The SGA and Auburn Athletics are preparing to implement the revised systems for student ticketing at Jordan-Hare Stadium in what they said is an effort to get more students and organizations involved in Auburn football.
In a policy change announced in April, the SGA said it was attempting to prevent upperclassmen from scalping tickets, or reselling them at a higher price.
This year, each student will have a limit of four ticket transfers per season. If a student attempts to transfer more than four tickets in one season, they won't be able to purchase tickets the next season.
Students will also be asked to present their Ignited Card before entering games to ensure the correct student is presenting the ticket.
“When I was a freshman, I wasn’t able to get any tickets, and upperclassmen would try and sell them to me for as high as $500,” said SGA Assistant Vice President of Athletics James Harris. “We’re mainly just trying to make sure that every student who wants to see the games has the opportunity to buy tickets before trying to buy them from an upperclassman.”
As an alternative for students who would usually buy someone's Ignited Card to bring a nonstudent guest, the SGA will be implementing a new approach to guest ticketing.
Harris said students who get a ticket to a game will be able to upgrade it to include a guest pass for a fee, allowing them to bring someone who may not have won or purchased a ticket.
Fees will vary by the popularity of the game. For example, to upgrade a ticket for the kickoff against Clemson on Sept. 3 is $90 and $15 for Arkansas State on Sept. 10.
Harris said by streamlining the process of seating and ticketing, Auburn Athletics and the SGA hope to bring Auburn football to as many students and clubs as possible.
There were also changes already implemented to the freshman student ticket lottery system.
Students with no previous credit hours at Auburn had to sign up for a ticket lottery to get their season tickets with the student discount, Harris said. This year's lottery entries were two six-game packages and one four-game package, in contrast to last year, when full season, four-ticket and two-ticket packages were available.
“In previous years, students would sign up for the lottery, and almost every single one would win the two-ticket package,” Harris said. “This new way, the people who win will get to see at least two SEC games in the season.”
Block seating will remain mostly the same this season as in previous years. However, reserved blocks will be opened up to all organizations at Auburn this year on the condition that each organization arrives at their assigned block one hour early.
If students fail to make it to their assigned seating on time, their organization will lose its blocking privileges and have its seating block opened up to the public.
“We’re really trying to show people that (blocked seating) isn’t just for sororities and fraternities,” Harris said. “We want all organizations and groups of students involved.”
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