The stage is set for a Friday night homecoming battle of political ideologies between radio talk show host Mike Gallagher and filmmaker Michael Moore.

Tickets for Moore's appearance, 9:30 p.m. Friday at the Bryce Jordan Center, will be made available to University Park students from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, said Jordan Center marketing director Bernie Punt.

Punt added that the tickets will be available at the Jordan Center ticket office only and there is a limit of two tickets per student ID.

Tomorrow, Penn State students from all Commonwealth Campuses as well as faculty and staff will be eligible to get tickets, Punt said. After Wednesday, tickets will be available to the general public. Parking for the event is free.

Contract issues initially delayed finalizing of plans for Moore's appearance, said Penn State College Democrats President Megan Green. However, Moore's visit to Penn State was finalized Friday afternoon after the signing of a second contract, she said.

The university took a videotaping clause out of the original contract, which was signed a few weeks ago, and made a new, separate contract regarding Moore bringing his own video crew and taping the event, Green said.

"If students get filmed, the second contract deals with that," Green said. "It was a liability thing. The university preferred that it made the contract with the video taping rather than the College Democrats."

In direct competition with Moore's speech, conservative radio host Gallagher will premiere his movie Fahrenhype 9/11 at 9 p.m. in 100 Thomas, Penn State spokeswoman Amy Neil said.

"Admission is free as no tickets are required; however, seating will be limited to the first 700 in attendance," Neil said.

Gallagher said he planned the speech at Penn State to raise money for U.S. troops and their families.

Moore's visit is sponsored by the College Democrats. The event has cost about $30,000, funded mostly by the University Park Allocation Committee, which uses the $45 student activity fee to fund on-campus events.

Gallagher's visit to Penn State is sponsored by the Penn State Young Americans for Freedom (YAF).

Pete Roy, YAF chairman, said Gallagher will be doing his daily radio show on Friday morning live from the Holiday Inn Express, 1925 Waddle Road, in Williamsburg Square.

A shuttle will pick up students from the Curtin Road bus stop directly in front of the library, to take them to Gallagher's show, he added.

"Mike wants to talk to PSU students, both left and right, about Michael Moore," Roy said.

Gallagher's nationally syndicated radio show is broadcast locally Monday through Friday on WRSC (1390 AM) from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Roy said Gallagher was originally going to broadcast his show live from the HUB-Robeson Center, but WRSC would not allow it.

"It was a mess and full of miscommunication," Roy said. "Mike Gallagher and his right-hand man wanted to have it on campus, but they can't afford to piss off their local affiliate. They have to walk on eggshells when they go to a local market."

State Reps. Lynn Herman, R-Centre, and Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre and Mifflin, might attend the event, Roy said.

"Gallagher's show is going to contact Moore and his agent to challenge him to appear on one of the student radio shows," Roy said.

Roy added that Moore and Gallagher might debate on Radio Free Penn State on The Lion, WKPS (90.7 FM).