it is no less impressive.
Like Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza will feature the Chili Peppers, but the other headlining acts are The Black Keys and Jack White, who is fresh of the release of his first solo album, the critically acclaimed Blunderbuss.
Outside of the three big-name headliners, Lollapalooza is a veritable who's who of breakout stars from the last 18 months. The Alabama Shakes, M83, Childish Gambino and The Head and the Heart will all be making their way to Chicago in early August.
Sometimes referred to as the greatest spectacle in racing, the Indianapolis 500 has certainly lived up to its reputation. For more than 100 years, the annual race has pitted some of the most talented drivers in auto racing and has become one of the most widely-attended events in all of sports. Hundreds of thousands of fans get their hands on Indy 500 tickets each year, and 2012 should be no different.
There are a lot of storylines to consider entering race weekend, but perhaps most interesting is just how wide open this year's event is. It's always hard predicting a winner at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but few analysts have been able to offer up a clear cut favorite. A lot of attention has been given to Australian driver Ryan Briscoe, who captured the pole position last weekend, but he certainly has a lot of competition right behind him.
There are many big name drivers who will vie for the Indy 500 crown. In particular, Briscoe should be on the lookout for Andretti Autosport drivers - three of whom will be starting right behind him. Among them is Marco Andretti, who is the grandson of racing legend Mario Andretti and has been especially successful in his early career.
Fans should also keep their eye on Brazil's Helio Castroneves. The racing veteran has captured three Indy 500 titles before, with the most recent coming in 2009. With 19 wins in the IndyCar Series, he is one of the most decorated drivers in the sport.
If this year's race is anything like the 2011 incarnation, it will not leave anybody disappointed. Even the most casual of racing fans remember how last year's ended. JR Hildebrand, making his first start in an Indy 500, entered the final lap in first place and seemed destined to claim the title. However, he crashed on the final turn, allowing veteran Dan Wheldon to pass him in the final 200 yards.
Will this year be just as exciting? There's no reason to think it won't be. With no clear cut favorite, the title is anyone's to capture. Will Hildebrand earn redemption for last year's mistake? Will Castrovenes win his fourth title? Or Will Marco be able to break the dreaded Andretti Curse? There's only one way to find out.
Who's your pick to win it?
Photo by Getty Images
First off a big congrats to Phillip Phillips on winning season 11 of American Idol! It was an epic season, filled with some of the most talented singers the show has ever found. Lucky for you that talented group is heading out on tour in a few short weeks! The top 10 Idols are hitting the road in July for the American Idols Live! Tour.
Jump to: American Idols Live! Tour tickets.
The 2012 American Idols Live! Tour will certainly be a big hit. With such a talented lineup of singers, how could it not be? The biggest names are the two finalists, Philip Phillips - a 21-year-old Georgia native - and 16-year-old Jessica Sanchez. Other performers include the likes of Joshua Ledet, Skylar Lane and Colton Dixon.
But the focus of the tour will be squarely on Phillips and Sanchez. Phillips won over the hearts of Americans thanks to his unique singing and dancing style that's earned him comparisons to Dave Matthews.
As for Sanchez, she is one of the most talented singers the show has seen in years. The young contestant has shown her natural flair through her renditions of songs including Whitney Houston "How Will I Know" and Mariah Carey's "My All."
Make sure to catch the American Idols Live Tour when it comes to your town and see these talented performs as they start down the path to stardom.
Were curious: Which Idol do you think will have the best career? Tell us in the comment section below.
About American Idol Live! Tour
Fans of the show who purchased American Idols Live! Tour tickets during its inaugural run were given the opportunity to catch the initial glimpses of first season winner Kelly Clarkson before she went down the path to stardom. Joined by runners up Justin Guarini, Nikki McKibbin and six others, the 30-stop tour was Clarkson's first exposure to concertgoers, and she has since grown into one of the most popular acts in the country thanks to hits like "Miss Independent," "Since U Been Gone" and her most recent single "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)."
The initial American Idols Live! Tour was a hit and has been every year since. The nationwide concert series has introduced the music world to several big names throughout the year including country star Carrie Underwood, who embarked on the tour in 2005 after winning the fourth season. Other stars who have made a name for themselves on the tour include Daughtry lead singer Chris Daughtry, Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson and Adam Lambert.
With the start of baseball’s 2012 regular season just days away, we took a look at our exclusive ticket resale data to see which home opener tickets are most in demand and which teams have the most enthusiastic fans. Check out the full list below. Here are a couple stats that immediately jumped out at us:
- World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals Average Ticket Resale Price Up Nearly 140%
- Miami Marlins Fans Eager for a Fresh Start as their opener Average Resale Price Jumps 265%
- Mets Edge Out Yankees
- White Sox Best Cubs
- Giants Top Dodgers
by Julia Vander Ploeg, General Manager of TicketsNow
You just found out that your friends are planning a road trip to the big game this weekend – but can you still get tickets if the game is only days away? A quick call to the box office reveals that tickets are sold out. A check on Ticketmaster confirms it. Even if tickets were available, how would you even get them in time? It’s hopeless, right? Not so.
Through TicketsNow’s relationship with Ticketmaster, we are the only resale marketplace with the ability to validate tickets and fulfill them through Ticketmaster’s TicketFast delivery. For our customers this means added convenience and peace of mind – knowing that their tickets are guaranteed to be 100% authentic and ready to download on their home computers almost immediately.
TicketFast works like this: when listing their tickets on our system, sellers can enter the barcodes for their tickets at posting, giving our marketplace the ability to validate the authenticity of the tickets in Ticketmaster’s system. Because Ticketmaster is the original, or primary, seller of those tickets, this technology is unique to our companies. When a customer selects those tickets and purchases them, the old barcodes are cancelled out, and new tickets are electronically reissued to the new buyer, and delivered to their email inbox within minutes.
We know you love this feature; in fact, fans select tickets that feature TicketFast delivery 8 times more often than other tickets. TicketsNow has already reissued more than a half a million tickets via TicketFast, further confirming that fans are increasingly excited about this technology as the safest, most convenient way to buy tickets in a resale marketplace.
The bottom line there is no better or safer way to buy resale tickets online.