Gazette, The (Colorado Springs) - Season ticket best way to skip Notre Dame rush

The rush for Air Force football tickets to the Oklahoma game last season at Falcon Stadium was unprecedented. Some people standing in line that July morning when the individual tickets went on sale had to settle for a waiting list.

If you want to save yourself money, time and worry over that Notre Dame ticket this season, Air Force officials are urging fans to buy a season ticket now. The $160 price for the 2002 reserved season ticket saves the buyer $35 from the cost of purchasing each game ticket.

Tickets to Air Force’s home games this season will be $30 each for Notre Dame, Northwestern, Navy and Colorado State; and $25 each for Brigham Young, San Diego State and New Mexico.

You can’t buy just that Notre Dame ticket now. You won’t be able to purchase the ticket for that Oct.19 game in Falcon Stadium until July1. That’s when all tickets for any Air Force home football game will go on sale.

The highest-priced ticket for any game increased $5 - what was $25 is now $30 - from last season. Parking still is free.

“Tickets for that Oklahoma game were going for $200 to $300 on the Internet,” said Chris Peludat, Air Force ticket manager.

The demand for Notre Dame tickets likely will be heavier than the deluge from Oklahoma, which included Sooner fans buying season tickets just to see that Sept.1 game. A Falcon Stadium record of 56,162 was set as defending national champion Oklahoma won 44-3.

When the fans flocked to the Air Force ticket windows last July3 for the Oklahoma game, only 3,800 tickets were available. Some fans began lining up at midnight for the right to plunk down $25 per ticket with a limit of eight. The line of about 300 people when the ticket windows opened at 9a.m. stretched around Cadet Ice Arena.

Cadets, cadet parents and season-ticket holders were able to buy more tickets for that Oklahoma game before the public was able to buy. Oklahoma also got 6,000 tickets as its allotment. This year, Notre Dame will receive 5,000 tickets, which is the same number Notre Dame allots to Air Force when the teams play in South Bend, Ind.

Air Force officials said that they want to have ticket purchases also available on Air Force’s Web site on July1 besides at the ticket windows and over the telephone.

Homes throughout Colorado Springs, Pueblo and south Denver are receiving Air Force ticket brochures in the mail. About 250,000 brochures are being sent in an effort to boost the season tickets from 22,300 last year to at least 25,000 this year. Newspaper, TV and radio ads also are bombarding the region.

Another media blitz is set just before the July1 ticket sale.

Although Air Force officials are calling this their best home football schedule ever, none of the seven visiting teams - nor Air Force - is listed in the earliest preseason Top25 polls.

“It doesn’t matter if Notre Dame is 0-11, people will buy that ticket,” said Al McKellar, Air Force associate athletic director for marketing and development. “The best bargain is the season ticket.”

Falcon FanFest will be held again at the stadium before each home game with an added emphasis on Halloween night when Colorado State visits Falcon Stadium for an ESPN Thursday night telecast. Among the new promotions will be a Thursday evening tailgate at a local barbecue restaurant with free dinners, tickets and T-shirts.

McKellar also is working on a payroll deduction plan for season- ticket buyers and revised, glossier game programs.

- Tim Mimick may be reached at 636-0365 or tmim@gazette.com

2002 SCHEDULE

Aug. 31 - NORTHWESTERN

Sept. 7 - NEW MEXICO

Sept. 21 - at California

Sept. 28 - at Utah

Oct. 5 - NAVY

Oct. 12 - BRIGHAM YOUNG

Oct. 19 - NOTRE DAME

Oct. 26 - at Wyoming

Oct. 31 - COLORADO STATE

Nov. 9 - at Army

Nov. 16 - at UNLV

Nov. 23 - SAN DIEGO STATE

Season ticket cost: $160 reserved seats; $145 Air Force Academy Athletic Association preferred patron; $130 senior citizen; $120 family plan/adult and $80 family plan/youth; $85 Falcon Fanatics/ adult (end zone); $50 Falcon Fanatics/youth (end zone)

Seat license: None; AFAAA preferred patron pays $30 annual dues or $500 lifetime lump sum with ability to buy four prime seats each season and other benefits

Parking: Free

Game tickets: $30 for Colorado State, Navy, Northwestern and Notre Dame; $25 for Brigham Young, New Mexico and San Diego State.

2001 season tickets sold: 23,000

Ticket office: 472-1895, 1-800-666-USAF or AirForceSports.com