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UW Athletics budget includes rise in ticket prices
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by Natalie Rhoads
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
The University of Wisconsin Athletic Board Finance Committee passed proposed ticket-price increases this week to student and non-student tickets for several UW sports.
If the Athletic Board approves the budget proposals later this month, Badger fans will see a slight increase in the prices of tickets for men’s football, men’s hockey and women’s basketball.
Deputy Director of UW Athletics Jamie Pollard said the increases are mostly inflationary and will most likely not affect fan attendance.
“Our ticket prices are still in the lower third of the Big Ten,” Pollard said.
Student ticket-holders will see the smallest increase in costs if the Athletic Board passes the proposal. Student tickets for football would see a dollar increase, bringing the total cost to $17 per game. Student tickets for men’s hockey would also see a jump of $1, to bring the total cost to $10 per game.
Student ticket-holders who do not hold season vouchers would have to pay an increase of $5 for football tickets. In addition, hockey season-ticket-holders would receive a discount of $4 per game. This is to encourage students to buy season tickets, according to a release from the Athletic Department.
Non-student ticket-holders will endure the majority of the proposed increases. Public season-ticket-holders for football will endure a $2 increase, raising the total cost to $35 per game. Single-game tickets would jump to $42 per game, a $9 increase.
In addition, public season general admission for women’s basketball would be set at $50, a $5 increase, and public season reserved tickets will see a $10 increase, bringing the total to $85. An additional $2 spike will be added to public single-game men’s hockey tickets.
UW sophomore Brian Diebling said he agreed the minor costs would not deter Badger fans from attending athletic events. Diebling added people are willing to go to extreme measures to obtain tickets for certain UW sports games, proving the demand for tickets is high.
“I know I didn’t get tickets last year, so there is a huge demand for them,” Diebling said.
Pollard added the increased prices will help pay for up-keep of facilities, among other expenses. He said one of the reasons for the increases is a result of the rising tuition costs for students. According to Pollard, the Athletic Department has to raise its prices in order to continue to pay for athletes’ scholarships. However, he said this was one of many costs for the Athletic Department.
“We are very conscious to not raise prices just [for the sole purpose] to raise prices,” Pollard said.
Anonymous (February 23, 2005 @ 8:14am):
"According to Pollard, the Athletic Department has to raise its prices in order to continue to pay for athletes' scholarships." Yet, scholarships account for only 1/16th of the AD's total budget. Sounds like obfuscation.
Anonymous (February 23, 2005 @ 1:34pm):
^^^^ Read the second to last line of the article "However, he said this was one of many costs for the Athletic Department.
"
It is possible for the other 15/16ths of the athletic budget to see increases.
