I was able to attend Thursday's Athletic Board meeting where the new ticket priority system was approved.
First, the new ticket policy for Boosters is incredibly complicated and varies depending on a variety of factors so I'm not going to try to explain all the details. Since it is very different and complex compared to the existing system I asked Jerry Kutz, senior VP with the Seminole Boosters, to participate in a thread on the Tribal Council to answer your questions.
The new ticket priority system was approved and will go into effect for the 2016 season. There was only one "nay" vote by Mark Zeigler, a professor at FSU. During the question and answer session, he commented that "You better be ready to put on your big boy britches because this is going to be excruciating to explain."
Here are a few key notes I was able to gather from the meeting.
First, the new ticket policy for Boosters is incredibly complicated and varies depending on a variety of factors so I'm not going to try to explain all the details. Since it is very different and complex compared to the existing system I asked Jerry Kutz, senior VP with the Seminole Boosters, to participate in a thread on the Tribal Council to answer your questions.
The new ticket priority system was approved and will go into effect for the 2016 season. There was only one "nay" vote by Mark Zeigler, a professor at FSU. During the question and answer session, he commented that "You better be ready to put on your big boy britches because this is going to be excruciating to explain."
Here are a few key notes I was able to gather from the meeting.
- This the first change to the ticket priority system in 10 years and costs, especially scholarships, have increased dramatically since then. The purpose of the change is both to raise additional revenue to meet some of these costs and to better match seat value with booster contributions. Jerry Kutz told me a very ballpark estimate is that these changes will bring in around $2 million more in additional revenue each year.
- There will only be a slight increase to every booster level. For instance a Golden Chief will now have to pay $6,500 instead of $6,000, a Silver will go up $250, $100 for a Tomahawk and so on (see chart below).
- The main change will be a cost that will based on the number of seats you are purchasing and where those seats are located. The goal is to have the value of the seats match up with the donation made by the ticket holder (higher valued seats require a higher donation).Seats in the priority 1 section for example (middle of the field on the west side) will be impacted the most. If you have seats in a non-priority 1 section the increase will be minimal (see cost per seat chart below).
- Other than the slight increase for each booster level, approximately 53% of boosters/ticket holders will be unaffected by the change.
- I'll let Jerry discuss the specifics, but from the various examples put forth by Financial Chair Joe Icerman the most impacted segment of the booster base will be the middle level boosters (Tomahawk, Warrior) that max out on their ticket allotment and wish to continue with the same number of seats in the priority 1 section (assuming they were getting the maximum allowed). For instance, one example given was a Warrior, who maxes out with six seats - four in the priority 1 section and two in priority 2. In this instance, which was one of the extreme examples, would result in a $1,450 additional cost.
- This type of system is pretty much standard among all the other major programs in the southeast (Clemson, UF, Alabama, etc.).
- Even with the change, the cost for FSU ticket holders/boosters is still in the lower-middle range when compared to these other schools.
- The calculation for priority points will also change to reward long time ticket holders, boosters and other contributors. Basically any type of contribution to the athletic department, boosters, coaches club, annual fund, etc. will now be counted up to 20 years. It varied between 5-10 years before. Priority points go into determining new seats when you request a move and for priority when requesting away game or bowl tickets.
- A letter should be going to to every ticket holder today or tomorrow giving a basic explanation of the changes. Also, if you have a booster rep they will be available to walk you through the changes and how they will impact you.
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