CLEMSON FOOTBALL

Students to be charged for lower deck football tickets
Photo by Mark Mcinnis

Students to be charged for lower deck football tickets


by - Senior Writer -

CLEMSON – Athletic Director Dan Radakovich and Clemson University have begun the process of implementing a new student ticket program for football games.

Radakovich told the media that the new fee will be totally elective and students will still have the opportunity to attend home football games for free.

“We have been discussing the student purchase of tickets for about 24 months. I know how it might look that all of these things are converging together,” Radakovich said. “It's just kind of happened that way because we want to make sure as we move forward with the student ticket plan that the students understand it before they leave to go home. That's just in a couple of weeks. We've had meetings with the students and it's no great secret, they don't want to do that. It's been something that's been part of Clemson for an awful long time.

“The way our plan is looking right now, lower deck tickets would carry a contribution to IPTAY. The upper deck tickets - the 3,300 tickets in the upper deck - would remain free so that if students were not able to pay those dollars, they couldn't certainly still come to games. There is value in the lower deck and there's value in the hill and we're just looking to gather that with our students.”

The fee would be $225 per football season and the students who choose to participate would no longer have to worry about claiming a ticket for each home game.

“We're looking right now at $225 per season,” he said. “They would have season ticket and it would be theirs and they would know they were going to the game and there would be no weekly signup. It is theirs. We're looking to move forward with it this fall.”

The $225 price tag is in line with what other universities charge and would be a discount over what season ticket holder pay as well as generate millions of dollars of revenue.

“It's what we thought the value would be. Some schools might charge a value to all students - 80 to 100 to 125 to 250. Virginia, the leader in the clubhouse at $670 per student and generating 13 million dollars for their athletic program each and every year.” He said. “This program would generate a couple of million dollars for us - about 1.8. That's how we looked to create some value points. We knew we wanted to keep the upper deck free, so that put us down into the lower deck. General season tickets or IPTAY season tickets are $365 so a significant decrease or discount from those tickets.”

Radakovich said that Clemson is the only school in three of the Power 5 conferences not charge for football or basketball tickets, and that the athletic department is also looking to improve the student section areas, especially those in the upper deck.

“We're the only school within the Southeastern Conference, the Big 12 and the ACC that does not have either a student fee that everyone pays - every student on campus - or a ticket fee for football or basketball and some schools have both,” he said. “We're looking at the lower deck for tickets for students and leaving the upper deck for free. In the upper deck, one of the things we're going to do - right now our students are spread along the upper portions of the south upper deck, but what we want to do is consolidate them to the two eastern most sections so they can sit together and actually have a great student experience even though they would be in the upper deck. There is great opportunity with the very big concourses in the upper deck for there to be something really special up there.”

An online petition was started by a Clemson student on Monday protesting the idea of a fee for tickets. The petition listed several reasons why you shouldn't have to pay for football tickets including the tickets were already included in the cost of tuition, the high cost of tuition, and a tradition at Clemson of not charging students for tickets.

As of Tuesday morning, the petition had 5000 signatures.

The Athletic department responded to the petition with the following release.

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Subject (Replies: 175) Author
spacer New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
TigerNet News®
spacer Bernie ain't gonna like this***
erskine
spacer I ain't gonna like this***
lhaselden
spacer Re: I ain't gonna like this***
Tigerdrafted
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
DE TIGER
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
TennesseeLadyTiger
spacer free in the upper deck, not the main student section***
tigerking79
spacer Re: free in the upper deck, not the main student section***
DE TIGER
spacer Re: free in the upper deck, not the main student section***
lhaselden
spacer Is this because
cmfreeman
spacer How Much will students have to donate to get lowers?***
GeeVille Tiger®
spacer Re: How Much will students have to donate to get lowers?***
9 Lives
spacer Re: How Much will students have to donate to get lowers?***
JF Tiger
spacer Non students have to pay 800-1600 I think for similar seats.
GeeVille Tiger®
spacer Re: Non students have to pay 800-1600 I think for similar seats.
allorangeallthetime52®
spacer Re: Non students have to pay 800-1600 I think for similar seats.
tiggie
spacer Did you read the posting about the athletic department
ggordon
spacer Re: Did you read the posting about the athletic department
tiggie
spacer Mech E. 1996. Job the whole time I was there.***
ggordon
spacer Also with the jobs
SageMoody
spacer Re: Non students have to pay 800-1600 I think for similar seats.
allorangeallthetime52®
spacer Re: Non students have to pay 800-1600 I think for similar seats.
mjm
spacer Re: Non students have to pay 800-1600 I think for similar seats.
mjm
spacer as a 40 year season ticket holder leave the students
mjm
spacer Re: as a 40 year season ticket holder leave the students
ILuvIDF
spacer yeah it's no longer Clemson Family, it's Clemson Greed***
tigerking79
spacer Re: yeah it's no longer Clemson Family, it's Clemson Greed***
tigersnake1954
spacer Doesn't seem like greed to me.
1983Grad
spacer Re: Doesn't seem like greed to me.
grover173
spacer Re: How Much will students have to donate to get lowers?***
NikkiHood®
spacer Re: How Much will students have to donate to get lowers?***
OIBTiger3
spacer Re: How Much will students have to donate to get lowers?***
allorangeallthetime52®
spacer I understand where DRad is coming from...
charlestontiger1977
spacer Re: I understand where DRad is coming from...
ruatiger®
spacer You missed a word...
TennTiger1516
spacer Re: You missed a word...
ruatiger®
spacer You're being obtuse. His point has merit.
think2x
spacer In much the same way that some don't even get to go
ggordon
spacer Re: You missed a word...
TennTiger1516
spacer This is an extreme comparison but
PenthouseTiger
spacer to be fair, only white, straight, Christian kids should have to pay the fee
tiger_swimmer®
spacer How about no fee
PenthouseTiger
spacer Re: to be fair, only white, straight, Christian kids should have to pay the fee
ILuvIDF
spacer Welcome to the real world. Some sit in suites, some in
Tiger5
spacer If you're paying $20,000 + a year for tuition and housing...
1983Grad
spacer Re: If you're paying $20,000 + a year for tuition and housing...
lhaselden
spacer I went to Clemson on loans and working a full time
ggordon
spacer Says the guy who owns his own insurance agency***
PenthouseTiger
spacer How do you think it will change the atmosphere?***
Johnstone Resident
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
Tigerman1978
spacer *You can still have free tickets*
PenthouseTiger
spacer can students sell the lower deck seats on StubHub like IPTAY members can?
tiger_swimmer®
spacer Re: can students sell the lower deck seats on StubHub like IPTAY members can?
NCTiger8818
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
LWT
spacer Thanks for your help David***
CuTigers835
spacer This just seems like a short sighted approach.
Leadeath
spacer I notice that a LOT
FORESTTIGER
spacer Re: I notice that a LOT
armsb
spacer My first Clemson game was against Texas A&M in 2005...
OhNineTiger
spacer Re: My first Clemson game was against Texas A&M in 2005...
Tigerman1978
spacer Re: My first Clemson game was against Texas A&M in 2005...
Mateopato
spacer Your post suggests you would not be a Clemson fan
GeeVille Tiger®
spacer As a sports fanatic, I'm sure that I personally would have..
OhNineTiger
spacer Re: Your post suggests you would not be a Clemson fan
Mateopato
spacer Anyone who's watched a game as a student on the
acevans
spacer $225 for a college student, is like $5000 to us graduates
HoustonTiger05
spacer Re: My first Clemson game was against Texas A&M in 2005...
StewPidaz
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
Jcantrell86®
spacer when does a studnet ever have to fight for tickets?
T_I_P
spacer Re: when does a studnet ever have to fight for tickets?
Jcantrell86®
spacer If I were still a student at Clemson I would love this
GWPTiger®
spacer Re: If I were still a student at Clemson I would love this
trowbr2
spacer And how did that work for them?
GWPTiger®
spacer Re: And how did that work for them?
Jcantrell86®
spacer Spoken like someone who's not a broke college student***
espnfan8123
spacer Re: Spoken like someone who's not a broke college student***
Jcantrell86®
spacer Don't care. You're still not a broke college student like me***
espnfan8123
spacer Re: Don't care. You're still not a broke college student like me***
Jcantrell86®
spacer Re: If I were still a student at Clemson I would love this
TennesseeLadyTiger
spacer We don't wait in line anyway.
espnfan8123
spacer That's a crappy deal.***
tigerdrummer®
spacer What about Hill tickets?
camcgee®
spacer YOU CAN'T RUSH THE FIELD FROM THE UPPER DECK!
imacutiger12
spacer Lolololol! If students don't buy the tickets and don't show
GWPTiger®
spacer I think we found the answer.
tigerdrummer®
spacer It's $225 to have a seat for every home game
GWPTiger®
spacer Re: It's $225 to have a seat for every home game
TotalTeeTiger®
spacer Re: It's $225 to have a seat for every home game
StewPidaz
spacer Re: I think we found the answer.
imacutiger12
spacer Re: YOU CAN'T RUSH THE FIELD FROM THE UPPER DECK!
allorangeallthetime52®
spacer Re: YOU CAN'T RUSH THE FIELD FROM THE UPPER DECK!
AthensGaTiger®
spacer You Can Rush But Likely Only Once And You May End Up
morbidtiger®
spacer Re: YOU CAN'T RUSH THE FIELD FROM THE UPPER DECK!
ruatiger®
spacer Clemson just keeps on getting greedy. Soon they will only be..
tigerking79
spacer Wow, you're being really racist right now***
GWPTiger®
spacer So much for the Clemson family slogan. Now the student section will be filled by opposing fans***
tigerking79
spacer Agree with all except opposing fans. THe ACC has no
Clemson81to85
spacer IPTAY: I Pay Two-twenty five A Year
coachmac
spacer Re: IPTAY: I Pay Two-twenty five A Year
armytiger66®
spacer yeah, dang, i can't grow some corn and potatos to pay with
tiger scott
spacer Wat happens when they sell out on lower deck student tics?
terrier2®
spacer I like the idea of the student ID's for entry...
rdwebbii
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
BKendall36
spacer Attendance will drop. Middle school Econ, if price goes up
Clemson81to85
spacer Paying the bills does not = greed.***
1983Grad
spacer Middle school econ would be more like "Supply & Demand"
apextiger
spacer And he'd rather have those 50,60, 70 year olds where the
Clemson81to85
spacer You said attendance would go down ...
apextiger
spacer I think it will go down. Some of those corners in the upper
Clemson81to85
spacer I think attendance will go up next year and every year that
apextiger
spacer The seats in the upper deck aren't
Clemson81to85
spacer Re: The seats in the upper deck aren't
Gcostanza
spacer What's the policy on this at Bama, Ohio St., Notre Dame, etc
apextiger
spacer Re: What's the policy on this at Bama, Ohio St., Notre Dame, etc
FL_Tigers18
spacer Re: What's the policy on this at Bama, Ohio St., Notre Dame, etc
BKendall36
spacer I remember being pzzed when I had to buy tickets as a grad
Neal in NC®
spacer Hate this idea. Lord knows tuition is high enough.
TGRRAG
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
reynolds
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
WhstigeR®
spacer I.E. the cost of "woo hooing." I tried to warn them sigh***
Tickled Orange
spacer ~$32 per game. I'd pay that for a guaranteed spot***
BentZero
spacer See-thru sun dresses. Fantastic bargain folks***
Tickled Orange
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
FL_Tigers18
spacer TD. This looks like nothing more than the AD trying to
acevans
spacer $1.8M / 55k season tickets = $32 per season ticket
8992Tiger
spacer Re: $1.8M / 55k season tickets = $32 per season ticket
allorangeallthetime52®
spacer Re: $1.8M / 55k season tickets = $32 per season ticket
8992Tiger
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
oneclemson86®
spacer Yeah impact the noise and rowdy students to upper deck
ClemsonSCTiger
spacer Re: Yeah impact the noise and rowdy students to upper deck
blaketiger
spacer lol lol that was a good one***
ClemsonSCTiger
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
oscaralex
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
FallBegins
spacer BAD DECISION!!!!
ClemBert
spacer Sorry folks! This is the price you pay ...
RevDodd
spacer if they pay $225, they'll most likely be around for the
freakgeek
spacer Free tickets for students is a great thing
jtmansmann
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
moodyc90guy
spacer I don't see any down side to your second point...
rdwebbii
spacer Re: I don't see any down side to your second point...
moodyc90guy
spacer That's a lot of big game atmosphere and noise lost from the
Clemson81to85
spacer This just doesn't sit well with me. I'm already paying two..
kbtiger®
spacer Let me speak as an alumnus and father of a current student
92MEGrad®
spacer In the end, it's the students' team... or should be.***
BlackFriar
spacer Do we want to be different or the same as other schools?
ParrotHdBE
spacer Re: Do we want to be different or the same as other schools?
bornin81
spacer So...I guess some of you think the Clemson crowds
Johnstone Resident
spacer Hmmm...
Rock_Paper_Tigers
spacer Re: Hmmm...
Little Mac 62
spacer Re: Hmmm...
hubcap
spacer Re: Hmmm...
ptong
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
87tigerette
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
mjm
spacer Feel the Bern fans can suck it.
Tigerdrafted
spacer Not a student but
SageMoody
spacer Boo!***
pluffmudtiger®
spacer are they in same lower deck area or did they move students
mjm
spacer I'm with the students on this....they help make the
UtilTiger
spacer Are you kidding me?
island boy®
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
Colavito®
spacer Re: DRadikovich@clemson.edu ?
86Orange®
spacer Seems absolutely fair. State the facts and move on...
GvilleTiger12
spacer Re: Seems absolutely fair. State the facts and move on...
ManlyMan
spacer Re: Seems absolutely fair. State the facts and move on...
GvilleTiger12
spacer Re: Seems absolutely fair. State the facts and move on...
ManlyMan
spacer Did not read posts, but I'm gonna call bull #### on a ticket fee not already being part of tuition***
ManlyMan
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
85tiger2010
spacer This is a punk b!tch money-grab move by the AD, nothing less
grover173
spacer Work on lowering costs, not raising fees
jba6ch®
spacer What a crappy way to generate revenue. Very sad day.***
thetigerdaddy®
spacer Why does Clemson have to be like other crappy schools, Dan?
bigut64
spacer I Get It But Don't Like It
morbidtiger®
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
ILuvIDF
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
Gcostanza
spacer Re: New Story: Students to be charged for football tickets
Gcostanza
spacer Virginia
Leadeath