UCF no longer has the inaugural season of football on campus to use as a selling tool, but interest remains at an all-time high for the Knights' second year in Bright House Networks Stadium.

Football season ticket sales for 2008 are on pace with last year's totals, according to Joe Hornstein, UCF associate athletic director for marketing and communications. To date, UCF has sold more than 20,000 season tickets, which mirrors the amount sold at the same time a year ago.

UCF sold approximately 23,000 season tickets in 2007. Combined with a strong student turnout and single game sales, the school averaged a near-sellout of 44,018 last season. Bright House Networks Stadium has an official capacity of 45,000.

Sales have more than doubled since UCF's Citrus Bowl days. In 2005, the school sold fewer than 10,000 season tickets.

"We're definitely pleased with our ticket sales growth since moving on campus last year," Hornstein said. "We'll probably average 7,000 to 8,000 more season tickets sold in our first two years at Bright House Networks Stadium than our final season off-campus in 2006, and that was coming off our first bowl berth."

Winning also helps. The Knights are coming off a Conference USA championship and are the preseason favorite to repeat as C-USA Eastern Division champs in 2008.

"The excitement for year number two is there and I think we'll see that much more visibly in August leading into the season opener," Hornstein said. "Our faithful remember the old days and they'd tell you this is the greatest time to be a season ticket holder. The UCF football game day is becoming second-to-none."

To help push remaining seats, UCF's marketing campaign is already in full swing and will continue to ramp up during the important sales month of August.

The ongoing marketing campaigns include:

-Direct mail. Earlier this summer, UCFAA mailed 75,000 ticket information brochures to non-season ticket holder alumni. With database assistance from the UCF Alumni Association, the campaign was targeted to the top 44 zip codes with the highest concentration of alumni.

-Billboards. Featuring senior safety Sha'reff Rashad, "Champions Play Here" billboards have been popping up around town. Five billboards are currently in rotated use-- Interstate 4 (westbound), East-West Expressway/408 (eastbound, near Goldenroad Road), Mitchell Hammock Road in Oviedo, East Colonial Drive near Alafaya and University Blvd. in Winter Park. The billboards will come down prior to the start of the season, however the East-West billboard will remain up through the duration of the football season.

-TV commercials. Beginning in August, 30-second television spots will air on Bright House Networks cable stations.

-Radio promotion. UCF-ISP Sports Properties' newly signed agreement with Clear Channel Communications gives the school cross promotion on the entire Clear Channel Radio Orlando lineup, which will include commercials and web advertising to go along with station giveaways and promotions. Clear Channel's local stations include WMGF Magic 107.7 FM, WXXL 106.7 FM, WTKS Real Radio 104.1 FM, WJRR 101.1 FM, WRUM Rumba 100.3, WFLA 540 AM and WQTM 740 AM.

UCF will also have a special home page on 540WFLA.com and increased discussion on all Clear Channel stations, particularly 540's "The Finish Line," which airs weeknights from 6-9 p.m.

UCF also will have spots airing on ESPN Radio 1080.

-Movie theater promotion. Beginning this week, UCF debuted spots at three local Regal Cinema locations-- Waterford Lakes, Oviedo Marketplace and Winter Park Village.

-Print advertising. Advertisements can be found in the Central Florida Future, Seminole Chronicle, Central Florida Lifestyle magazines, Seminole Magazine, Pegasus, East Orlando Chamber newsletters and Oviedo-Winter Springs Chamber newsletters.

-Online marketing. There's plenty of material to be found at UCFathletics.com, including a video splash page and downloadable wallpapers.

-Print material. Schedule posters and pocket schedules have been available since the spring game in April. Season ticket flyers have also been distributed to UCF faculty and staff.

-O'Zone Ticket Package. Sponsored by McCoy Federal Credit Union, fans who purchase season tickets in sections 119 and 120 will receive special benefits, including official gameday t-shirts and vintage UCF football jerseys.

UCF will kick off the 2008 football season on Aug. 30 at home against South Carolina State. The following week on Sept. 6, the Knights host in-state rival South Florida in a nationally televised game on ESPN2. The remaining home schedule includes games against Conference USA foes SMU (Oct. 4), East Carolina (Nov. 2), Southern Miss (Nov. 8) and UAB (Nov. 29).

To purchase season tickets, visit UCFathletics.com or call the ticket office at (407) 823-1000.