The University of Wisconsin athletic department proposed raising ticket prices during a finance committee meeting Tuesday, according to an athletic department official.

The current proposal is for a $2 increase for men's basketball student and general public tickets and a $1 increase for men's hockey student tickets.

If the proposal passes a vote by athletic board later this semester, the increases would go into effect next season.

"We don't want students panicking, it's just a preliminary budget," Associate Athletic Director Vincent Sweeney said. "We review ticket prices every year … and try to minimize."

Sweeney said he expects the proposed budget to go before the athletic board in mid-February and a final decision to be made by mid-March.

While the ticket price increases have yet to be finalized, some UW students said they are expecting them to be.

"I don't mind the slight increase, but I wish it could stay steady for at least one year," UW junior Justin Amundson said.

Amundson — who has hockey season tickets this year and basketball for the past two — said he would be more willing to pay the price increases if the student section for basketball games were moved.

"The student section is in a bad spot," he said. "I wouldn't mind paying more if it were along the sideline."

According to Sweeney, the ticket price increases are part of a proposed budget to remedy a projected $1.5 million gap between athletic department revenue and expenses.

Combined with a seventh home football game, Sweeney said the proposed ticket price hikes would result in $3 million of increased revenue for the athletic department.

Sweeney added some expenses would be cut as well.

Sweeney said it was all part of a "process" the athletic department goes through every year.

"We go back and figure out different revenue sources and different ways to eliminate expenses," Sweeney said. "We look for any way to bring in more money, any way to cut back expenses."

According to Sweeney, the proposed budget might also include an increase in the Varsity Pass ticket package — which he said includes "pretty much everything" except football, men's hockey and men's basketball.

Sweeney added he does not expect an increase in the price of football tickets, but that people would have to "pay more" for a season package with the extra home game added to the schedule.