Four ticket packages available for January 2010 event

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Weekend ticket packages for the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Spokane, Wash., will go on sale Friday, Nov. 14, at 10 a.m. PST. The packages offer a variety of options for figure skating fans to view the championships.

The 2010 U.S. Championships will be held Jan. 14-24, 2010, at the Spokane Arena. This is the fifth time the U.S. Championships have been held in the state of Washington and the second time the event has been staged in Spokane.

The cost of the Men's and Pairs Weekend Package is $275. This package includes tickets to nine separate events: junior men's short program, senior pairs short program, senior men's short program, senior pairs free skate (final), senior men's free skate (final), junior pairs short program, novice ladies short program, novice pairs short program and junior men's free skate (final). The package also provides access to practice sessions at the Spokane Arena, Jan.14-17, and includes tickets to the opening ceremony.

The Ladies and Ice Dancing Weekend Packages will sell for $375. This package includes tickets to eight events: senior compulsory dance, senior original dance, senior ladies short program, junior free dance (final), junior ladies free skate (final), senior free dance (final), senior ladies free skate (final) and the Skating Spectacular. The package also provides access to practice sessions at the Spokane Arena, Jan. 21-23.

The package that includes both weekends provides tickets to all the events in the Men's and Pairs Weekend Package and the Ladies and Ice Dancing Weekend Package, as well as access to practice sessions at the Spokane Arena, Jan. 14-17 and Jan. 21-23. This package includes tickets to the Skating Spectacular and will provide the same seat to all events for both weekends.

The All Event Ticket Package, available for $595, guarantees access to all competition sessions and admission to all practice sessions at Spokane Arena. The package does not include admission to the Skating Spectacular on Jan. 24. Tickets to the Skating Spectacular may be added to the package for $75, and the buyer will receive the same seat.

The payment plan for each of these packages divides the total into four equal payments. The first payment is due when the order is placed, the second Feb. 2, 2009, the third May 4, 2009, and the final payment is due Nov. 2, 2009.

Fans purchasing the weekend ticket packages will be able to select the seat of their choice by calling 888.SK8.2010 or by visiting the Spokane Arena box office. Ticket purchases from the event website, http://web.icenetwork.com/news/www.spokane2010.com, will be given the best seat available at the time the order is placed. Fans who are interested in purchasing the new ticket packages are encouraged to purchase tickets early.

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships, held annually since 1914, is the nation's most prestigious figure skating event. Over the course of a week, the event will crown 12 national champions in ladies, men's, pairs and ice dancing on the senior, junior and novice levels. The championships are the final event before the selection of the figure skating team that will compete for the United States 18 days later in Vancouver.