March 8, 2013

BERKELEY - The Cal Athletics Gold Standard service team took the opportunity to thank Cal men's basketball fans for their support during the Golden Bears' final home game vs. Stanford Wednesday night, surprising many of them with special prizes as they arrived at their seats.

"As a member of the service team here at Cal, I have had the chance to meet many of our fans throughout the season," customer service representative Valerie Nicklas said. "I weaved my way through the sellout crowd to deliver prizes to some of our season-ticket holders as a small gesture of thanks for their undying support of our student-athletes. The warm greetings and emphatic `Go Bears' at the close of each conversation will be a lasting memory for me, a true testament to the Cal spirit."

Some of the prizes given away were:

• Game-worn shoes signed by head coach Mike Montgomery

• A basketball signed Mike Montgomery

• The opportunity to attend a Cal men's basketball practice

• Lunch with former Cal player and current graduate manager Theo Robertson

• A Hilton Garden Inn Package - complimentary weekend night with gift certificates for dinner and brunch

• Exclusive team gear

• Team posters signed by Mike Montgomery

• Field Club tickets for a 2013 Cal football game

• A seat upgrade for a 2013-14 Cal men's basketball game

In addition to the service staff handing out prizes, the players also took part by making a thank you video, shown during the game, to let season-ticket holders how much their support has meant to them all season. Video Link

The Cal Gold Standard service team looks to make Season-Ticket Holder Appreciation Day an annual event to express appreciation to all the dedicated and loyal Cal season-ticket holders.

Customer service representative Tina Yokoyama summed up the evening by saying: "We get a chance to interact with our season-ticket holders on a daily basis. These fans bleed Blue and Gold, think of the team and department even in the offseason, and show their support in so many ways. For all that season-ticket holders provide to support our teams of student-athletes, we'd like to give back to them the feeling that they are supported and taken care of when they need our assistance. These prizes just demonstrate our appreciation in a small way, and we hope to continue growing our relationships with our fans as we get closer to the next season."

Season-ticket renewals for the 2013-14 Cal men's basketball season are now on-sale. Click here for more information or to renew.

Interested in becoming a season ticket holder? Call (800) GO BEARS (800-462-3277) or click here.