Wednesday Bulldog Update - 5/19/10
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bulldog-club@athletics.msstate.edu
A VERY BUSY WEEK IN OUR TICKET OFFICE
You kept our athletic ticket office personnel awfully busy last week, and the football season ticket numbers show it. As we have reported in this column during the last month or so, this past Friday was our priority season ticket deadline. And what a tremendous response we had!
We sold 5,555 football season tickets last week alone, moving our season ticket number over 25,000, nearly a 19 percent growth in season ticket sales from the same time a year ago. We are now within about 4,600 season tickets of our school-record total from last year. Additionally, John King, our athletic ticket office director, reports that he has partial payments on almost 2,000 more season tickets, a total not counted in the above number.
We sold 40,901 season tickets last year, a total that included a sold-out student section of 11,000 seats. With a substantial increase in student enrollment this fall, it is anticipated that our students will easily reach that 11,000 figure again this year.
Despite last Friday's priority ticket deadline, you may still order season tickets - even if you are a Bulldog Club member. John and his crew will process all of the season ticket orders we have on hand and seat the individuals who have responded by the deadline.
After those orders have been filled, Bulldog Club members may still utilize their donor priority and exercise their membership privileges in seat location, but only if seating inventory remains in that priority area. And please remember an item we addressed a few times last fall. Pursuant to Southeastern Conference regulations, everyone must have a ticket to enter a competition facility this year. In the past, we have had some flexibility in admitting babies without a ticket. This will no longer be the case. We appreciate your understanding as we adhere to the league policy.
In addition to the full-priced season ticket package and the discounted season ticket option (Top Dog) in the east side upper deck, we are also offering a flex plan season ticket for just $75. That three-game package includes a ticket for SEC opponent Georgia, as well as one for in-state rival Alcorn State, and then you pick one from season-opener Memphis, homecoming opponent UAB, or SEC foes Kentucky and Arkansas.
Call 1-888-GO-DAWGS or log on to MStateAthletics.com/tickets to order your tickets today.
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STAY WITH THE BULLDOGS ON THE ROAD
Coach Dan Mullen and his Bulldogs would love for you to greet them when they arrive at their team hotel on the road again this season and stay with us, pending hotel availability. The Bulldogs will headquarter at the Crown Plaza Baton Rouge (4728 Constitution Avenue; 225-925-2244) for the LSU game, Houston Marriott South Hotel at Hobby Airport (9100 Gulf Freeway; 713-943-7979) when we play Houston, and the Hilton Ocala (3600 SW 36th Avenue; 352-854-1400) when we journey to Florida.
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LOOKING FOR A WAY TO FLORIDA? READ ON...
If you are interested in making a one-day trip out of the game in Florida, Total Sports Travel, the official away game partner of Mississippi State athletics, has the solution. A one-day, round-trip charter flight will depart Jackson, Miss., via AirTran - the same charter company that services the Bulldog football team - and arrive in Gainesville, Fla., in time for the ball game. Total Sports will even transport you to and from the stadium. Call 1-888-367-8781 for more information.
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JOIN ME, COACH MULLEN AND HIS STAFF ON THE COAST
Join Coach Mullen, the entire football coaching staff and myself at the second annual Salty Dawgs Rally, Saturday, May 22, at The Dock Bar & Grill (1234 Seaway Road; 228-276-1500) at 7 p.m.
Reservations are accepted by email only to SaltyDawgs@hotmail.com. General admission tickets and event sponsor passes are available. Reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
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POWERS NAMED FINALIST FOR FERRISS TROPHY
Congratulations go out to first baseman Connor Powers for being selected as a finalist for the 2010 Cellular South Ferriss Trophy, given annually to the state of Mississippi's top baseball player. The winner is chosen based upon a vote of a panel of professional baseball scouts, collegiate head coaches, and a state media representative. The award will be presented Monday, May 24, at 6:30 p.m. in Cleveland, Miss., hometown of legendary Mississippi State and Boston Red Sox pitcher Boo Ferriss.
Powers' selection as a finalist for the award puts us in the unique position of being able to sweep all four major state-wide trophies presented in connection with the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in Jackson. Anthony Dixon won the Conerly Trophy in football, while Alexis Rack and Jarvis Varnado swept the Gillom and Howell Trophies, respectively.
Tickets can be ordered for the event at 1-800-280-FAME (3263).
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BASKETBALL ENHANCEMENT FUND TO BEGIN FOR 2010-11
After unanimous approval by the Bulldog Club Board of Directors in April, the Bulldog Club will create a new Basketball Enhancement Fund, set to begin this coming basketball season. This fund will be used to generate a budget specific to maintenance and upgrades to our basketball facilities. This fund calls for an additional per-seat donation to be assigned to lower-level seats in the coliseum for men's basketball.
Beginning with the 2010-11 season, Bulldog Club members who select lower level seats during seat selection for season tickets will be required to make this additional financial commitment. The per-seat charge will range from $150 to $500 per seat based on location. Members are free to choose their seats in any available location regardless of the added commitment. There will be no fees associated with upper-level seating in the arena. The Bulldog Club expects this fund to generate an additional $2.5 million over a 5-year period, all of which would be designated for Humphrey Coliseum.
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MISSISSIPPI STATE HOME SPORTS SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
Our competitive home schedule is finished for the 2009-10 school year. Thanks to all of you who showed up and supported the Bulldogs on campus this year.
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FRIDAY IS A DAY FOR MAROON...
Are you in the maroon?
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We appreciate what you do for Mississippi State Athletics and want to encourage you to get others involved. There are three things you can do to help the athletic department at Mississippi State reach its desired goals -
1. Buy Season Tickets
2. Financially Support the Bulldog Club
3. Get Others To Do The Same
Thanks for taking the time to read this Update.
Go Dawgs!
Scott Stricklin