With the raised expectations for the Ball State University football team has come an increase in the season tickets sold for the 2008 season compared to seasons passed.
On Monday Rob Richards, director of ticket operations for Ball State, said season tickets sales were up by a few hundred compared to last year at about 3,700 and that the number will rise as game day approaches. The ticket office fielded calls all last week and this week with people wanting to place an order, Richards said.
"Through the course of the summer I think people just begin to think more about football," he said. "June first they think more about football, July first they think more about football, August first they think more about football and then with seeing it in the newspaper and on TV that triggers the last minute shoppers."
In addition to the season ticket orders there have been quite a few three-game package orders. The three-game package orders are new this year and offer the buyer the choice of any three games for a cheaper price then ordering them separately. Richards said having a cheaper three-game option has helped sell a few hundred more tickets.
To further help increase ticket sales for the home and season opener, the Ball State marketing department has been busy promoting the game with ads spanning the media spectrum from TV and radio to the Internet and newspapers.
The marketing department will stay busy past kickoff with two pre-game events and a post-game firework display that fans can watch from inside the stadium. The game won't start until 7 p.m., but people will be able to begin tailgating at 4 p.m., with the band Virgin Millionaires performing live at 5:30 p.m., in the middle of Arby's Tailgate Town.
"The students and the general public can start [tailgating] the traditional three hours prior to the game, Associate Athletics Director Matt Wolfert said. "They can get over there have some fun and make their way across the street to the game." While sales have been up, one variable that no one will know until game time arrives is the student attendance. Student attendance last year ranged from around 1,000 to a record 7,885. However, if last season's home opener is any indication, there will be a full student section come Thursday night as the record of almost 8,000 was set when Ball State took on Miami University to begin the season.
"Students are a big part of that atmosphere," Richards said. "We get a lot out there and they make some noise; it really livens up the whole stadium, ... They can get the older season ticket holders more involved and draws them into the atmosphere."
Wolfert said the athletics marketing department will be around campus today and Thursday to make sure the students are aware the game is Thursday and is free to students.
"Thursday night game on, Ball State football versus Northeastern; we got to get some awareness out to the students," he said. "We'll be down at the Scramble Light, got to get the e-mail blast to the students, get the ad up on Facebook, do those kind of things."
One thing that could deter the student output is the opponent. Instead of last season's conference opponent, Miami, Ball State will play a Division I-AA school in Northeastern University that went 3-8 last year.
Despite the lack of a big name opponent for the season opener, Richards said, he expects a lot of students.
"We have traditionally drawn very well for those Thursday night games, especially with the students," he said. "... On average for a Thursday night game we get six to seven thousand. We've done better; we've done a little worse. But for this game I would hope we would get around 7,000. The more the merrier."
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