To accommodate an expected crowd of around 10,000 people for Saturday’s game, St. Thomas has installed additional bleachers on both the north and south end zones.       

Athletic Director Steve Fritz said the bleachers should seat around 3,500 people, which in addition to the existing seating, will bring the total seating capacity to around 7,500. Fritz said a standing room section will be available for the other 2,500.

“There’s places under the veranda, there’s (space) on the sides of the field there’s (space) at both ends, so it’ll be crammed in here,” Fritz said. “But 10,000 is what we’re aiming at for our maximum number.”

Jane Canney, vice president of students affairs, said enough tickets will be available for students.

“We are selling tickets online,” Canney said. “We’ve sold a large number over the weekend, but we will make sure that we will have enough tickets for our students and our staff and faculty. But it will be important to go early.”

Not only will the stadium be filled, but the streets and lots surrounding campus will be jam-packed too.

“We certainly encourage people to come in multiples, but as with anything, parking will always be an issue,” Fritz said. “We don’t have any off-site kind of things set up but the service ramp, all the lots and the street parking will be the best options.”

Lots B, G, I, K and M will be closed from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. so parking will be at a premium.

Director of Pubic Safety Michael Barrett also reminds everyone to check street signs if they are forced to park on the street.

Public Safety will be increasing its security efforts on Saturday. There will be more officers out than other home football games, including St. Paul Police and even St. John’s officers, due to a mutual-aid agreement between the schools. Last year five officers were sent to St. John’s for the Tommie-Johnnie game.

After the game, Public Safety will not be taking any extraordinary measures.

“We’re staffed normally, ZAP will be out in the neighborhood, but we historically haven’t had that many problems,” Barrett said.

Fritz expects the Tommie fans to represent the school in a positive light.

“I hope they wear purple. It’s as good as it gets in Division III,” Fritz said. “We hope everybody respects it and enjoys it, and it should be great fun.”

Tom Graves can be reached at grav5886@stthomas.edu.