Nov. 13, 2001
WACO, Texas - In an attempt to capitalize on the recent successes of both its men's and women's basketball programs, Baylor University has targeted consecutive Saturdays in January as "Sellout 2002, Back-2-Back."
The Sellout 2002 campaign is an effort to fill the Ferrell Center for the men's Big 12 opener against Iowa State Jan. 5, and the women's Jan. 12 contest vs. Oklahoma. The campaign, announced by Baylor's associate director of athletics Darryl Lehnus Tuesday, is a continuation of the Sellout 2001 effort which resulted in a record crowd and home win over Colorado in the men's Big 12 opener last season.
"Sellout 2002 is an opportunity for Baylor, in front of two regional television audiences, to demonstrate the fan support it receives from the students and the community of Waco," Lehnus said. "We are going to build on the excitement generated by both programs' postseason berths last year."
Similar to last year's effort, Sellout 2002 will be fueled by a grassroots effort by local businesspersons, grouped in committees. This years campaign features separate chairpersons for the men's and women's committees. Johnny Mankin of Time-Warner Cable in Waco chairs the men's committee, and Debbie Keel of Southwestern Bell is chairperson for the women's committee.
Baylor's Sellout 2002, Back-2-Back is believed to be the first ticket campaign targeting men's and women's sellouts on consecutive weekends.
The inaugural Sellout 2001 last January resulted in the second-highest attended game in Ferrell Center history, a crowd of 10,183 that witnessed the Bears' 61-56 win over Colorado.
Both Baylor opponents in the Sellout 2002 campaign are defending Big 12 champions. Iowa State, the men's opponent, has won consecutive league titles in 1999-2000 and 2000-2001. The Oklahoma women have won back-to-back Big 12 championships also.
Both games involved in Sellout 2002 will be telecast on regional television. The men's game vs. ISU Jan. 5 and the women's contest Jan. 12 vs. Oklahoma will both be televised live on FOX Sports Net Southwest.
