Ticket policy changes for grads, SWARM

After last season, when students protested being unable to attend popular football games, ticket distribution for graduate students and SWARM members will fall under a new student ticketing policy for the upcoming home football season.

The protests prompted an effort to streamline student ticketing, so the process was revised in an attempt to distribute student tickets fairly throughout the student body. As of this week, various changes are starting to be implemented.

One of those changes is the addition of a new graduate student area within the student section. The graduate seating area is not a separate space away from the general student section, but is simply a percentage of tickets that are originally set aside as graduate student tickets. Any tickets that are not claimed by graduates at the end of their two-day amnesty period will be placed back in the general pool, and will be available to undergraduates both in blocks and as individual students. Graduates were able to pick up tickets this Tuesday for Saturday's home opener against Samford University.

"We started the graduate ticketing because so many graduates were unhappy about being unable to get down and get in line for tickets on Monday morning, and the extra two-day window helps them come see games that they used to miss. They don't tend to be members of blocks like fraternities... and it was hard for them to get good tickets," said Scott McLaren, assistant athletic director for Ticketing and Sales.

Discussion about the changes to the graduate ticketing policy began in January. The Athletic Association worked with members of the graduate and undergraduate branches of Student Government.

"SGA has a student ticketing committee. There have been several students on it for the past few years, and they look at any changes that are proposed by the Athletic Association to try to come up with compromises between the undergraduates and graduates. They are the ones that have been looking at changing the block procedures, and they will be looking at changing the system next year," said Anu Parvatiyar, undergraduate student body president.

Changes were also made to the distribution of tickets to members of SWARM, the group of yellow-shirted, screaming fans who can be found in the north endzone of football games. In previous years, SWARM members picked up their tickets in line with other student blocks. According to the new Student Ticket Procedures, SWARM will now be able to pick up their tickets a day earlier, picking up Saturday tickets on Friday.

In order to receive a ticket for SWARM a member's voucher must be turned in with the block 8 days prior to the game. The procedure is the same for non-SWARM members of 1st and 10, an organization of students as well as young alumni whose other activities include fundraising for athletics

"We had originally looked at changing how 1st and 10 membership and ticketing as well, but we decided against it. The only changes as far as block ticketing for this year are for SWARM, although we might be looking into changing more in the future," McLaren said.

SWARM membership will continue to be maintained by the Ramblin' Reck Club.

"The SWARM is in charge of keeping a membership registry of their members, and handing out the t-shirts to the members, so we at the Athletic Association won't be regulating who individually gets those tickets," McLaren said.

SWARM is an offshoot of the 1st and 10 Undergraduate Program. Registration for the club was in August, and members paid a $15 fee for 1st and 10 membership, as well as $5 for the SWARM t-shirts.

According to the Student Ticket Procedures, SWARM seats will be in section 117 this year, moving the cheering group in closer proximity to the band as well as the playing field.

"We had looked at changing how SWARM tickets and registration were maintained, but we decided against becoming more actively involved," McLaren said.

"We were looking into expediting the block ticketing pick-up process by trying to add in two lines, but that is not something that has happened yet. That is a change that we are looking at for later in the season, or even next year," Parvatiyar said.

There are no current changes to the overall ticketing system. Blocks of students not affiliated with 1st and 10 may still pick up their tickets the morning of football games, and individual students who are not in blocks may continue to do so as well.

"We really don't foresee any difficulties with the new procedures, and all groups that want block tickets should be able to get them. I would just encourage students to look at the athletic association website if they have any questions," McLaren said.

The ticket office is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the gates to the stadium open one-and-a-half hours before gametime.

Effects of the new policy :

Graduate students:

A fixed amount of tickets will be reserved for graduate students and can be picked up starting on Tuesdays before home games.

SWARM:

Tickets may be picked up on Fridays after turning in a member's voucher eight days before game day.

1st and 10:

No changes.