February 25, 2021
More affordable tickets for many as 14,000 season ticket locations won’t require an annual contribution
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State Department of Athletics’ annual giving program and the process for purchasing football season tickets and parking passes through the Buckeye Club will modernize into a more transparent and equitable model in time for the 2022 football season. Benefits for many season ticket holders will be more affordable prices, including some seating sections that will not require an annual contribution, and more opportunities to purchase tickets.
The Ohio State Board of Trustees will vote later today on expanding the configuration of Ohio Stadium from two price zones to six price zones and to assign the individual game and season ticket pricing for the 2022 football season.
The Board of Trustees will also vote during its quarterly meeting today on a recommendation from Athletics for no price increases on season tickets for the 2021 Ohio State football season. If the recommendation is approved by the Board, this will be the second consecutive year that season tickets will not be increased.
The Transition to PSCs
The Buckeye Club’s transition – to a per-seat contribution (PSC) model – will benefit fans and season ticket holders by providing greater access to season tickets, more opportunities to increase the number of season tickets per person and a wider range of seating options. This transition will also modernize an outdated and fragmented model that is no longer able to generate the revenue needed to support the $29 million grant-in-aid costs for Ohio State student-athletes.
The benefits of the PSC model for current and new season ticket holders are numerous:
§ A majority of seats – just over 52 pct. – will have an annual per seat contribution of $250 or less;
§ Nearly one-third of the current season ticket holders will pay less for their same seats;
§ More than 14,000 season ticket locations will be available to the general public without an annual contribution beyond the cost of the tickets themselves; and
§ An equitable, level playing field will exist within the seating zones as everyone in the respective zones will have paid a per-seat contribution for their seat(s).
Ohio Stadium will be divided into six pricing zones in the PSC model. Each zone will have a different annual per-seat contribution and ticket price. The per-seat contribution will range from $0 to $1,500. Student season tickets will not require an annual contribution and will remain priced, for the 10th consecutive year, at $34 per game.
Premium seating areas (club seats, loges and suites) will not be subject to a per-seat contribution. Additionally, there are season ticket holders who historically have not been required to pay an annual Buckeye Club contribution to qualify for tickets. These exceptions will no longer exist. Faculty and staff selecting seats in zones for which a per-seat contribution is required will continue to receive a 20% discount on the season ticket price as well as on the per-seat contribution.
Season ticket prices in front of the Board of Trustees for the eight-game 2022 home season, which features contests against Notre Dame, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan, will range from $710 up to $1,287.
The process to select parking will also transition into a more equitable process for season ticket holders, who will now have a selection window to choose a parking lot based on their giving level and priority points.
The Department of Athletics has explored modernizing its Buckeye Club model several times in the past 10 years and has implemented some changes, but all were within the framework of the outdated model. The PSC model is being used successfully by Power 5 peer schools around the country, and 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.
The Department of Athletics continues to work with state and local health officials on protocols surrounding fan attendance at games. Once more details become available, information will be sent regarding 2021 season ticket renewals and seat selection timelines and processes.
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COURTESY OHIO STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
