The College of Business is teaming up with the Central Illinois Flying Aces hockey team for a fun-filled night to remember.
Discounted $5 tickets are available for this one night only so Illinois State University students can pack the stands to cheer on this local Tier 1 junior league hockey team as the Flying Aces battle the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders Friday, March 1, at Grossinger Motors Arena, located on South Madison Street in Downtown Bloomington. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the game begins at 7 p.m.
In addition to action-packed entertainment on the ice, the Friday night event will spotlight the accomplishments of College of Business students and registered student organizations.
“We’ll give special recognition to the ISU business school during the game, so come out and represent. It’s a great opportunity to take a break from your studies and to have a fun night with your friends and peers,” said Mark Thompson, sales executive and broadcaster for the team.
Illinois State student Nic Roti described the game as “the last big event” before spring break and encouraged his fellow business students to come take part in the evening of celebration. College of Business faculty and staff are invited to bring their families and join in the fun as well.
“It’s pretty much a VIP experience because students will be sitting near the glass and center ice behind the away team’s bench,” said Roti, a marketing senior who developed the idea for the event last year and has logged numerous hours to make it a reality.
“We’re very excited to try and create a relationship with the ISU College of Business,” said Thompson. “Having a special event together can only strengthen the relationships within your college community and with a local team that provides something fun to do during the school year. We want to make a connection by providing an entertaining, inexpensive, and memorable experience for everyone, in hopes of building an annual event that everyone can look forward to.”
Not only are tickets discounted to about a third of their normal price, but at the game, fans can snag Flying Aces T-shirts, enjoy food and beverage deals, and may receive chances to be entered into vacation and cruise trip giveaways.
“During Chuck a Puck, fans can win prizes from our sponsors including food, gift cards, and a chance to win a free washer and dryer. Also if the team scores five goals, everyone will be able to show their ticket at Hardee’s for a free Thickburger,” Thompson said.
Prior to the game, follow Business ISU on social media for a chance to win free tickets, a team jersey, signed pucks and a hockey stick autographed by the team.
When asked to describe a Flying Aces game, Roti said: “There is a lot of fan interaction, a lot of giveaways. It’s very lively. There’s a lot happening at all times. It’s very fast, especially since these guys are young and in the best shape of their lives. They’ve had five guys in the last three years go to the pros. Stanley Cup champions, future Hall of Famers are on the ice right now, and they’re only 16, 17 years old. They’re very interactive with the fans. After the games they usually give out a lot of autographs, so you can get an autograph from a future Hall of Famer.”
“Flying Aces hockey games and group outings are all about having fun,” said Thompson. “We provide the entertainment with both hockey and fan engagement.”
Discounted $5 tickets are available online and can be picked up at the arena box office on the day of the game. To help streamline the will call process, students are encouraged to purchase their tickets as a group and have just one person wait in line to pick them up.
The first 40 ticket purchasers will receive a second admission to the game for free, so act quickly to take advantage of this buy one, get one deal.
Keep in mind that getting to the arena on game day is also simple.
“If you want to take advantage of your student ID, the Connect Transit bus line has FREE transportation with stops on campus every 15 minutes until 10 p.m. and every half hour until 2 a.m.,” Mark shared.
Stop by the Flying Aces tables in the College of Business next week for additional details and giveaways or visit Business ISU’s social media pages to learn more.
