After announcing a ticket voucher for the No. 15 Ball State University football team's expected bowl game Monday morning, the athletics department retracted the offer Monday afternoon.
Associate Athletics Director Matt Wolfert said the e-mail announcing a free bowl ticket voucher for any student who attends today's game against Western Michigan University was inadvertently sent. The offer was also inadvertently announced at Saturday's men's basketball game.
A retraction was sent at 12:45 p.m., he said, although many Ball State students did not receive the e-mail until hours later.
"Unfortunately, at this time we are not able to fulfill that promise," the e-mail stated. "We certainly need your support tomorrow night against Western Michigan and appreciate your attendance at all of our events."
Wolfert said the athletics department will let students know of any packages for trips to a bowl game or the Mid-American Conference Championship Game when it knows more about the situations. Ball State has not earned a spot in the MAC Championship Game or accepted a bowl bid yet.
If Ball State beats Western Michigan, it will earn a spot in the MAC Championship Game against the University at Buffalo.
Ball State's bowl destination will likely be known after the MAC championship game, as the Cardinals were offered an invitation to the International Bowl less than 30 minutes after Central Michigan University beat Miami University in last year's MAC championship game.
Ball State could play in one of the three bowl games affiliated with the MAC - the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala., the International Bowl in Toronto or the Motor City Bowl in Detroit - or could potentially receive an at-large bid to one of the NCAA's other 31 bowl games.
Last year Ball State played in the International Bowl, its first bowl game since 1996.
The university sold a little more than 2,000 of the 10,000 tickets it was allotted as part of an agreement between the MAC and the International Bowl, ticket manager Rob Richards said in January.
Wolfert said the university wants to thank its students for all their support this season and still will give away rally towels at Tuesday's game.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
