6-15-04, 3 p.m.
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Bengals took another step toward their goal of selling out all their home games before the season Tuesday when they announced they had exhausted the supply of their second of four ticket packs. That means the first four games at Paul Brown Stadium this year (Miami, Baltimore, Denver, and Dallas) can be purchased now only by season tickets. Single-game tickets go on sale some time in the summer.
Ticket Pack A, which consists of the nationally televised Sunday night home opener on Sept. 19 against Miami, and the return of Cowboys coach Bill Parcels Nov. 7, joined Ticket Pack B as the Bengals' first two ticket packs to ever be exhausted. Ticket Pack B, consisting of the Sept. 26 game against Baltimore and the first Monday night game in 15 years in Cincinnati against Denver Oct. 25, came off the shelf June 8, six days after they went on sale.
"Our goal is to sell out before the season starts and this keeps it alive," said Kevin Lane, director of ticket sales. "Anytime you take out that big of a chunk of your season this early, that's a huge help. Anything we've put out there this year has gone fast and we expect the season-ticket sales to keep going at the fast pace, particularly with training camp coming up and the exposure we're going to get."
Tickets for the team's other four regular-season home games also are available by purchasing season tickets, or by purchasing one of the remaining two Ticket Packs. Ticket Pack C is Nov. 21 vs. Pittsburgh and Dec. 26 vs. the Giants. Ticket Pack D is Nov. 28 vs. Cleveland and Dec. 19 vs. Buffalo.
The last time the Bengals sold out all their games in a season was 1992.
Bengals season tickets and ticket packages can be purchased by calling (513) 621-TDTD (8383) in Greater Cincinnati, and toll free at (866) 621-TDTD (8383) from outside Cincinnati. Fans also can purchase tickets in person at the Bengals' Ticket Office near Gate E on Paul Brown Stadium's plaza level, accessible from Elm Street. Ticket package order forms and information can also be found at the team's website at www.bengals.com.
MORE CAMPERS EXPECTED: If spring ticket sales are any indication, bigger crowds are expected at Georgetown College this summer when the Bengals return to Kentucky for training camp with 30 practices in 26 days.
"We're certainly are preparing for it. We're pumped about it," said Stacey Varney, director of Georgetown's conference center who also said Tuesday the school has hired more staffers to meet the possible demand.
In the complete camp schedule released Tuesday, players
report July 30 for meetings and then have their first two practices July 31 from 8:45 a.m.-11:10 a.m. and 4-5:30 p.m. The highlight is the Friday night-Saturday afternoon double-header later in the week with the annual intrasquad scrimmage set for 6:30-8:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 6, and the Black-Orange Mock Game in shoulder pads 1-2:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7. Both events are followed by autograph sessions.
On that weekend last year, Georgetown had its two biggest crowds in the seven years they had hosted the Bengals with about 7,500 people for the scrimmage and about 6,500 for the Mock Game. Attendance is going to be one of the factors in the decision to extend the contract past next season. After the momentum supplied by new head coach Marvin Lewis, the school and the team agreed to a two-year extension last year.
"We're not sure what exactly is going to happen with the crowds, but we're very excited," Varney said. "Maybe the night practices could reach those kinds of numbers, but no one knows. We're really interested in how this is going to affect the days in the middle of the week."
In addition to the scrimmage, Lewis plans three night practices, Aug. 4, Aug. 11, and Aug. 18, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. with an autograph session following each. Fireworks follow the practice on the 11th. Camp breaks at noon Aug. 25 when the Bengals head back to Cincinnati to prepare for their third preseason game, a 7:30 p.m. kickoff in Atlanta Aug. 28.
Training camp schedule
At Georgetown (Ky.) College (All dates and times tentative)
WHEN:
July 30-Aug. 25.
ADMISSION:
None. $10 to park per car, $25 per bus.
JULY 30 _
Players report, complex closed.
JULY 31 _
8:45 a.m.-11:10 a.m. ; 4-5:30 p.m. Complex open 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
AUG. 1 _
3-5 p.m. Complex open 2-6 p.m.
AUG. 2 _
8:45-11:10 a.m.; 4-5:30 p.m. Complex open 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
AUG. 3 _
8:45-11:10 a.m.; 3-4 p.m. Complex open 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
AUG. 4 _
8:45-10:45 a.m.; 6:30-8:30 p.m. followed by 30-minute autograph session. Complex open 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
AUG. 5 _ 4-5:30 p.m. Complex open 2-6:30 p.m.
AUG. 6 _ 8:45-10:30 a.m.; Annual Intrasquad Scrimmage 6:30-8:30 p.m. with autograph session to follow. Complex open 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
AUG. 7 _ 1-2:30 p.m. Black-Orange Mock Game in shoulder pads, followed by autograph session. Complex open 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
AUG. 8 _ No practice, complex closed.
AUG. 9 _ 8:45-11 a.m.; 4-5:30 p.m. Complex open 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
AUG. 10 _ 8:45-11:10 a.m.; 3-4 p.m. Complex open 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
AUG. 11 _ 8:45-11 a.m.; 6:30-8:30 p.m. practice followed by 30-minute autograph session. Complex open 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
AUG. 12 _ 4-5:30 p.m. Complex open 2-6:30 p.m.
AUG. 13 _ 9-10 a.m. Walk Thru. Complex open 8:30 a.m.-noon.
AUG. 14 _ 7 p.m. pre-season opener at Tampa Bay. Complex closed.
AUG. 15 _ No practice, complex closed.
AUG. 16 _ 4-5:30 p.m. Complex open 2-6:30 p.m.
AUG. 17 _ 8:45-11:10 a.m.; 3-4 p.m. Complex open 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
AUG. 18 _ 8:45-11:10 a.m.; 6:30-8:30 p.m. with 30-minute autograph session to follow. Complex open 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
AUG. 19 _ 10-11:30 a.m.; 4-5:30 p.m. Complex open 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
AUG. 20 _ 4-5:30 p.m. Walk Thru. Complex open, 2-6:30 p.m.
AUG. 21 _ 7:30 p.m. home pre-season opener against New England at Paul Brown Stadium. Complex closed.
AUG. 22 _ No practice, complex closed.
AUG. 23 _ 4-5:30 p.m. Complex open 2-6:30 p.m.
AUG. 24 _ 8:45-11 a.m.; 4-5:30 p.m. practice. Complex open 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
AUG. 25 _ 8:45-11:15 a.m. Camp Breaks. Complex open 8:30 a.m.-noon.
**
DIRECTIONS: (From the North)** I-75 South to Exit 126. Turn right off ramp. Go through four traffic lights. Turn right at the fifth light onto Lemons Mill (1962 West). Turn right into driveway bearing large Bengals sign.
(From the South) I-75 North to Exit 125 (Georgetown). Turn left off ramp onto U.S. 460. Take a left at stoplight on 460 West. At second stoplight, turn right onto Lemons Mill (1962 West). Turn right into driveway on right bearing large Bengals sign. **
(From West)** I-64 East to Exit 69 (Georgetown). Turn left off ramp onto U.S. 62. Go 3.1 miles and turn right onto bypass. Continue on bypass until turn left on Lemons Mill. Turn right into driveway bearing large Bengals sign.
(From East) I-64 West to I-75 North. Follow directions from the South.
For schedule questions, please call 502-868-6300.
BENGALS MOVES: The Bengals signed free-agent tight end Chad Hayes out of Maine to a two-year contract Tuesday and released offensive tackle Justin Sands, a first-year player from Kansas. On Wednesday, they waived tight end Mike Woolridge, a rookie from Eastern Kentucky.
Sands signed with the Bengals as a free agent Dec. 29 of last year and played this past spring for the Scottish Claymores NFL Europe
The 6-6, 254-pound Hayes is a first-year NFL player, and caught five passes for 53 yards for Tennessee in the 2003 preseason before being released. He played this past spring for Frankfurt with Bengals running back Skip Hicks in NFL Europe, catching 12 passes for 156 yards and three touchdowns in the regular season. In last Saturday's World Bowl 30-24 loss to Berlin, he had two catches for 18 yards. In 2002, Hayes signed with Kansas City as a college free agent, and after being released by the Chiefs in preseason, he spent most of the year on the Tennessee practice squad.
