Get 'em while you can

The last 700 seats available for season purchase for UCLA men’s basketball games in Pauley Pavilion went on sale this weekend in the first-ever "Select-A-Seat" program that opened to the public today at noon.

It was actually the third day in a row that the Bruin Athletic Department’s marketing staff met with basketball season ticket holders at Pauley Pavilion. Current season-seat holders who are also donors to the Wooden Athletic Fund were invited to visit on Friday and season-ticket holders who are not donors were welcomed on Saturday. By the time Gate 1 at Pauley Pavilion was opened today for the Select-A-Seat program, 500 tickets remained, all on the upper level (300s) and mostly behind the basket in sections 308 and 309.

Season seats in the upper level were priced at $567 each, but some also required a donation of $850 to the Wooden Athletic Fund. About 400 seats remained available at the end of the event.

The first man in line asked not to be identified, but showed up at 9:30 a.m. and was first to register for four tickets in section 301. Asked why he came so early and bought so quickly, he noted that he’s been attending Bruin homes games for 43 years and then explained, "UCLA is back.

"It’s back to the way it was under the Wizard [John Wooden] as far as I am concerned. We have a man [Ben Howland] who can coach and who is a great recruiter.

"I’m disturbed to see empty seats [at UCLA home games], especially with the type of team that we will have on the floor this season. Eventually, it’s going to be like is was with the Wizard; it’s going to be impossible to get a seat for any game. That’s why I had to come early."

Joy and Cyndi Cruz from West Hills (pictured) came to buy season tickets again after having given them up during the Lavin Era. "The team is back and so we’re back," said Cyndi. They’ll be in section 316 for the coming season.

UCLA officials indicated that the maximum number of season tickets which can be sold is about 10,000, leaving aside student tickets and those reserved for visiting teams.

Fans wanting to buy floor-level or mid-level seats are now required to make a $5,500 donation to the Wooden Athletic Fund, up from $3,500 when the initial season-ticket sales brochure was distributed in June.

Comments

[Phil]

Homeboy really needs to take off that "CalPoly" t-shirt..