University of Connecticut Athletics
2006 BIG EAST Women's Basketball Ticket Package Price Reduced
9/7/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
"After thorough analysis of feedback from the public, the Conference acknowledges it may have misjudged the marketplace in pricing the ticket package in the last two years," said BIG EAST Commissioner Michael Tranghese. "We know that this market's fan base is tops in terms of supporting women's basketball. We are respectful of the community's ongoing loyalty and we have responded. It is our sincere hope that the affordable new price will be a catalyst to sell out this outstanding event."
The BIG EAST has continued to lead all conferences in overall tournament attendance, but aspires to maximize advance ticket package sales. When the move was made to the off-campus venue in 2004, the league's Directors of Athletics had a vision of developing the Hartford Civic Center and Hartford, Conn. as the permanent home for the BIG EAST Women's Basketball Championship - similar to what Madison Square Garden and New York City have been to the BIG EAST Men's Basketball Championship.
The $99.00 ticket package is discounted one third of the face value. The average ticket price for each of the six sessions is $16.50 and for each of the 11 games is $9.00. The individual session prices remain the same as the 2004 and 2005 events (Sessions 1 & 2/First Round - $20 per session; Sessions 3 & 4/Quarterfinals - $25 per session; Sessions 5 & 6/Semifinals & Final - $30 per session).
The 2004 tournament ticket package was priced at $150.00. The 2005 tournament package price was $150.00, but if purchased by January 14, there was a $25.00 discount, decreasing the price to $125.00.
The BIG EAST Women's Basketball Championship will return to the Hartford Civic Center for the third straight year in 2006. The four-day event will be held from March 4-7. The BIG EAST's top 12 teams will battle for the conference title and the champion will earn the league's automatic bid to the 64-team NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship.
The BIG EAST is the largest and most diverse Division I conference in the country. It was formed in 1979 and represents the athletic interests of 16 member institutions including the University of Cincinnati, University of Connecticut, DePaul University, Georgetown University, University of Louisville, Marquette University, University of Notre Dame, University of Pittsburgh, Providence College, Rutgers University, St. John's University, Seton Hall University, University of South Florida, Syracuse University, Villanova University and West Virginia University. The BIG EAST Conference has captured 25 national championships in six different sports and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series. For more information on the Conference and its membership, please visit www.bigeast.org.
