The Notre Dame Alumni Association's first online ticket sale for this weekend's game against Purdue lasted only three minutes.
More than 300 tickets were sold in that time period to nearly 125 students, Brad Goff, business manager for the Association, said.
"That was how in demand tickets were for this game," he said.
The Association sent out an e-mail to students through the Registrar's Office notifying students of the sale. The e-mail asked students to register for the Association's Web site, Irish Online, to ensure they would be able to access the sale.
"This is the first time we've had an online ticket sale for students," Goff said.
The Association decided to sell tickets online after student phone calls to the office showed demand. However, there was surprise at how quickly the tickets flew off the shelves Tuesday afternoon.
"I don't think anyone would have imagined they would have gone that quickly," Goff said.
The Association has sold nearly 1,000 tickets to students this year alone, Goff said. Tickets are sold in the Eck Visitor's Center for students, and also on home game days at Gate 3 of the Joyce Center four and a half hours prior to kickoff.
"We wanted to make it convenient for students so they wouldn't have to come to wait in line to purchase tickets," Goff said.
Also, the Association "wanted to introduce students, and familiarize them with Irish Online and its many features as our future alumni," he said.
Tickets were sold online via credit card for face value, plus a $3 processing fee per ticket. Goff said the Association makes no profit off the sale.
Goff said the Association is considering offering online ticket sales in the future. "It is unlikely we will have a sale period for Stanford, but it is anticipated for Pittsburgh," he said. It is still to be determined if an online sale will be offered for the game against Syracuse.
Alumni Association ticket sales are based on availability, Goff said. They receive tickets from alumni on a consignment program. "They send them in, and we resell them," he said. Tickets are also received through other University allotments and from Alumni clubs nationwide.
Goff said the Association must have at least 300 tickets to have a student ticket sale.
The Association held an in-house ticket sale for the San Diego State game and sold approximately 450 tickets, Goff said.
This year, the Association also had accessibility to tickets for away games, a rarity, Goff said. "We sold over 100 tickets to Michigan State for students."
Goff said the Association attempts to provide tickets at every home game.
"That's another goal - we want to get the tickets in the hands of alumni, fans, friends and family members of the University," he said.
