SOUTH BEND – Single-game tickets for the 2015 South Bend Cubs season go on sale March 11 beginning at 10 a.m.  Coffee and doughnuts will be available for fans waiting in line, prizes will be given away hourly and there will be a special appearance by Swoop.

Since affiliating with the Chicago Cubs, team officials have witnessed an increasing demand in interest for tickets. They expect the April 9 home opener to sell out.

“We are gearing up for a very busy morning on March 11,” said Joe Hart, President of the South Bend Cubs. “Based on the number of phone calls we’ve been receiving and the hundreds of comments on our social media pages, we expect that the demand for tickets, particularly for opening day and our weekend games, is going to be high.

“Because we’re all about the fan’s entire experience, we’re going to make buying tickets on the 11th an event in itself,” Hart continued. “We’re giving away coffee and doughnuts that morning to those in line, plus we’re having hourly raffle drawings of merchandise, game tickets, even throwing out the first pitch for an upcoming game.”

The hourly prizes are for fans who purchase tickets at the stadium box office or by phone, and include:

•    11 a.m. – Chance to sing the 7th inning stretch at a South Bend Cubs game
•    Noon – Chance to throw out a first pitch
•    1 p.m. – South Bend Cubs t-shirt
•    2 p.m. – Bobblehead
•    3 p.m. – Four tickets to a future South Bend Cubs game
•    4 p.m. – Bobblehead

The South Bend Cubs will also offer an exclusive ticket package for its home opener. This VIP package for tickets in the Budweiser picnic garden will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Monday, March 9. All other single game tickets will go on sale on March 11.

The Opening Day Budweiser VIP Package tickets are $30 and include:

• Picnic garden seat
• A two-hour ballpark buffet (includes soda)
• 2 free drink vouchers (for those 21 and older
• 1 free commemorative t-shirt (limited to 200 people who purchase VIP tickets)

“Through our new affiliation with the Cubs, we already know the demand for opening day tickets is going to be high,” Hart said. “The community is excited about the season. One of the ways we can offer fans a full immersion in the home opener is to get a select group in the picnic area for that night. It’ll be exclusive and these fans will be in the heart of the game.”

Only 200 VIP Ticket Packages are available. South Bend Cubs single-seat tickets will be available at the Four Winds Field Box Office, by calling (574) 235-9988 or visiting SouthBendCubs.com.