The NIU football team’s inaugural season in the Big West has brought more to the team than just the opportunity to win a bowl bid.

Along with the conference affiliation and the opportunity to play with the pigskin in late December, has come a dramatic increase in the Huskies season ticket sales.

“Big West affiliation has helped our season ticket base, and the fans know, come October 23, that the game will mean something know matter what the non-conference record is, because we will be going after a bowl birth”, ticket manager Norm Jenkins said, “It does great things for your attendance”.

The Huskies have averaged crowds of 14,000 in years past for home games.

Ticket sales are expected to do better than years past due to the increase in season ticket sales, a 90 to 95 percent retention of season ticket holders, and a team that many people feel should break out of its shell soon.

“It is coach Sadler’s third year and people perceive that the program is on the way up. That has given season ticket sales a boost,” Jenkins said.

The Huskies have gotten off to a disappointing 0-2 start but it is not expected to affect attendance.

“You think it will definitely affect attendance, student more so than paid attendance, but the season is too young for people to give up on the team.”

This weekend’s game against Arkansas State is expected to draw big numbers.

It is the annual Business Agriculture game, traditionally one of the biggest weekends of the fall for ticket sales. Companies rent out tents, tailgating festivities are everywhere, and the ticket office has sold between 1,800 and 2,000 group tickets for this year’s game.

“We try and market to companies to bring big groups out to the game,” Jenkins said. “We are not anticipating a sellout for this weekend, but a big part of our business is done on game day, in the form of walk up sales.”

The ticket box opens at 3:00, so if you don’t have you’re tickets to this weekend’s game don’t panic.

Students remember that admission is free with the presentation of a current University I.D., so come on out to the game this weekend and root the Huskies on to victory.

Also don’t forget that the first 1,000 students admitted in the game will receive a LeShon Johnson replica cowboy hat.

Kick off is at 6:35, Saturday night. There are also no alcoholic beverages allowed into the student section during the game.