If ticket sales are any indication,
enthusiasm is off the charts for
first-year head coach Dan Mullen’s
Bulldogs.
Student ticket sales started
with a bang last Monday morning
in the Union, with long lines
that moved surprisingly fast. By
the end of the day, over 3,800
had been sold. Sales at the Bryan
Athletic Building started slower,
but reached over 3,100. By the
end of the first day, 7,003 had
been sold. It was a new record for
first-day sales.
By closing on Friday, student
sales had reached 10,499, leaving
only 501 season tickets remaining
one week before the season begins
on Sept. 5.
Combined with non-student
season tickets, the overall total of
40,569 exceeds Mullen’s goal of
40,000 and shatters the old record
of 38,440 set in 2001 – with
the rest of this week left to go.
Athletic officials project the maximum
number of student tickets
available will be sold by the end
of the week.
“With sales like they are, we
think we might hit 11,000 before
the Jackson State game,” John
King, assistant athletic director
for ticket operations, said. “The
enthusiasm of Coach Mullen certainly
plays a role, plus it’s such a
good home schedule.”
Earlier this month, King
announced no more individual
tickets remained for the Florida
game, and the only way to see
the No. 1-ranked team play in
Starkville will be by purchasing
one of the remaining season ticket
packages. For students, those are
quickly disappearing.
“Now we move to the next goal,
which is making sure everyone
gets to the stadium and makes it
as loud as possible,” Mullen said.
That should not be a problem,
according to Vanessa King, who
along with Jan Peacock, has been
selling tickets in the Union.
“The students were so excited,
with the teams coming in
to Starkville this season, and the
Union location was just so convenient,”
Vanessa said.
She credited the technology
used, saying it allowed them to
process so many tickets on the
first day.
“I told them it takes longer to
get your ID out than it takes us
to give you your tickets,” she said.
“The biggest delay that first day
was waiting for them to dig out
their IDs.”
Students missing their IDs or
who have holds could still get
their tickets quickly.
Vanessa said it would take only
about 10 minutes to walk to Allen,
get a new ID and come back. She
said out of thousands, there had
been only a single complaint, one
from a student whose card was
in poor condition and could not
be read.
Most holds could be cleared up
in about 30 minutes, she said.
“One thing that was really
good for the university is that
kids are getting their holds taken
care of, getting their IDs fixed or
replaced,” Vanessa said. “They’ll
need them to get into basketball
and baseball anyway, so this is a
win-win for everybody.”
Alyssa Warrick, history graduate
student, said the process was
smooth. She said at $35 for seven
games, the price is right for students.
“Five bucks for SEC football is
a bargain, especially considering
the teams the Bulldogs will be
hosting,” Warrick said.
Last year, the MSU Student
Association Senate unanimously
passed a $2-per-game ticket price
increase, which kept MSU tied for
the cheapest student tickets in the
conference. If all 11,000 student
tickets sale, which is likely; MSU
athletics stands to gain $154,000
in additional funds.
Duncan McKenzie, associate
athletic director for internal operations,
said $15 to $20,000 of the
gains are earmarked for tracking
software, which will allow the SA
to keep tabs on student support of
athletic events.
This week is the last-call for student
tickets. As of 5 p.m. Monday,
240 student tickets remained.
Students wishing to see the
debut of Mullen’s spread offense
should hurry to the Union or
Bryan Building before they are
gone.
“As long as tickets are available,
we’ll be in the Union selling
them,” said Vanessa.