Mississippi State University students have concerns over the state of the university’s athletics, citing struggles in football, rising ticket prices and the ticketing system for basketball games. With a disappointing football season and increasing hurdles to attend games, many students feel their support is not being valued the way it should be.
The 2024 football season was tough to watch. The Bulldogs finished 2-10 overall and failed to win a single SEC game, an even sharper decline from the 2023 season’s 5-7 record.
Adding to the frustration, ticket prices have climbed significantly. The All-Sports Pass, which gives students access to football, basketball, baseball and softball games, increased to $250 for the 2024 season. The individual football pass alone is now $175 — nearly double the $99 price from just two years ago. In the 2022-23 season, students paid $150 for an All-Sports Pass that covered football, basketball and baseball.
For students already paying thousands in tuition, these increases make it harder to justify purchasing tickets, especially after a losing season. Some students opted to buy individual tickets instead, while others relied on classmates reselling their passes. One upside, however, was that football tickets were not subject to a claim system, meaning students who purchased them were guaranteed entry.
Despite the team’s struggles, MSU Athletics remains hopeful for a turnaround.
“The future is bright for Mississippi State football,” said Brandon Langlois, senior associate athletic director for communications and creative. “The program has generated much momentum this offseason, highlighted by a Top 25 recruiting ranking for the class of 2025 from On3 Sports and a transfer portal class that finished No. 7 by ESPN, No. 8 by Rival’s and No. 12 by 247Sports.”
While optimism exists for the upcoming football season, basketball ticketing policies have created new frustrations.
Mississippi State’s basketball teams are having solid seasons, but many students have not been able to experience them in person. Under the new claim system for basketball games, students must reserve their seats in advance on a first-come, first-served basis. If they do not claim their ticket in time, they can not attend — even if they bought the All-Sports Pass. This has created frustration among students who assumed the pass guaranteed access to every game.
MSU Athletics says the claim system is necessary due to seating limitations at Humphrey Coliseum.
“Our claim system allows students the flexibility to reserve their ticket in a timely fashion while not having to stand outside in winter temperatures prior to tipoff,” Langlois said. “Capacity at Humphrey Coliseum is smaller than Davis Wade Stadium and Dudy Noble Field, requiring a claim process for basketball games.”
High-demand matchups, like the rivalry game against Ole Miss, sold out in about an hour, leaving some students scrambling for alternative ways to get in. Even those closely following the claim schedule have found it difficult to secure tickets for key games.
Langlois encouraged students to stay updated on claim dates and prioritize high-demand games.
“The claim dates are staggered this year so that if a student does not get into one particular game, they will still be able to have an opportunity to attend games later in the season,” Langlois said.
While football’s struggles and ticketing frustrations have put a damper on student enthusiasm, there is cautious optimism for the future. The football program has brought in a highly ranked recruiting class and key transfers, giving students a reason to hope for a turnaround in 2025.
Students continue to show significant support in spite of the struggles. Even when we are not winning, Mississippi State students are ready to show up, as seen by the highest average student attendance at Davis Wade Stadium since 2013. However, if the cost of tickets keeps going up and getting into games gets harder, the institution will have to do more to make sure students feel appreciated.
For now, students are left hoping that both the football program and the athletics department can deliver a better experience next season — on and off the field.
