Unless you live under a rock or haven’t checked your e-mail in a month, chances are you’ve heard about the Jay Leno performance
scheduled for Oct. 16 during
Homecoming weekend.
The Office of the President is doing its best to get the word out to everyone, including students, alumni and community members.
Leno is being marketed through television, radio, newspapers, e-mail and Facebook in an effort to bring in more people from outside the immediate campus community
The efforts are not, however, aimed at students, many of whom have yet to buy a ticket to the performance,
and many are not planning
on attending at all.
Freshman international business
and public relations major Jasmine Roberts isn’t attending the performance, and she said she doesn’t know many people who are.
“Jay Leno is older,” she said. “He’s for an older crowd.”
Although “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” is popular, the facts still reveal that the 18 to 35 age group is less likely to be found watching it than older age groups.
Roberts said she has doubts about the number in attendance at the Jay Leno performance.
“It won’t be like Weezer at all,” she said.
However, the administration has a more positive outlook when it comes to matters of attendance.
“The Peoria community, alumni
and students are excited to see Jay Leno come to the arena,” said Associate Vice President for Communications Shelley Epstein. “We have had a very positive response to bringing one of the biggest names in television and entertainment to the Bradley campus.”
Epstein said more tickets have been sold to alumni and the general
public than to students so far, but that the administration still expects “a healthy number of students
to attend the concert.”
While Jay Leno tickets sold to the general public cost $75 per person,
Bradley students only have to pay $20, more than three times less than the general admission ticket.
Epstein the reason Bradley made the price affordable for students
is “to encourage them to attend, and because our primary interest is serving students.”
Although Leno was ultimately
selected to perform at Homecoming, he wasn’t the only entertainer considered.
“A number of people were consulted,” Epstein said. “Leno’s interest and availability helped make the selection an enviable choice.”
Although some students may believe Leno is too outdated, the university insists the performance will be fun for all age groups.
“For the Homecoming concert, the university sought to invite a well-known, popular entertainer who would appeal to a wide variety
of interests and demographics,”
Epstein said. “Jay Leno fits that unique niche because of his long-time success on ‘The Tonight Show’ and his many sold-out stand-up comedy performances. I am confident that students who attend the concert will have a great time.”
