August 24, 2006
TO:
Fans, Friends, and Supporters of LSU Athletics
FROM:
Skip Bertman, Athletics Director
The final days leading up to every football season make for an atmosphere of electricity and
anticipation in South Louisiana. There is hope in the air and a level of expectation that is
fostered in great part by the rich tradition of LSU football.
Interest in LSU football is at an all-time high. Coming off of the winningest five-year stretch in
the history of Tiger football, a record-setting 67,800 season tickets have been sold for the 2006
campaign.
The demand for road game tickets is also at an all-time high. We received over 10,000 ticket
orders for our games at Auburn and Tennessee, over 8,000 for the game at Florida and over
6,000 for the Arkansas game in Little Rock. This kind of participation by LSU fans for road
games helps to continue to make the Tigers attractive to bowl representatives at the end of the
season. Thank you for your continued support.
The sport of basketball is still on the minds of LSU fans in the aftermath of our two Final Four
appearances. The men’s and women’s basketball teams have gained nearly 300 new season
ticket holders each during the summer months, and more are sure to sign on in the months and
weeks leading up to the 2006-07 seasons.
This participation by LSU fans is critical to the success of our athletics program. Ticket
purchases and Tradition Fund donations associated with tickets account for over 55 percent of
the operating budget for LSU Athletics. Your purchase of tickets – in every sport – helps keep
LSU’s student-athletes competitive in the Southeastern Conference and on a national level.
I will update you more in the coming weeks about how LSU Athletics is funded and where your
ticket money goes. But until then, get ready for another year of LSU football, the 75th year of
football under the lights in Tiger Stadium.
TIGER FOOTBALL – GAME-BY-GAME
Here are some tidbits about the coming LSU football season that may be of interest to you.
The LSU vs. Louisiana-Lafayette season opener will be carried on TigerVision, LSU’s pay-perview network. Contact your local cable provider for details on how to subscribe … the Arizona
game will feature a reunion of all former LSU football lettermen. Nearly 300 former Tigers have
indicated they plan to attend this year’s reunion. We will also honor LSU’s track and field
champions at this game … the Tulane game is Homecoming, and we will soon announce more
festivities surrounding that game … the Mississippi State game will be our annual Gold Game.
It will be the first SEC home game of the year and we are asking fans to wear gold to light up the
stadium.
During the Kentucky game we will honor the women’s basketball Final Four team … the Fresno
State game will be the annual Band Alumni Game … the Alabama game is the annual LSU
Salutes game in which we honor our military history. We will also salute the men’s basketball
Final Four team at that game … Ole Miss will be Senior Day, and the day we recognize our 20year TAF members.
Three games have been confirmed for network television this season. The Arizona game will be
on ESPN2 at 5:30 p.m. Central time, LSU’s game at Auburn will be on CBS at 2:30 p.m. Central
time, and the Tigers’ game at Arkansas will be carried by CBS at 1:30 p.m. Central. We
anticipate that the Fresno State game may be carried by ESPN, but that has not yet been
confirmed, and the Tulane game will likely be carried on TigerVision.
THE LSU STUDENT UNION ON GAME DAYS
For those of you who park at or near The LSU Union on football weekends, please be aware that
a $41.5 million renovation of The Union will begin in the fall of 2006. The Union parking lot
will be blocked off as a construction staging area as early as September 1. The Memorial Oak
Grove will also be fenced off to protect the trees during construction. The Union will maintain
all current services with the exception of bowling and billiards throughout the renovation. LSU
Dining and the LSU Bookstore will maintain special hours on football game days. The building
may be inaccessible from the south but the entrances facing the Parade Ground will be open to
the public.
OTHER FOOTBALL NEWS
Our contractor is working long hours to get the west stadium parking lot (known as “Lot A”)
ready for the season opener. To avoid late afternoon rains, concrete is being poured as early as 3
a.m. daily. Barring continued severe inclement weather, this lot should be ready for use on
September 2. You will see a new promenade that has been created as a walkway from Nicholson
Drive to the west side of the stadium, and in the near future you will see all new landscaping to
make the front of Tiger Stadium more attractive.
Construction has continued throughout the summer on the west side renovation of Tiger
Stadium. The west side is very near completion, and only those fans sitting in the club sections
should see a few minor incomplete details.
All in all, I believe you will be proud of Tiger Stadium. With an all-new field, new seating on
the west lower bowl to complete the sideline seat replacement project, and the improvements to
the west upper deck, Tiger Stadium looks the best it has looked in many, many years.
We welcome your comments, so write to us at LSUvision@etigers.net. Although we cannot
promise a response to every e-mail we receive, please be assured that every letter will be read.
Thank you for your continued support of Tiger Athletics.