Football season ticket holders to pay more in ‘08

Student season ticket prices will not be affected by the changes.

By Michelle Hagopian

Published Feb. 22, 2008

Beginning in fall 2008, football season ticket holders will pay more for their tickets. MU Athletics will change the donation amount required for the Tiger Scholarship Fund. The policy won’t affect MU students, MU Athletics spokesman Chad Moller said.

But football ticket prices might increase as they do on a yearly basis, he said.

“Tickets may rise a little bit, which is typical,” Moller said. “It’s just like the price of a gallon of milk or gas. The price usually rises annually.”

According to a letter released by MU Athletics Director Mike Alden, the seating plan at Faurot Field has not changed since 1983.

Under the seating plan, fans who sit between the 20-yard lines in the east and west bleachers must be members of the Tiger Scholarship Fund.

Alden said MU Athletics will lower donation requests for areas on either side of the 50-yard line in sections I through L and II through LL.

The new request will be a $400 minimum donation per seat instead of the $500 minimum donation per seat in 2007.

Other season ticket holders who sit between the 10 and 20 yard lines will be asked to join Tiger Scholarship Fund at a minimum of $25 per seat, Alden said.

Fans who do not wish to join the fund will be seated outside the designated areas.

Mitch Thompson, an MU freshman and season ticket holder, said the new policy is worth the efforts.

“I think it’s totally fine, because if donors are already going to be spending that much money on season tickets, then another $25 isn’t going to make a huge dent in their wallets,” Thompson said.

He said the money goes to a good cause.

“Most of the people complaining about this probably need to rethink why they’re going to the games in the first place,” Thompson said. “The proceeds will help MU athletes.”

Moller said that while MU Athletics has no control over the rate of inflation, the department attempts to keep tickets affordable.

He said the Tiger Scholarship Fund solicits donations and contributions from donors, fans and alumni. The money offsets the cost of scholarships necessary to put MU student athletes through school.

“MU Athletics doesn’t get a scholarship waiver from the university,” Moller said. “On average, it costs us $7 million in expenditures to provide scholarships. The donation money helps to offset those expenses for us.”

He said MU has about 500 student athletes, but not all receive scholarships from the department.

“Expenditures go up in price every year along with tuition,” Moller said.

He said for the 2007 football season, the public cost for season tickets was $266, whereas MU students paid $120 for six home game season tickets. Students could also purchase a $207 All Sport Pass, he said.

Also in 2008, fans who park in nondonor parking lots must pay a $15-per-car fee at each game, Alden said. The charge is a $5 increase from the 2007 season.

In donor lots, reserved parking in 2008 will cost $100 for a season parking pass.

At Baylor University, the athletic department requires contributions within seats in the football stadium, Baylor Athletics Associate Director Nick Joos said.

“We require donations from the general public seated between the 30-yard lines on the west side of our stadium,” Joos said.

He said the donations range from $110 to $1,000, depending on the seat location. The required contribution is specific only to season ticket holders, not Baylor students, he said.