USC Sells $6 Million in Arena Seat Licenses

USC has raised about $6 million of the more than $16 million it hopes to sell in personal seat licenses for its new Galen Center sports arena, which remains on schedule to be completed in August, senior associate athletic director Don Winston said Wednesday.

Winston said the school has sold its entire allotment of about 340 of the most expensive seat licenses, priced at $10,000 each. Seat licenses remain available for $7,500, $5,000 and $2,500 apiece, depending on location.

School officials hope to sell licenses for about 3,300 of the 10,258 available seats in the $100-million-plus arena. Courtside seats will be made available to the Trojan athletic department’s biggest donors.

Also for sale are 20 luxury boxes, ranging from $40,000 to $60,000 per season with a minimum three-year commitment.

Seat licenses entitle the purchaser to buy season tickets for men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball in prime locations and provide right of first refusal for other events, such as concerts.

Student seats will be behind one of the baskets.

“I think people are realistic enough [to realize] that this has to be paid for,” Winston said of the decision not to locate students courtside. “The people who are putting up the money for the seat licenses should have good seats. That’s not unrealistic for new arenas.”

Winston said ticket applications for the 2006-07 men’s basketball season would not be mailed until September.

Season ticket sales for the upcoming season, the last to be played at the Sports Arena, are up from last year, said Steve Lopes, a senior associate athletic director. Lopes declined to provide specific figures, citing school policy.

The Trojans averaged 3,330 fans last season at the Sports Arena.

-- Ben Bolch