Aug. 28, 2006

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State Athletics Department officials reported Monday, Aug. 28 that football season-ticket sales have exceeded 60,000 for the second year in a row and just the fifth time in school history and as a result, season-ticket sales have been suspended for both the general public and MSU students.

The MSU Athletics Department Ticket Office reports that 61,227 football season tickets have been sold - the second-highest total in MSU history. That figure reflects an increase in the demand for student season tickets with 12,722 sold, an increase of 685 from 2005. It marks the highest number of student season tickets purchased since 1991 (13,360). Since the late 1990s, the MSU Athletics Department had allocated approximately 10,500 football season tickets for students. In 2005, MSU Athletics Director Ron Mason approved measures to meet the increased ticket demand from the student body.

Spartan football season-ticket sales topped the 60,000 mark for three straight years from 1999-2001, with an all-time record 61,479 season tickets purchased in 2000.

Michigan State has played 45 consecutive home games before crowds in excess of 72,000. The Spartans have ranked among the NCAA's top 20 in attendance each of the last 50 years, including No. 20 in 2005, averaging 75,183 fans per game.

With the addition of suites and club seats prior to the 2005 season, the current stadium capacity is listed at 75,005.

"This football season-ticket sales report only reinforces the fact that Michigan State has great, loyal fans," Mason said. "We deeply appreciate their support. As the 2006 season approaches, the Athletic Department's primary focus is customer service because our fans deserve a first-class game-day experience."

"There's an electricity in the air as the 2006 season approaches," Spartan head coach John L. Smith said. "For the last three years, we've invested a lot of time, effort and energy into building a foundation for this football program, and our fans are about to be rewarded for their patience."

Two Michigan State home games already are sold out: Sept. 23 against Notre Dame and Oct. 14 against Ohio State. Singe-game tickets - priced at $46 - are available for five Spartan home games, including the Sept. 2 season opener against Idaho, Sept. 9 against Eastern Michigan, Sept. 30 against Illinois (Homecoming), Nov. 4 against Purdue and Nov. 11 against Minnesota.

Fans may order tickets online at msuspartans.com (click "tickets" and proceed to the Spartan Online Ticket Office) or by calling the MSU Athletics Department Ticket Office, locally at 355-1610 or outside the Lansing area at 1-800-GO-STATE. The Jenison Field House Ticket Office is open weekdays from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

All-Time Football Season-Ticket Sales
Rank	Season		Tickets Sold
1.	2000		61,479
2.	2006		61,227
3.	2001		61,198
4.	2005		60,692
5.	1999		60,109