The university athletic department's most recent football promotion may go unused. Assuming the Cardinals -- behind new head coach Brady Hoke -- can get fans on their feet cheering, that is.
This upcoming football season, the athletic department is offering a new service that allows season-ticket purchasers to have a Cardinal seatback attached to their assigned place for all home games.
According to Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham, the seatbacks are a way of thanking Ball State supporters, and he hopes the seats will bring more people out to the games.
"We did it to try to encourage fans to be there and be comfortable," Cunningham said.
The seatbacks are made of red waterproof vinyl and offer a two-inch thick seat cushion. Ball State's cardinal logo is featured on the backs.
"It is a spirit-oriented item because of the color and the cardinal logo," assistant ticket manager Rob Richards said. "It is definitely a nice seat."
Each seatback costs $30 to lease for the season. Last season, about 4,000 season tickets were sold, so the athletic department could take in a good deal of money from the promotion if it takes off in popularity. This is not a move motivated to make money, though, Cunningham said.
"If we could make a few thousand dollars from it that would be great, but it is really more of a service to the fans," Cunningham said.
Only season-ticket holders will be able to have the seatbacks this season. Fans who purchase single-game tickets will not be able to lease the seatbacks.
"It is a benefit to the season ticket holders," Richards said. "We are encouraging people to purchase season tickets, and one of the perks is the opportunity to rent these seatbacks."
As always, fans will be able to bring their own stadium seats, which are sold at most sporting goods stores. Even with this other option, Richards is confident that people will lease the seatbacks because they are less hassle for the fans.
"It will already be there," Richards said. "It is a convenience factor not to have to bring it with you."
So far, not many of the Cardinal seatbacks have been sold, but the athletic department expects sales to pick up once more people have purchased season tickets.
"We just sent out our season ticket renewal forms a few weeks ago, so we don't really know how many we will sell this year," Richards said. "We get a good few back every day ... and we'll keep selling season tickets up until the first home game."
Season tickets and Cardinal seatbacks can be purchased at the Worthen Arena Ticket Office.
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