The Arizona Wildcats' annual Red-Blue Game has been sold out, for the first time in at least a decade.
Arizona announced today that the 14,545 tickets to McKale Center have been sold for what has become the Wildcats' preseason opening festival. Arizona used to have both a "Midnight" or "McKale Madness" ceremony during the opening weekend of the preseason practices, and then a Red-Blue intrasquad scrimmage.
But under third-year coach Sean Miller, the Wildcats have eliminated a "Madness" type event in favor of livening up the Red-Blue Game. They announced a crowd of 10,657 last season for the scrimmage and have not had a sellout since at least the late 1990s, according to UA spokesman Richard Paige.
This year, the Wildcats will honor both ex-Wildcats Chase Budinger and Derrick Williams by placing them in the McKale Center "Ring of Honor."
In addition, former Wildcat guard Jason Terry is scheduled to be honored for winning the 2011 NBA championship with the Dallas Mavericks.
Arizona is coming off an Elite Eight appearance in last season's NCAA tournament, and also added to the draw of Saturday's game by pricing and promoting aggressively. Arizona attracted 1,900 buyers to a Groupon offer that sold two tickets for $8, and sold tickets for $3 to fans who also bought tickets to tonight's UCLA-UA football game. The regular price for tickets was $7.
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