Smooth selling: Ticket sales for 2008-09 a huge success

The Blackhawks considered Monday's opening of single-game ticket sales a rousing success with more than 57,000 sold.

More than 200 fans stood in line at the United Center, with the first arriving at 5:30a.m. Tickets went on sale at 10, and the early arrivals were greeted by former first-round draft choices Cam Barker and Jack Skille, who passed out doughnuts, hats and T-shirts and thanked the fans for coming.

At day's end, the Hawks announced that full-season-ticket sales had topped 12,000 and Monday's sales, coupled with the season-ticket purchases, accounted for more than 500,000 single-game tickets sold. That represents an increase of more than 300 percent from this time last season, the team said.

Tickets, however, remain available for every game. Monday's customers could buy up to eight per game, and a limited number of two-for-one $15 tickets was available for select games in October and November.

Tickets will remain on sale at Ticketmaster locations, the United Center box office, HawkQuarters and chicagoblackhawks.com. The Hawks begin training camp Sept. 19, with the first of four preseason home games scheduled for Sept. 23. The first of 41 regular-season home games is Oct. 13 against Nashville.

Monday's sale didn't include tickets for the Jan. 1 Winter Classic against the Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field. Those will go on sale at a later date, with the NHL determining seating options and ticket prices.

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Photo: Rich Hein, Sun-Times / Heather Marsala, 26, proudly wears her Hawks jersey while waiting in line for tickets. ; Photo: Rich Hein, Sun-Times / Jack Skille (left) and Cam Barker sign autographs for fans Monday. ;