With heightened expectations coming off a solid 2005 campaign and many returning offensive starters, Cyclone fans have come in droves to buy their football season tickets for 2006, setting a new record.

The previous record was 27,707, set in 2005. As of Thursday, 30,319 season tickets had already been sold, said ISU Athletic Director Jamie Pollard.

“Our goal was to break the [previous] record of 27,707, and there wasn’t anything magical about 30,000 other than it was a round number,” Pollard said. “It is very symbolic for us that we were able to get that kind of increase, and we’re excited that the Cyclone fans stepped up and made it happen.”

The new record was reached partially because of the new south end zone seating opportunity, which added approximately 2,800 more seats.

A $99 season ticket price was set for the new seats, and those tickets sold out in less than a month. The seats were opened up by moving the band to the bleachers in the north end of the stadium, moving it closer to the student section. Other promotional packages offered this year also helped boost sales.

In addition to focusing on ticket sales, the athletic department has planned several renovations for Jack Trice Stadium in the next few years, including new club seating, luxury suites and the “horseshoeing” of the south end of the stadium.

The department hopes the renovations and additional seats – and consequently additional fans – will make the atmosphere better for an ISU football team that has struggled, at times, to defend its home turf in recent years.

The athletic department has also added more night games for the Cyclones, as many fans expressed that they wanted more home football games to be at night instead of during the day for various reasons.

“The switch to the night games makes it so we don’t have to get up as early,” said Nicholas Freml, freshman in construction engineering.

More night games also means more students and fans to partake in other activities.

“I like the switch because it gives us more time to tailgate,” said Andrew Thorne, freshman in history.

The Cyclones first three home games, versus Toledo, UNLV and Northern Iowa, will all be played at night. The last four home games, Nebraska, Texas Tech, Kansas and Missouri, could be night games depending on whether they get picked up by television or when the two teams agree to play.

Pollard said the games were moved for the fans’ benefit.

“The Toledo game that was switched from Saturday to the Thursday night before Labor Day weekend was so the student body could attend the game and then leave town,” he said. “The other games were switched [for] people that can’t make the afternoon games because of their kids’ activities and other reasons. Plus, the night atmosphere is more conducive to a great environment.”

Other resources:

– Buy Cyclone Football Tickets

-ÿOfficial Cyclone Football Website

-ÿFrom ISD: Football season ticket sales at Jack Trice Stadium reach an all-time record