Link <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>A year after setting a school record for average attendance, Rutgers saw a "99 percent" renewal rate for 2008 football season tickets by today's deadline, said Kevin MacConnell, deputy director of athletics. With sellouts for all eight home games last fall, Rutgers averaged 43,633 in 2007 - the highest per-game average in school history. Even with ongoing construction, the stadium's capacity is expected to remain around 43,000 for the 2008 season. The school is in the first phase of a two-year, $102 million expansion that will eventually bring Rutgers Stadium's capacity to 56,000. Club seats, now under construction, are expected to finished in time for the season opener at home against Fresno State on Sept. 1. An additional 13,000 seats will be added by the start of 2009 season. Construction plans call for the majority of them (all but 1,000) to be in the south end zone, which will be enclosed. In addition to the 99 percent renewal rate, McConnell said the season ticket waiting list has grown to 11,241. He said he did not know of any people on the waiting list who have been able to purchase season tickets yet. "So far, we haven't been able to get anyone off the waiting list," he said.</div>
