The ISU athletic department announced Tuesday evening, June 19, 2012, that it had sold out the All Sports Package for student tickets, which was the only way for students to obtain season tickets for men’s basketball.

For the 2011-12 season, students had the opportunity to purchase men’s basketball season tickets individually without getting tickets to other sporting events. But after only 50 students purchased the individual plan, of which 30 were ISU pep band members that play during home games at Hilton, the athletic department created a new plan.

In order to get men’s basketball tickets for the upcoming 2012-13 season, students needed to order the All Sports Package, which is a bundle that includes season tickets to football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics for $249.

In addition to selling men’s basketball tickets as part of the All Sports Package, the athletic department also decided to oversell tickets for the games at Hilton Coliseum.

“We worked with our student advisory group on a plan this year to oversell men’s basketball tickets, similar to what the University of Kansas does with their student body,” said ISU Athletic Director Jamie Pollard. “We did this to try and get more students at men’s basketball games.”

While Hilton holds 2,500 seats for students, Pollard said with the now sold out plan, the athletic department sold 3,500 student tickets for the 2012-13 men’s basketball season.

“There are 2,500 tickets in the student section. Last year, on average, less than 50 percent of the students used their tickets,” Pollard said. “By overselling the tickets we do run the risk of that for certain games some students will not be able to gain admittance to Hilton, although we do not anticipate that being very often.”

Tuesday evening, the ISU athletic department announced that the All Sports Package was sold out. ISU men’s basketball season tickets are now sold out as they cannot be purchased outside of that package.

While some students, especially incoming freshmen, may not have had the opportunity to purchase the plan, Pollard said the demand shows the excitement in Cyclone athletics.

“It is great that the demand for tickets exceeds the supply — that is a great problem to have,” Pollard said. “Freshmen can still purchase season football tickets and I am sure find a way to purchase basketball tickets from other students during the year that are not able to attend all the games.”

Students can purchase football student tickets for $125 or the other sports bundle, for admittance into women’s basketball, volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics, for $30.

Pollard said the capacity of football student tickets for games at Jack Trice Stadium is 7,900, and said students are encouraged to act now before those sell out too.

“We still have student football tickets available, but I would encourage students that are interested to purchase them soon or they will sell out as well,” Pollard said.

The pace of the men’s basketball tickets selling out beats last year’s record when the tickets sold out in July 2011. The record pace is in part due to an expected large incoming class, as well as a bowl appearance from the football team and an NCAA Tournament appearance in men’s basketball.

Pollard said the athletic department is happy to see that students are excited for the upcoming athletic year.

“We are very excited that our student body supports our athletic program. We look forward to also selling out the football season tickets,” Pollard said. “It is a great sign of the excitement the students have for the coming season.”