Seton Hall basketball fans will now get the chance to root for the Pirates for free thanks to the "First Timers" program.
All that is needed for this program for fans to present a valid New Jersey driver's license and fans get two free tickets for a one time deal. To get the free tickets, one must register on the Seton Hall website and follow the instructions.
"The idea stemmed from our associate athletic director for development and external affairs, Bryan Felt, who first saw the National Hockey League's Florida Panthers had done something similar in a previous season," Kelly O'Neil, assistant athletic director for marketing and promotions, said.
"Obviously our business is all about researching other schools and professional teams to keep abreast of what they are doing to sell more tickets and engage more fans," she added.
"This First Timers program is an example of Seton Hall doing just that and making changes to an idea to fit what we are trying to accomplish," according to O'Neil.
The success for this program has not gone unnoticed. According to O'Neil, the program has already received great support.
"The numbers of first timers continue to increase as more and more people see the advertisements online and in various New Jersey newspapers and other publications," she said. "We do anticipate this to be a successful event, and we hope people enjoy their experience when they come to a game and decide that they want to return for more."
Sophomore Matthew Ullrich said he thinks that this is a great step forward for Seton Hall.
"I think that it is a good short-term plan. It will get people interested in going to one game at least," Ullrich said. "Yes, there will be people that like the game and come back on their own. However, I believe they would need to add onto the plan to get students interested in it for the long haul."
This program will end Wednesday, Jan. 23 when the Pirates host the University of Southern Florida.
Justin Geringer can be reached at justin.geringer@student.shu.edu.
