Student Association senators voted unanimously Tuesday to increase student football ticket prices by $2.
The resolution, which would go into effect for the 2009 season, will bring Mississippi State student tickets to $5 per game, matching the University of Kentucky for the lowest student ticket prices in the Southeastern Conference.
Off-campus Sen. Justin Ammon presented the legislation to the Senate and said its passing is a success for athletics and the student body.
“The point of this resolution is to make sure that MSU stays competitive in the SEC,” Ammon said. “I think the student Senate did the right thing, and I think the general student body will have no problem with this small increase.”
The increase could potentially net the athletic department an additional $150,000 annually.
Athletic Director Greg Byrne said the increase would help enhance the athletic experience at MSU but does not want it to take place without student approval.
“We’re certainly on the low end of the ticket prices in the SEC, which is one of the reasons we have the smallest budget,” Byrne said. “We want to be able to help recruit students, but we don’t want it [ticket prices] to be something that will price [students] out of the marketplace.”
Byrne said the additional funds would go toward facility improvement and be dispersed to all sports.
He said the first $8,000 of the extra funding would go toward the creation of a student Bulldog Club.
Byrne said the club would allow students to swipe membership cards at all athletic events and gain points for every event they attend.
Upon graduating, students could transfer their points into a monetary donation to the original Bulldog Club.
Byrne said the student-based club could begin as soon as the upcoming school year and would feature numerous other incentives for students to join.
Regarding turnout, Ammon said the student Bulldog Club could only increase attendance at sporting events that traditionally lack a heavy following.
“The student Bulldog Club will drive up attendance at sports like women’s soccer and volleyball,” Ammon said. “Attendance equals support and the more excitement we have can lead to more sports such as the addition of men’s soccer.”
Included in the resolution is the re-evaluation of student ticket prices every year.
Members of the Senate and the SA President-elect Blake Jeter will meet annually to discuss whether prices should be adjusted. If an increase is needed, then it will be brought back to the Senate for passage.
SA Vice President-elect Drew Cleek said he approved of the price increase, but wanted a freeze placed on student pricing for upcoming seasons.
“I want to make sure that we are not opening Pandora’s box in reference to increasing ticket prices,” Cleek said. “I believe the prices should consistently stay at that price for the next five years.”
While the price freeze was not included in the final resolution, Ammon said he wants to alleviate students’ fears.
“Tickets prices will not be increased every year,” he said. “I want to be sure to stress that point.”
Outgoing SA Vice President Braxton Stowe said he feels it is time for the increase to take place.
“I really feel that it [the increase] will help out athletics and anything that is going towards students is something I am for,” Stowe said.
Ammon said additional funding will only help recruit better athletes to MSU, and students will be proud of the game day experiences they will have with the influx of funding.
“People who attend these games want to go to a nice facility, and they want to be at a place that they are proud of,” he said. “If this money can go towards improving facilities and getting people to the facilities then it is a win-win for everybody.”