COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- "It's Time."

Tennessee Tech football coach Watson Brown addressed a large crowd Tuesday morning at the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce Business Before Hours gathering, and told the group his team is in its final days of preparations for the 2013 season.

"If you live in the South, football is kind of like a religion," he said. "Whether it's Tennessee Tech, or UT, or Vanderbilt, around here you're a football fan. And this is the time of year when everybody is excited about the new season."

Brown, along with Director of Athletics Mark Wilson, took the opportunity to ask for the support of the community. Included in the information were a couple of special deals.

The season-opening game next Thursday night (Aug. 29) is Communiversity Night, and every business in the Chamber is offered eight free tickets to the contest against Cumberland University. Several business persons picked up their packet of free tickets for the game during the morning session.

Wilson also told about the "Back The Golden Eagles" season ticket plan, which has become the most popular season ticket plan in the past nine years. The plan is ideal for businesses who can use the tickets for employees, clients, or families. The plan includes 10 tickets to each of Tech's six home games (60 total tickets) for $200.

"That works out to $3.33 per ticket," Wilson said. "I can't even eat breakfast for that."

Brown talked about the team, the coaching staff, the schedule and the TSSAA Blue Cross Bowl, and how important that championship event has been for the Golden Eagle football progeram.

"Right now we have 16 kids on our roster who played in the championship game right here in Cookeville. That's amazing, and it's a good indication of how important those games are to Tennessee Tech football."

For ticket information or Communiversity Night details, please visit the Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen Center or call (931) 372-3940.

(Above left): Jimmy Mackie (left) of Institutional Wholesale Company picks up his Communiversity Night tickets from Bobby Long Tuesday morning, with Sandy Zimmerman in the background.