Long Beach State will not need to promote a Greek Night, or any other gimmick, to pack the Walter Pyramid for the men’s basketball season opener Nov. 13. Instead, the product on the court has sold itself.
The 49ers will host San Diego State, ranked 25th in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25 Poll, in the Homecoming game.
“It’s going a lot faster than we thought,” Dedan Brozino, LBSU director of marketing and corporate sponsorships, said Wednesday. “About 800 to 1,000 tickets went to San Diego State and we actually had to cap it off because we didn’t want to sell that many more — so it’s not going to be a bipartisan crowd. [SDSU] is going to travel well, which is nice.
“As of today, 200 seats are left. Standing-room only tickets will be sold on game day.”
While tickets for LBSU students with ID cards are free and set aside for every home game, Brozino said they might not be assured a spot in Section 111, which is designated for the Maniacs student cheering section.
“Even though there’s going to be a tailgate going on outside,” Brozino said, “the students are encouraged to get there early. Allocated right now, we have about 700 student seats. The rest will be given standing-room only tickets.”
Brozino said SDSU could be bringing its student section, as well, and is prepared to challenge the Maniacs to “come out and represent.”
Last season, the highest attendance total for a men’s home game was 4,806 fans for LBSU’s six-point loss to Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 4. It was the fifth-highest attended men’s game in the history of the Pyramid.
The all-time record for a men’s basketball game at the Pyramid is 5,021 fans in 1994 for the building’s first basketball game. Misty May and the 1998 LBSU women’s volleyball team attracted 5,118 to set the Pyramid record.
“We could approach that,” Brozino said. “It’s hard to predict something like that. I wouldn’t say it’s too far out of reach with the ranking and locality of the opponent.
“I’m not worried about the attendance number, I’m more worried about creating a memorable atmosphere for our fans and students, which is what our campus and community deserves. Breaking a record would be great, but record or not, it could be a tremendous day with an upset on the hardwood.”
Last season’s Homecoming victory over Division II Alaska-Anchorage drew 4,122 fans.
Brozino said a release will be made next week about the number of tickets still available and parking suggestions since Lot 13 in front of the Pyramid will be closed for Homecoming festivities.
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