Ohio State Balances Ticket Distribution for BCS Championship Game – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 29, 2006
COLUMBUS – While 105,000 Buckeye fans attended each home game this year, Ohio State University has been allotted only 16,000 tickets for the BCS Championship Game, to be played on Monday, Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz.
“Deciding how to distribute those tickets across our many different constituencies is a balancing act,” said Athletics Director Gene Smith, whose department manages ticket distribution. “The Department of Athletic tries to be as fair as possible in meeting the huge demand from, among others, students, faculty, staff, trustees, alumni, donors, media, boosters and season ticket holders. All of them are important to our athletic programs and our university.”
Students have in total about 2,800 ticket opportunities for the bowl game. Eleven hundred tickets were included in the first round of the student lottery, and another 500 are being used by students who signed on for the student/faculty/staff tour. In addition, many more tickets are set aside for students directly involved in the football program, including players, band members, cheerleaders, managers and others.
“We have had a phenomenal season on the field and off, thanks in large part those fans that have proven that they are The Best Fans in the Land. I am truly disappointed that we don’t have tickets for every student and every fan. In particular, I am disappointed we have only 500 tickets for our season ticket holders, may of whom have supported the team faithfully for decades,” Smith added.
The university allotment, distributed through Department of Athletics includes:
| Department of Athletics Travel Party Team (six comp tickets per athlete) Cheerleaders Coaches’ families Department staff including team managers |
2,500 |
| University Representatives President’s cabinet Deans Trustees Former trustees Former presidents Public officials Key community and business leaders Foundation Board members and major donors Athletic Council Student/faculty/staff leadership |
1,000 |
| Varsity O | 1,200 |
| Student lottery | 1,100 |
| Faculty/staff lottery | 1,000 |
| Faculty/staff/student tour 500 of these tickets have been purchased by students |
1,000 |
| Alumni Association | 1,500 |
| Regular season ticket holders | 500 |
| President’s Club/Buckeye Club/Development Includes major donors to colleges and Athletics Dept. |
4,900 |
| Media Family members of credentialed media |
200 |
| Band | 300 |
| Buckeye Boosters | 342 |
| Contingency | 358 |
| Athletic Ticket Office Trouble Issues | 100 |
