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Buy Shootout tickets, get free airfare to Anchorage

June 15th 5:02 pm | Van Williams Print this article   Email this article   Create a Shortlink for this article

In an attempt to bolster dwindling attendance at the Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage, tournament officials at the University of Alaska Anchorage are offering Alaskans in the certain Bush cities free airfare in exchange for buying a tournament package.

Now that's a score.

It's also a great deal because the price of a tournament package costs $127 while a round-trip plane ticket from Dillingham to Anchorage can run about $500. It's even more from King Cove.

"This sounds like an awesome deal," said Ed Lester, girls basketball coach in Newhalen. "In fact, I might look at meeting up with some of the in-laws for Thanksgiving if they use this deal."

The Great Alaska Shootout runs Nov. 20-24.

Registration is open now for the Fan Flight Frenzy program at www.goseawolves.com.

"I've been looking for a good reason to go check out the tourney," Lester said.

The complimentary tickets were possible by funding through the State of Alaska and it is anticipated that more than 1,500 people will be accommodated through the program.

Free travel will be available from the following Anchorage hub communities: Barrow, Bethel, Cordova, Dillingham, Fairbanks, Homer, Juneau, Kenai, Ketchikan, King Salmon, Kodiak, Kotzebue, Nome, Petersburg, Sitka, Valdez, Wrangell and Yakutat.

Availability of free airline tickets will vary by community and be available strictly on a first-come, first-serve basis.

"This is an exciting program for the Shootout and for basketball fans throughout the state, especially for those who have never had the opportunity to see the games in person," said UAA athletic director Steve Cobb.

"The Shootout has been a Thanksgiving week tradition in Alaska for 35 years and we're grateful to the State of Alaska for helping to make it possible to share that tradition with fans from across the state."

Discounted hotels and car rentals will also be available.

Lester believes the deal will be popular because basketball is king in Bush Alaska.

Plus he thinks people will tie in other things to the trip to Anchorage like visiting the dentist, seeing a movie or going to the mall.

"This would be a good time to see family and friends," Lester said. "Even do some Christmas shopping."

The Great Alaska Shootout is one of the oldest college basketball tournaments in the country, dating back to 1978, and has been the place to be over the Thanksgiving weekend for decades.

But in recent years the tournament has fallen on hard times, unable to compete with Lower 48 tournaments that offer more money, more exposure and far less travel.

As a result, marquee teams vanished. And so did the fans.

Tournament officials are hoping the Fan Flight Frenzy program will pump some life back into Sullivan Arena.

"I feel the Shootout has lost some of its magic with the loss of some big-name schools coming in," Lester said. "To be honest, I do not know who is even coming this year."

Perhaps the biggest attraction will be Oral Roberts University starting center Damen Bell-Holter, who is from Hydaburg and is the only Alaska Native playing NCAA Division I basketball.

Oral Roberts is among the seven Outside teams joining UAA for the men's field. The women's field has four teams.

Reach Van Williams at sports@reportalaska.com.

 

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