University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Announces Partnership With Punch Pizza
9/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Gopher Sports Marketing and Punch Neapolitan Pizza have teamed up on a new deal, with the local pizzeria becoming a proud sponsor of several Golden Gopher women's sports, including the women's basketball team.
Beginning this season, the Golden Gopher Ticket Office will offer a "Punch Pack" for all seven of Minnesota's regular season Sunday afternoon women's basketball home games at Williams Arena. For just $15, fans will get a chairback seat at The Barn along with a coupon good for a free Margherita pizza at any of the seven Punch Pizza locations in the Metro area.
To celebrate the new partnership with Punch Pizza, Minnesota head coach Pam Borton will participate in a "Punch With Pam" event on Thursday, Sept. 30, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Punch's Stadium Village location -- 802 Washington Avenue SE. Coach Borton will ring up orders from customers during her one hour shift behind the counter, with all pizza purchases receiving a free beverage (pop, beer, wine included) and a coupon for a free Margherita pizza on their next visit.
Punch specializes in traditional Neapolitan pizza baked in a wood-burning brick oven, and is one of a few pizzerias outside of Naples, Italy, to be a member of Vera Pizza Napoletana -- an organization dedicated to regulating the authenticity of Neapolitan pizza.
There are currently seven Metro area locations: the original restaurant on Cleveland Avenue in Saint Paul; Grand Avenue in Saint Paul; Prairie Center Drive in Eden Prairie; Calhoun Village on West Lake Street in Minneapolis; Hennepin Avenue in Northeast Minneapolis; Wayzata Boulevard in Wayzata; and the newest location on Washington Avenue in Stadium Village.
The Golden Gophers open their season with an exhibition game versus Southwest Minnesota State on Thursday, Nov. 3. Minnesota's regular season schedule tips off when it plays host to Northern Illinois in the opening round of the inagural Best Buy Classic on Saturday, Nov. 13.
For ticket information, including more details about the "Punch Pack" deal, call the Golden Gopher Ticket Office at 612.624.8080 or 1.800.U.GOPHER.
--Michael Molde, Athletic Communications Assistant
