UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., July 17, 2007 -– Unprecedented demand for Penn State
season tickets has another Nittany Lion football season nearing a complete
sellout, on the heels of record-setting totals for public and student season
tickets and Nittany Lion Club membership.
With more than 93,500 season tickets accounted for and student and Nittany Lion
Club ticket sales hitting record high numbers in record times, Penn State
fans have assured that Beaver Stadium will again host some of the largest
football crowds in the nation this fall.
The tremendous demand for tickets to watch the Nittany Lions has resulted in
sellouts of three Big Ten home games, as well as the contest with Notre Dame
(Sept. 8, 6:00 p.m.). Tickets have been exhausted for Penn
State's conference home games with Iowa (Oct. 6), Wisconsin
(Oct. 13-Homecoming, 3:30 p.m.) and Ohio
State (Oct. 27, 8:00
p.m.). Tickets are close to exhausted for the Senior Day clash with Purdue on
Nov. 3.
A limited number of tickets also remain for the Sept. 1 season opener with
Florida International (12:00 p.m.) and the Sept. 15 contest with Buffalo (12:00 p.m.).
Penn State
also holds single game tickets for the opposing team’s fans.
Any remaining single game tickets will be on sale exclusively online at www.gopsusports.com at 5:00 p.m. on Friday,
July 27. Phone orders, counter and group sales will take place only if tickets
remain as of August 5. Phone and counter sales will begin Monday, August 6 at
10:00 a.m. if tickets remain. The numbers to call are: 814-865-5555 or
800-863-3336 weekdays from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Fewer than 200 club seats remain for the 2007 season. For information on club
seats, interested fans can call Bob White at 1-800-NITTANY
(1-800-648-8269).
Bud Meredith, Director of Ticket Operations, reported that an all-time high of
99 percent of current season ticket holders renewed their seats for the 2007
season.
The anticipation of the upcoming season has also resulted in a strong demand
for tickets to the Nittany Lions' five away games. Penn
State's allotment for the Sept. 22
clash at Michigan
is sold out. Tickets remain for three of Penn
State's Big Ten away games -- Illinois (Sept. 29), Indiana
(Oct. 20) and Michigan State (Nov. 17) – as
well as the Nov. 10 contest against Temple
at Lincoln Financial Field. Phone orders and counter sales for all three games
will begin August 6 at 10:00 a.m.
The Nittany Lion Club, which surpassed 21,000 members for the first time
earlier this year, is rapidly approaching 23,000 members to continue its double
digit growth, according to Joe Battista, Executive Director of the Nittany Lion
Club.
Battista reported that the Nittany Lion Club added more than 2,200 new members
during the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2007. The NLC had a record high of
22, 818 members at the end of fiscal 2007. There were 18,373 NLC members at the
end of fiscal 2005, an increase of 20 percent over the last two years.
Season ticket requests for new members, and additional seats requested for
current members, will exceed tickets available by approximately 6,000 for the
2007 football season.
The excitement for the 2007 football season pushed Penn State
season tickets beyond 90,000 for the second consecutive year in Beaver Stadium,
which has a capacity of 107,282, second-largest in the nation. Penn State
students sold out their 21,000-plus season tickets in a record 59 minutes last
month.
Joe Paterno’s 42nd Penn
State team returns 33
letterwinners and 15 starters for the 2007 season. The Nittany Lions have a
blockbuster home schedule that includes five bowl teams from 2006.
