CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois football will report for the 2012 season on Thursday preparing for the start of the 2012 season under new head coach Dino Babers.  The Panthers media day and fan autograph day will be this Saturday, August 4 on the EIU campus.

The team will shoot its team photo in the stadium seats at 1 p.m. followed by football media day at 1:15 p.m.  A kid's skills segment and autograph session will start about 1:35 p.m.  Due to new turf and track being installed in O'Brien Field, the autograph session and skills segment will take place on the grass practice fields adjacent to the O'Brien Field parking lot (southwest corner).  All activities are open to the public and free.

Single game tickets for the 2012 season are also now on sale.  Season tickets can be purchased for $62 per person which guarantees a reserved seat at each of the Panthers five home games.  The season opener is on Thursday, August 30 against Southern Illinois at 6:30 p.m.  Single game and season tickets can be purchased by calling 217-581-2106 or online at www.eiupanthertickets.com  

Tickets for the season opener against Southern Illinois (August 30) and family weekend game against Austin Peay (Sept. 29) are $17 each.  Tickets for the kid's day game against Murray State (Sept. 22) and homecoming against Jacksonville State (Oct. 13) are $15 each.  The final regular season home game on Nov. 10 against Southeast Missouri is $13.