CARDINAL TICKET SALES SLOW FOR SOUTHEAST DAY AT BUSCH

Southeast Missouri residents aren't playing ball when it comes to the Southeast Day at Busch Stadium promotion.

Only 330 tickets have been sold for the June 16 Cardinals baseball game against the Chicago White Sox at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

Two thousand tickets originally were reserved for the promotion, sponsored by Southeast Missouri State University and the Southeast Missourian. But with the slow demand for tickets, the university has returned half of the tickets, electing to reserve 1,000 tickets.

"We have about 670 tickets still available," said Ellen Wood of the university's alumni services office.

The original ticket deadline of Friday has been extended to 4 p.m. on June 15, she said.

The university has sponsored the annual event for 16 years. Last year, it began co-sponsoring it with the Southeast Missourian.

So why have ticket sales been so slow?

"I think it is the fact that it is on Father's Day weekend," Wood said. There are other reasons too, she said.

The 12:15 p.m. start apparently doesn't appeal to some fans as much as a night game, she said.

As part of the promotion, participants can attend a pre-game party at Sverdrup Terraces near the stadium at a cost of $5 per person. Children, 4 years of age and younger, get to eat for free.

The party food will include everything from burgers to beer. But Wood said "a couple guys" told her they weren't interested in drinking so early in the day.

Wood said Southeast Day also is competing with several of the major employers in the area who are holding "family days" at the ballpark on the same day.

In addition, slugger Mark McGwire has been injured and out of the lineup much of this season. Wood believes that also could have contributed to slow ticket sales.

Southeast has chartered three buses for the game, down from the seven originally considered. The cost is $18 per person to ride the bus.

Tickets can be purchased from the university's alumni services office by calling 651-5159 or by e-mailing Alumni Services Director Kim Groves at kgroves@semovm.semo.edu.

Want to go?

What: Cardinals vs. White Sox for Southeast Day at Busch Stadium

When: 12:15 p.m. Saturday, June 16

Cost: $17 for adults and $9 for children 4-15. Children under 3 are free. Charter bus rides are available for $18 per person

Contact: Southeast Alumni Services, 651-5159

Deadline: Last day to purchase tickets is June 15.