A big piece of the University of Wisconsin Athletic Department’s revenue puzzle moved into place Tuesday when it was announced that 94 percent of general public football season ticket holders renewed for the 2009 season.
While that’s the smallest renewal rate since Camp Randall Stadium was renovated in 2004 – when capacity increased from 78,000 to 81,000 – it’s considered an upbeat development in the face of a tough economy and growing skepticism over the direction of the UW football program.