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OSU changing contribution requirements for tickets

cvilleelkscoach

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Feb 4, 2011
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For those of you that constantly bitch about Sandy, would you like her to take the direction OSU is following for tickets and contributions? While the new program is similar to what is now used in Beaver Stadium, the pricing if far above what Penn State charges. Check out the parking pricing.

Ohio State University trustees are expected to approve a new football ticketing system that will allocate the best seats in the stadium to those who donate the most.

Trustees are scheduled to vote on the new plan Thursday that makes no changes for 2021 but switches to a new “per-seat contribution” pricing model beginning with the 2022 season. Most season ticketholders will be required to make contributions on top of paying for tickets.

“There is going to be some people who are upset,” said Gene Smith, OSU athletics director since 2005. “Then you’re going to have that constituency who will pay less. There will be people who pay less (for their season tickets.)”

Ohio Stadium will be divided into six zones. In zone 6, 14,000 season tickets will be available for purchase at face value with no required additional donation. Zone 6 seats are in the upper levels of the end zone. Seats in zone 1 are on the 50 yard line and will require a $1,500 per-seat contribution on top of the $1,287 cost for tickets to the eight home games. Contribution requirements and ticket prices range for the other zones but it boils down to the better the seat, the higher the donation and ticket prices.
Season ticket holders will also be required to make contributions of $3,000 to $6,000, plus pay $400 to $480 for parking passes. The seat contribution will off-set the required donation for parking spots.


Student seats will not be subject to the new system and tickets will remain priced at $34 per game. Likewise, suite seats will not fall under the new system.
Ohio State Buckeyes athletics reports big profits
Ohio State has more than 1,000 athletes participating in 36 varsity sports. It is one of about two dozen college athletics programs nationwide that are self-sustaining and do not rely on student fees or university subsidies. OSU Athletics typically transfers $52 million a year to the university’s general fund.
Smith, however, projects a $60 million deficit for the athletics department this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Smith anticipates that the department will borrow from the university and pay back the interest-bearing loan over five to seven years to erase the deficit.


Ohio State offering multiple ticket packages after decline in attendance
The per-seat contribution model is used by Power 5 peer schools across the nation.
“The department believes it can lower the total price of entry for many fans while also generating additional donations to fund student-athlete scholarships in all 36 sports,” Ohio State said in a written statement.
Currently, OSU’s Buckeye Club receives nearly $14 million a year in donations. Ohio State hopes to grow that to $25 million over an unspecified number of years, starting with a $5 million bump once the new football ticketing system is implemented.
“There is no question this that this is a revenue opportunity. We need to grow our annual giving program,” Smith said.
By the Numbers: Ohio State University Football
102,780 seats
50,000 season ticket holders
28,000 student tickets
8 home games in 2022
 
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You mean a team that has been in the cfp like 10 times? Oh, and didn’t we have a losing record last year. You can raise prices when you are a contender. You can raise them as high as osu when you win it all or compete for the championship.
 
Last edited:
For those of you that constantly bitch about Sandy, would you like her to take the direction OSU is following for tickets and contributions? While the new program is similar to what is now used in Beaver Stadium, the pricing if far above what Penn State charges. Check out the parking pricing.

Ohio State University trustees are expected to approve a new football ticketing system that will allocate the best seats in the stadium to those who donate the most.

Trustees are scheduled to vote on the new plan Thursday that makes no changes for 2021 but switches to a new “per-seat contribution” pricing model beginning with the 2022 season. Most season ticketholders will be required to make contributions on top of paying for tickets.

“There is going to be some people who are upset,” said Gene Smith, OSU athletics director since 2005. “Then you’re going to have that constituency who will pay less. There will be people who pay less (for their season tickets.)”

Ohio Stadium will be divided into six zones. In zone 6, 14,000 season tickets will be available for purchase at face value with no required additional donation. Zone 6 seats are in the upper levels of the end zone. Seats in zone 1 are on the 50 yard line and will require a $1,500 per-seat contribution on top of the $1,287 cost for tickets to the eight home games. Contribution requirements and ticket prices range for the other zones but it boils down to the better the seat, the higher the donation and ticket prices.
Season ticket holders will also be required to make contributions of $3,000 to $6,000, plus pay $400 to $480 for parking passes. The seat contribution will off-set the required donation for parking spots.


Student seats will not be subject to the new system and tickets will remain priced at $34 per game. Likewise, suite seats will not fall under the new system.
Ohio State Buckeyes athletics reports big profits
Ohio State has more than 1,000 athletes participating in 36 varsity sports. It is one of about two dozen college athletics programs nationwide that are self-sustaining and do not rely on student fees or university subsidies. OSU Athletics typically transfers $52 million a year to the university’s general fund.
Smith, however, projects a $60 million deficit for the athletics department this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Smith anticipates that the department will borrow from the university and pay back the interest-bearing loan over five to seven years to erase the deficit.


Ohio State offering multiple ticket packages after decline in attendance
The per-seat contribution model is used by Power 5 peer schools across the nation.
“The department believes it can lower the total price of entry for many fans while also generating additional donations to fund student-athlete scholarships in all 36 sports,” Ohio State said in a written statement.
Currently, OSU’s Buckeye Club receives nearly $14 million a year in donations. Ohio State hopes to grow that to $25 million over an unspecified number of years, starting with a $5 million bump once the new football ticketing system is implemented.
“There is no question this that this is a revenue opportunity. We need to grow our annual giving program,” Smith said.
By the Numbers: Ohio State University Football
102,780 seats
50,000 season ticket holders
28,000 student tickets
8 home games in 2022

thanks for posting that. I like to see comparisons to other programs and how they handle tickets and seat privileges.

I have no doubt that our current average of ~$65 per ticket for the majority of seats will rise to ~$75 per ticket in just a couple years. Club seats and chairbacks are higher now and will certainly rise as well.

Ohio State's average from above is ~$160. I'm not sure if I follow the $1500 per seat contribution plus the other $3000+ contribution mentioned. That's a lot of money on a per ticket basis.

I have 4 tickets in EF, at $700 per seat contribution and ~$65 per ticket. Plus I pay another $100 (that's a deal!) for season parking in Lot 41, just across Curtin Road. I love all my spots, and don't want to give them up in the foreseeable future. But at some point, given those costs will increase, and 1 or 2 of our 7 home games are against 'meh' 1AA or low 1A teams, I may have to rethink it all. The 4 or 5 B1G games are always worth going to, imo, and the better OOC games coming up certainly are as well.

But I am disheartened by having Villanova, Delaware, and UMass on the home schedule in the coming years. Certainly nothing against an always-competitive Nova or Delaware vs. other 1AA schools, but we should do better. I don't begrudge us the MAC teams, even with some of them being not competitive currently (Bowling Green comes to town soon enough, and has a long way to go to be better than Villanova or Delaware are right now). Scrap the local 1AAs, and give us a sprinkling of the now interesting Sun Belt teams, or the MWC teams that missed out this past season. Lots of teams to choose from in C-USA and AAC, too. Something new and different but still 1A and a giant leap above UMass and UConn.

I fully expect us to incrementally move to be more in line with Ohio State's ticket/seating approach soon enough.
 
My sister has been an OSU Presidents Club member and season ticket holder since the late 80’s, but no more. The price has just gone beyond her threshold of what she considers misdemeanor theft to beyond felony theft. Since all the games are on TV and her knowledge of who to get tickets from, she will only attend a couple of games per season and watch the rest with friends from the comfort of her own living room.

The university has a huge amount of corporate money buying tickets and they don’t mind paying exorbitant prices as it is written off or passed on to the customer. It is the most corporate atmosphere in CFB and why I absolutely hate the game day experience there.
 
Isn't that basically changing their process to be like most higher end revenue schools?
 
“There is going to be some people who are upset,”

please tell me that Gene Smith did not say that
 
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thanks for posting that. I like to see comparisons to other programs and how they handle tickets and seat privileges.

I have no doubt that our current average of ~$65 per ticket for the majority of seats will rise to ~$75 per ticket in just a couple years. Club seats and chairbacks are higher now and will certainly rise as well.

Ohio State's average from above is ~$160. I'm not sure if I follow the $1500 per seat contribution plus the other $3000+ contribution mentioned. That's a lot of money on a per ticket basis.

I have 4 tickets in EF, at $700 per seat contribution and ~$65 per ticket. Plus I pay another $100 (that's a deal!) for season parking in Lot 41, just across Curtin Road. I love all my spots, and don't want to give them up in the foreseeable future. But at some point, given those costs will increase, and 1 or 2 of our 7 home games are against 'meh' 1AA or low 1A teams, I may have to rethink it all. The 4 or 5 B1G games are always worth going to, imo, and the better OOC games coming up certainly are as well.

But I am disheartened by having Villanova, Delaware, and UMass on the home schedule in the coming years. Certainly nothing against an always-competitive Nova or Delaware vs. other 1AA schools, but we should do better. I don't begrudge us the MAC teams, even with some of them being not competitive currently (Bowling Green comes to town soon enough, and has a long way to go to be better than Villanova or Delaware are right now). Scrap the local 1AAs, and give us a sprinkling of the now interesting Sun Belt teams, or the MWC teams that missed out this past season. Lots of teams to choose from in C-USA and AAC, too. Something new and different but still 1A and a giant leap above UMass and UConn.

I fully expect us to incrementally move to be more in line with Ohio State's ticket/seating approach soon enough.
[/QUOTE

Good post. But I just wanted to clarify that the minimum parking lot donation for lot 41 is $2,500. For your situation, the 4 seats in EF donation, i.e. the $2,800, covers this amount. If you only had two seats there, you would have had to make up the $1,100 difference. Also, I wanted to know would you still have both your seats and parking spot, if Penn State decided to make the seat and parking lot donations independent of each other? In that case, you would pay $2,800 for your 4 EF seats and another $2,500 for your lot 41 parking spot us the 100 dollar parking fee. If the answer is yes, perhaps Penn State should consider this.
 
For those of you that constantly bitch about Sandy, would you like her to take the direction OSU is following for tickets and contributions? While the new program is similar to what is now used in Beaver Stadium, the pricing if far above what Penn State charges. Check out the parking pricing.

Ohio State University trustees are expected to approve a new football ticketing system that will allocate the best seats in the stadium to those who donate the most.

Trustees are scheduled to vote on the new plan Thursday that makes no changes for 2021 but switches to a new “per-seat contribution” pricing model beginning with the 2022 season. Most season ticketholders will be required to make contributions on top of paying for tickets.

“There is going to be some people who are upset,” said Gene Smith, OSU athletics director since 2005. “Then you’re going to have that constituency who will pay less. There will be people who pay less (for their season tickets.)”

Ohio Stadium will be divided into six zones. In zone 6, 14,000 season tickets will be available for purchase at face value with no required additional donation. Zone 6 seats are in the upper levels of the end zone. Seats in zone 1 are on the 50 yard line and will require a $1,500 per-seat contribution on top of the $1,287 cost for tickets to the eight home games. Contribution requirements and ticket prices range for the other zones but it boils down to the better the seat, the higher the donation and ticket prices.
Season ticket holders will also be required to make contributions of $3,000 to $6,000, plus pay $400 to $480 for parking passes. The seat contribution will off-set the required donation for parking spots.


Student seats will not be subject to the new system and tickets will remain priced at $34 per game. Likewise, suite seats will not fall under the new system.
Ohio State Buckeyes athletics reports big profits
Ohio State has more than 1,000 athletes participating in 36 varsity sports. It is one of about two dozen college athletics programs nationwide that are self-sustaining and do not rely on student fees or university subsidies. OSU Athletics typically transfers $52 million a year to the university’s general fund.
Smith, however, projects a $60 million deficit for the athletics department this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Smith anticipates that the department will borrow from the university and pay back the interest-bearing loan over five to seven years to erase the deficit.


Ohio State offering multiple ticket packages after decline in attendance
The per-seat contribution model is used by Power 5 peer schools across the nation.
“The department believes it can lower the total price of entry for many fans while also generating additional donations to fund student-athlete scholarships in all 36 sports,” Ohio State said in a written statement.
Currently, OSU’s Buckeye Club receives nearly $14 million a year in donations. Ohio State hopes to grow that to $25 million over an unspecified number of years, starting with a $5 million bump once the new football ticketing system is implemented.
“There is no question this that this is a revenue opportunity. We need to grow our annual giving program,” Smith said.
By the Numbers: Ohio State University Football
102,780 seats
50,000 season ticket holders
28,000 student tickets
8 home games in 2022

Well, let's see what happens when PSU wins 5 of 7 B1G championships and makes 4 trips to the CFP in that time frame.
 
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For those of you that constantly bitch about Sandy, would you like her to take the direction OSU is following for tickets and contributions? While the new program is similar to what is now used in Beaver Stadium, the pricing if far above what Penn State charges. Check out the parking pricing.

Ohio State University trustees are expected to approve a new football ticketing system that will allocate the best seats in the stadium to those who donate the most.

Trustees are scheduled to vote on the new plan Thursday that makes no changes for 2021 but switches to a new “per-seat contribution” pricing model beginning with the 2022 season. Most season ticketholders will be required to make contributions on top of paying for tickets.

“There is going to be some people who are upset,” said Gene Smith, OSU athletics director since 2005. “Then you’re going to have that constituency who will pay less. There will be people who pay less (for their season tickets.)”

Ohio Stadium will be divided into six zones. In zone 6, 14,000 season tickets will be available for purchase at face value with no required additional donation. Zone 6 seats are in the upper levels of the end zone. Seats in zone 1 are on the 50 yard line and will require a $1,500 per-seat contribution on top of the $1,287 cost for tickets to the eight home games. Contribution requirements and ticket prices range for the other zones but it boils down to the better the seat, the higher the donation and ticket prices.
Season ticket holders will also be required to make contributions of $3,000 to $6,000, plus pay $400 to $480 for parking passes. The seat contribution will off-set the required donation for parking spots.


Student seats will not be subject to the new system and tickets will remain priced at $34 per game. Likewise, suite seats will not fall under the new system.
Ohio State Buckeyes athletics reports big profits
Ohio State has more than 1,000 athletes participating in 36 varsity sports. It is one of about two dozen college athletics programs nationwide that are self-sustaining and do not rely on student fees or university subsidies. OSU Athletics typically transfers $52 million a year to the university’s general fund.
Smith, however, projects a $60 million deficit for the athletics department this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Smith anticipates that the department will borrow from the university and pay back the interest-bearing loan over five to seven years to erase the deficit.


Ohio State offering multiple ticket packages after decline in attendance
The per-seat contribution model is used by Power 5 peer schools across the nation.
“The department believes it can lower the total price of entry for many fans while also generating additional donations to fund student-athlete scholarships in all 36 sports,” Ohio State said in a written statement.
Currently, OSU’s Buckeye Club receives nearly $14 million a year in donations. Ohio State hopes to grow that to $25 million over an unspecified number of years, starting with a $5 million bump once the new football ticketing system is implemented.
“There is no question this that this is a revenue opportunity. We need to grow our annual giving program,” Smith said.
By the Numbers: Ohio State University Football
102,780 seats
50,000 season ticket holders
28,000 student tickets
8 home games in 2022
If you're required to make contribution, it isn't a contribution, it's a fee.
 
If Sandy and company thought they could get away with that they’d do it too. I’m sure PSU will be looking into how to implement something similar at Penn St with the excuse that ‘well, Ohio St is doing it’. Just give it some time.
 
You mean a team that has been in the cfp like 10 times? Oh, and didn’t we have a losing record last year. You can raise prices when you are a contender. You can raise them as high as osu when you win it all or compete for the championship.
 
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Columbus has like 900,000 people in it. State College and surrounding areas has like 40,000. Ohio State has a lot of Wal-Mart fans, while we have alumni who come to our games. If we jack prices up, there aren't people waiting in line to show up, especially for the terrible games. Hell, one of our games is military day just so they can try and sell the extra 30,000 tickets that would otherwise be vacant.
 
Good post. But I just wanted to clarify that the minimum parking lot donation for lot 41 is $2,500. For your situation, the 4 seats in EF donation, i.e. the $2,800, covers this amount. If you only had two seats there, you would have had to make up the $1,100 difference. Also, I wanted to know would you still have both your seats and parking spot, if Penn State decided to make the seat and parking lot donations independent of each other? In that case, you would pay $2,800 for your 4 EF seats and another $2,500 for your lot 41 parking spot us the 100 dollar parking fee. If the answer is yes, perhaps Penn State should consider this.
Would I make both the $2800 NLC contribution for the privilege of buying 4 seats ($1820 total today for 7 games) AND then make another $2500 just to be able to park in Lot 41? $5300 total?

No.

That would be the equivalent of $357 per game for one parking spot. It is ~$14 now.

I would still make the full $2500 NLC contribution to keep the parking location, though, even with just two tickets. I still want the NLC points standing for priority for other tickets.

The NLC donation needs to always include both the annual NLC "seat license" and the parking pass opportunity. To break it out and charge an exorbitant fee just for (car) parking would be a slap in the face. I expect the parking portion to rise as well as the ticket prices, but maybe eventually to $40 per spot per game max, and over some time period. $140 per season or $20 per game starting with the 2022 season, $175 per season or $25 per game 2024 or '25 season.... a gradual increase along those lines. I'd say to make the cost increases tie to the game tickets themselves rather than the parking. I think an average of $65 per ticket is still a good deal. Like I said, $75 per ticket average will be here soon enough, I'm sure.
 
Trying to price douche bags like this out of hogging the good seats


20e85e30-f627-4610-9b89-fec66c7d22ed-FREBrd_10-28-2017_BayCommOutlook_1_X001__2017_10_24_IMG_2016_Fiesta_Bowl_Not_1_1_VLK0U99D_L1121720258_IMG_2016_Fiesta_Bowl_Not_1_1_VLK0U99D.jpg
 
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For those of you that constantly bitch about Sandy, would you like her to take the direction OSU is following for tickets and contributions? While the new program is similar to what is now used in Beaver Stadium, the pricing if far above what Penn State charges. Check out the parking pricing.

Ohio State University trustees are expected to approve a new football ticketing system that will allocate the best seats in the stadium to those who donate the most.

Trustees are scheduled to vote on the new plan Thursday that makes no changes for 2021 but switches to a new “per-seat contribution” pricing model beginning with the 2022 season. Most season ticketholders will be required to make contributions on top of paying for tickets.

“There is going to be some people who are upset,” said Gene Smith, OSU athletics director since 2005. “Then you’re going to have that constituency who will pay less. There will be people who pay less (for their season tickets.)”

Ohio Stadium will be divided into six zones. In zone 6, 14,000 season tickets will be available for purchase at face value with no required additional donation. Zone 6 seats are in the upper levels of the end zone. Seats in zone 1 are on the 50 yard line and will require a $1,500 per-seat contribution on top of the $1,287 cost for tickets to the eight home games. Contribution requirements and ticket prices range for the other zones but it boils down to the better the seat, the higher the donation and ticket prices.
Season ticket holders will also be required to make contributions of $3,000 to $6,000, plus pay $400 to $480 for parking passes. The seat contribution will off-set the required donation for parking spots.


Student seats will not be subject to the new system and tickets will remain priced at $34 per game. Likewise, suite seats will not fall under the new system.
Ohio State Buckeyes athletics reports big profits
Ohio State has more than 1,000 athletes participating in 36 varsity sports. It is one of about two dozen college athletics programs nationwide that are self-sustaining and do not rely on student fees or university subsidies. OSU Athletics typically transfers $52 million a year to the university’s general fund.
Smith, however, projects a $60 million deficit for the athletics department this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Smith anticipates that the department will borrow from the university and pay back the interest-bearing loan over five to seven years to erase the deficit.


Ohio State offering multiple ticket packages after decline in attendance
The per-seat contribution model is used by Power 5 peer schools across the nation.
“The department believes it can lower the total price of entry for many fans while also generating additional donations to fund student-athlete scholarships in all 36 sports,” Ohio State said in a written statement.
Currently, OSU’s Buckeye Club receives nearly $14 million a year in donations. Ohio State hopes to grow that to $25 million over an unspecified number of years, starting with a $5 million bump once the new football ticketing system is implemented.
“There is no question this that this is a revenue opportunity. We need to grow our annual giving program,” Smith said.
By the Numbers: Ohio State University Football
102,780 seats
50,000 season ticket holders
28,000 student tickets
8 home games in 2022

A large portion of Ohio State fans do not bathe daily or wipe themselves after taking a dump. This won't impact those fans.
 
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