1/23/2008 12:01:00 AM

First choice
Georgia Force hoping seat event will draw fans back to Arena

By Camie Young
Senior Writer

DULUTH - Georgia Force fans can get their seats back today at the Arena at Gwinnett Center, as the arena football team prepares to return to the local venue after a three-year absence.

The Select-A-Seat event is part of the team's attempt to win back support from the community, where it spent two seasons in 2003 and 2004.

Force spokesman Brian Cearns said about half of the 1,900 season tickets sold are to new accounts based on the move back to Gwinnett. Cearns said the first row is already sold out.

Erik Richards, a die-hard Force fan from Duluth who kept following the team after the move to Philips Arena, said he isn't sure how the reception will be in Gwinnett.

"It's going to take a while for them to earn the people back that they lost," he said.

But Richards already has his seats picked out - in the corner, where he believes he can experience most of the action.

From 6 to 9 p.m. today, people can pick their seats from the Arena's 11,200. The team's cheerleaders and mascot Blu will be on hand to greet potential season ticket holders, and free food and beverages will be provided.

Ticket packages begin at $81 for nine home games. Season ticket holders will also receive 15 percent off team merchandise.

For ticket information, call the Force ticket sales office at 1-888-55-FORCE.

The season will kick off March 1, when the Force faces the Dallas Desperados.

Any idea on when Mr Richards may be joining us here in this fine forum of Force fans???

What happened to all the fans who would be there if the team was out in Duluth?

Talking to the rep last night, they said the actual STH numbers were over 3000 before last night. They seemed to be moving some tix last night, mine included.

And Williams are Five plucked some choice seats last night.......Mrs. Five will be assisting with the coaching :)

Any way you cut it, those numbers are extremely disappointing. I hope they max out their season ticket allotment, but I have to think the move has set the team back at this point. It would be a bummer to see an arena 60% of the size of Philips be half empty too for most games.

"When a divorce occurs, it takes time to reconcile."
MRTRANS 12/1/08