THE 2007-08 fiscal year in the Marshall athletic department has about two months left, but one set of results is in: The Thundering Herd enjoyed one of its healthiest years ever at the box office in football and men's basketball.

The take showed a drastic improvement from the 2006-07 fiscal year. All told, MU enjoyed about a $1.6 million-plus bump in that revenue stream.

In football, the Herd realized $3,378,876 in ticket sales for the 2007 season, a 75 percent increase over the $1,930,652 earned in 2006 and a 57 percent jump over the $2,157,865 in 2005.

There are some obvious factors. The 2006 schedule included only five home games, compared to the six in 2005 and 2007. And then there's that matter of the '07 West Virginia game, which drew a record crowd of 40,383 to Joan C. Edwards Stadium.

As expected, that contest drew the largest number of visiting fans - 8,000 to 12,000, depending on whose guess you want to believe - since Youngstown State's invasions in the Division I-AA championships of the 1990s.

But there was no similar attendance factor in basketball. Yes, the Herd had a full house for national runner-up Memphis, and coach Donnie Jones enjoyed a whopping 19 home games, exhibitions included.

But the ticket sales more accurately reflected a surge in roundball interest: $509,783, a 53 percent hike from the $333,170 in the final season of the Ron Jirsa era.

It all begs a big question for '07-08: Can the green-clads keep forking over the greenbacks at that improved clip?

Perhaps not, because the Herd won't have a 40,000 football draw. It won't sell close to 20,000 season tickets, as it did last summer. MU faces a Tuesday night game in late October, which means a crowd of 26,000 tops.

But there is opportunity in this home schedule. Cincinnati on a Friday night should bring 33,000, perhaps even 35,000. A mid-September conference game - now moved to what many fans consider the optimum time of 7 p.m. - should draw well.

But overall, can the football attendance hit last year's average of 30,020? You can talk about marketing all you want, but I suspect the age-old formula of success will have more to do with it - or at least the hint of success.

Marshall's two November home games come against defending Conference USA champion Central Florida and runner-up Tulsa. If the Herd has something to play for besides pride when sort-of rival UCF arrives for homecoming on Nov. 15, that could turn into a very nice draw. Tulsa is a much better Thanksgiving weekend opponent than Alabama-Birmingham was last year.

THE 2007-08 fiscal year in the Marshall athletic department has about two months left, but one set of results is in: The Thundering Herd enjoyed one of its healthiest years ever at the box office in football and men's basketball.

The take showed a drastic improvement from the 2006-07 fiscal year. All told, MU enjoyed about a $1.6 million-plus bump in that revenue stream.

In football, the Herd realized $3,378,876 in ticket sales for the 2007 season, a 75 percent increase over the $1,930,652 earned in 2006 and a 57 percent jump over the $2,157,865 in 2005.

There are some obvious factors. The 2006 schedule included only five home games, compared to the six in 2005 and 2007. And then there's that matter of the '07 West Virginia game, which drew a record crowd of 40,383 to Joan C. Edwards Stadium.

As expected, that contest drew the largest number of visiting fans - 8,000 to 12,000, depending on whose guess you want to believe - since Youngstown State's invasions in the Division I-AA championships of the 1990s.

But there was no similar attendance factor in basketball. Yes, the Herd had a full house for national runner-up Memphis, and coach Donnie Jones enjoyed a whopping 19 home games, exhibitions included.

But the ticket sales more accurately reflected a surge in roundball interest: $509,783, a 53 percent hike from the $333,170 in the final season of the Ron Jirsa era.

It all begs a big question for '07-08: Can the green-clads keep forking over the greenbacks at that improved clip?

Perhaps not, because the Herd won't have a 40,000 football draw. It won't sell close to 20,000 season tickets, as it did last summer. MU faces a Tuesday night game in late October, which means a crowd of 26,000 tops.

But there is opportunity in this home schedule. Cincinnati on a Friday night should bring 33,000, perhaps even 35,000. A mid-September conference game - now moved to what many fans consider the optimum time of 7 p.m. - should draw well.

But overall, can the football attendance hit last year's average of 30,020? You can talk about marketing all you want, but I suspect the age-old formula of success will have more to do with it - or at least the hint of success.

Marshall's two November home games come against defending Conference USA champion Central Florida and runner-up Tulsa. If the Herd has something to play for besides pride when sort-of rival UCF arrives for homecoming on Nov. 15, that could turn into a very nice draw. Tulsa is a much better Thanksgiving weekend opponent than Alabama-Birmingham was last year.

Basketball should hold up its end of the deal, though you shouldn't expect 19 home games. The preseason level of anticipation will be higher than it has been in some time, and season-ticket sales will increase.

nn

It has been good to hear about the professional football resurrection of Darius Watts, even if an attempt to hear from the man himself last week fell through.

Watts, who starred as a Marshall receiver from 2000-03, was enjoying an undefeated season in the Arena Football League until Friday night, when his Philadelphia Soul lost 67-55 to the Cleveland Gladiators. At 9-1, the Jon Bon Jovi-owned Soul still boasts the AFL's best record.

Watts started twice for the Denver Broncos in 2004, but was inactive for the final 10 games in 2005. He spent almost all of 2006 on the New York Giants' practice squad, then was cut by the Giants in July in 2007.

A so-called AFL "rookie," Watts spent the first four games on the injured list. Since then, he has caught touchdown passes in five of six games, and has 38 catches for 376 yards.

He's the third receiving threat, behind ninth-year arena icon Chris Jackson and ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft pick Larry Brackins. And he has an interesting teammate at fullback - former West Virginia behemoth Wes Ours, now a fourth-year Arena player.

In the rest of the AFL, Herd fans may know B.J. Cohen and Ricky Hall are still in the league. Cohen is a 10th-year veteran and has returned to the Orlando Predators, while Hall is a ninth-year vet playing for the New York Dragons. But ex-WVU defensive lineman Tom Briggs is the real graybeard, in his 12th season and playing for the Tampa Bay Storm.

Another ex-Herd player just signed with the Georgia Force, defensive back Chris Royal. Royal was the arenafootball2 rookie of the year, and served on Cleveland's practice squad this year.

Other ex-Mountaineers in the AFL are ninth-year veteran receiver David Saunders (just signed with the Arizona Rattlers, started the season in Tampa Bay), rookie receiver Rasheed Marshall of the Columbus Destroyers and rookie defensive lineman Jason Hardee of New York.

To contact staff writer Doug Smock, send e-mail to dougsm...@wvgazette.com or call 348-5130.