Maryland university offers tuition prize to students who watch the game to the end

In the US, a university has made an unusual offer to students to boost interest in football games. The University of Maryland Terrapins will enter students who remain in the stadium until the fourth quarter of their October 31 game against Illinois into a raffle. Students can enter by scanning the QR code shown on the stadium screen.

The team is in poor form this season. Head coach Mike Locksley was dismissed after a five-game losing streak. The club reportedly paid about 10 million dollars in compensation following that decision. The poor results are also making it harder for the university to build its roster.

The raffle winner will be announced in the fourth quarter of the game. The prize is calculated based on the in-state tuition rate for the 2027 spring semester and is about 5,500 dollars. The university aims to give fans who are struggling to find enjoyment on the field a reason to enjoy themselves off it.

Similar initiatives have appeared this season. Akron University gave a season-ticket holder the chance to call the offensive play on the first series of its first home game. Incentives like these are common methods in college football for drawing spectators to the stadium.