NEW YORK (October 3, 2019)  The National Football Foundation New York City Chapter announced today that it has helped set a ticket sale record for a NCAA Division III football game as the host of the 2019 Cortaca Jug game between Ithaca College and SUNY Cortland on November 16 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. With six weeks remaining, ticket sales have exceeded 39,000, eclipsing the previous Division III record of 37,355, which was set in 2017 during the Saint John’s and  St. Thomas game at Target Field in Minneapolis.
“We are thrilled to be making this announcement today,” said NYC/NFF Chairman Marc Hudak. “It is a testament to the interest level and tradition of this game as one of the great small-college football rivalries in the country. I am appreciative of the partnership and collaboration that we have enjoyed on both campuses as this historic matchup approaches. I am confident that interest from both the students and the alumni will remain high, especially with both the IC Bombers and Cortland Red Dragons currently sitting undefeated at 3-0 on the year.””
Both Ithaca College and Cortland have sold out of their on-campus ticket allotments, and sales continue to be brisk on Ticketmaster. This year will mark the 61st time that Ithaca and Cortland have played for the Cortaca Jug, in what Sports Illustrated once referred to as “the biggest little game in the nation.” The game will also celebrate the College Football 150th Anniversary (CFB150) with several promotions.
“It has been thrilling to see the exceptional involvement and tremendous energy that this year’s Cortaca game has inspired among Ithaca College’s alumni, students, faculty, staff and leadership,” said Ithaca College President Shirley M. Collado. “Locating this game at MetLife Stadium has captured the imagination of our IC family in a huge way, not only prompting record ticket sales, but contributing deeply to our connection to one another. This game will be the largest-ever gathering of IC alumni in one place at one time, adding an exciting chapter to an already rich Cortaca tradition, and I immensely appreciate the phenomenal amount of work that has gone into transforming this great idea into an extraordinary historic moment.”
“We are incredibly excited about this announcement, but we are not surprised,” SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum said. “As over 39,000 fans across both colleges will tell you, the Cortaca Jug is much more than a college football game. It is part of our history. And now, it’s not just SUNY Cortland’s history, but the history of college football itself. We are grateful for the opportunity to have MetLife Stadium to showcase both our players and the amazing school spirit that connects all SUNY Cortland students, alumni and supporters. At Cortland, we don’t believe in half measures. We go all in. And that spirit is reflected by the amazing support given to this record-breaking event.”
“It has been a pleasure to work with the National Football Foundation and MetLife Stadium in support of holding the game in such a remarkable venue,” said Susan Bassett, Associate Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Ithaca College. “To have the opportunity to compete on that field is something that I know our coaches and players will cherish for the rest of their lives.”
“This proves once and for all that the Cortaca Jug truly is the biggest little game in the nation,” said SUNY Cortland Athletic Director Mike Urtz. “The numbers speak for themselves. The incredible fan support for this game is unlike anything else in Division III athletics.”
For more information on the game and to purchase tickets please visit www.CortacJug.com
