Oct. 5, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA.; OCT. 5, 2011 - Penn State Athletics has entered into a partnership with IMG College Ticket Solutions to have a full-time staff focused on the sale of Nittany Lion event tickets, including men's and women's basketball, as well as other sports requiring paid admission.Penn State is one of four recent schools to partner with IMG to maximize sales and enhance communication and service with customers. Penn State, Syracuse, Richmond and UNLV joined a growing number of institutions partnering with IMG College Ticket Solutions, including Duke, Tennessee, Temple and UNLV.
"We're looking forward to this partnership with IMG College Ticket Solutions and really enhancing our continued commitment and focus on providing top level customer service to all Penn State fans," said Greg Myford, Penn State Associate Athletic Director for Business Relations and Communications. "IMG has a track record of great success on campuses across the nation, and we're confident that working together we can have an immediate impact on getting more Nittany Lion fans to more games more often."
Penn State, which annually ranks among the nation's leaders in football attendance, has partnered with IMG to maximize the sale of tickets in football, men's and women's basketball and the new varsity men's and women's ice hockey programs which begin varsity play next year and will open Pegula Ice Arena in 2013-14.
"We see a lot of similarities at Penn State to what we have at Tennessee," said Mark Dyer, a senior vice president who oversees IMG College's ancillary businesses like licensing, ticketing and seating solutions. "They've got a great fan base, a great alumni base and a very strong tradition to work from."
IMG College has hired a general manager and will begin with a staff of five additional sales associates at Penn State. Those IMG College employees will be embedded in the athletic department and serve as its representatives. Brad Sexton, the new general manager at Penn State, has experience launching ticket sales operations at both Central Florida and South Alabama. The official start date for the new sales team will be Monday, October 17, and they will be temporarily located inside of the Beaver Stadium box office.
Both Nittany Lion and Lady Lion basketball teams reached the NCAA Tournament last season. The Nittany Lion program has been energized by new head coach Patrick Chambers, a Philadelphia native who guided Boston University to an America East Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance last year and helped build Villanova into a 2009 NCAA Final Four participant while serving as the Wildcat's associate head coach to Jay Wright. The Lady Lion program, under the direction of fifth-year head coach Coquese Washington, returns four starters and has been ranked among the top 15 teams in the nation in preseason polls.
Basketball season tickets are available by calling 814-865-5555 or by filling out an application at GoPSUsports.com/tickets. Season tickets for Nittany Lion Basketball are $200 for adults, $170 for faculty/staff and seniors, $80 for youth (18 and under) and $59 for students. Lady Lion Basketball season tickets are $117 for adults, $91 for faculty/staff and seniors and $52 for youth. Penn State students will be admitted for free to Lady Lion basketball games beginning this season.
PNC Flex Books are also available again this year for $99. The Flex Book gives fans 12 vouchers, 10 that can be redeemed in any combination for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion Basketball tickets throughout the year and two extra vouchers for the Nittany Lions' Coaches Vs. Cancer game on Feb. 11 vs. Nebraska and the Lady Lions' Think Pink game on Feb. 26 vs. Minnesota.
For all the latest information, notes, pictures and related links on Penn State basketball follow Associate Athletic Communications Director Brian Siegrist on Twitter (@PSUSTRETCH) and check GoPSUsports.com. The Nittany Lions are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstatebasketball.
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