Cearley: Ticket system ‘moving in the right direction’
Editor’s note: The Red & Black recently sat down with Tim Cearley, director of ticket operations for the University Athletic Association, to discuss details surrounding the new student ticketing system for football games.
With the new system, home-game tickets will be electronically loaded onto students’ UGA identification cards rather than issued in paper form. For students who register for tickets in August, tickets will still be awarded based on hours earned at the University.
The new system originates from an effort to make the ticketing process easier while curbing scalping. Tickets for away games and tickets for donors, faculty and staff will be issued the same as in the past.
There will also be a donation bank for unused student tickets, Cearley said.
Red & Black: How will students keep track of the tickets they receive?
Tim Cearley: Essentially, students will be notified about which tickets they received by e-mail, and the tickets will be loaded on to each student’s UGACard (student ID card). We are developing a Web site in which students can login and verify the games they have tickets for.
R&B: What changes do students need to know about before entering the stadium?
Cearley: Since the student sections are general admission, we’re encouraging folks to come early. When students approach the gates, we will have staff positioned throughout the lines to check UGA ID cards, make sure they work properly and confirm there is a ticket loaded on the card so we don’t have a bunch of problems at the gate. Gate 1 (under the end zone), Gate 3 (between Memorial Hall and Reed Hall) and Gate 4A (near Reed Hall) are designated for student entry. Each gate will have 10 to 15 lanes for IDs to be scanned – more than other schools with similar systems.
If the card is damaged or it won’t scan for some reason, we will have “resolution stations” at the Reed Quad and Bulldog Bucks Office.
R&B: Will there be hand scanners?
Cearley: No, we’re trying the method we originally tested at G-Day, which includes scanning or swiping students’ IDs. After talking with the food services people and officials at Ramsey, we thought with the volume of people we have, it might be better to not use the hand scanners. It’s also more cost-effective because we are using ID scanners that are already used at sporting events – it’s something our fans and personnel are familiar with.
R&B: Will the student sections be the same?
Cearley: Yes. Our student allotment is 18,026 and the traditional sections have not changed.
R&B: Will students who donate their tickets to the donation bank be reimbursed $8 – the cost of the ticket?
Cearley: No, students donating a ticket will not be reimbursed and students receiving it will not be charged for it.
In addition to the donation bank, Cearley said there is another option for students who receive split packages.
Cearley: If some of the visiting schools do not use their tickets, we will allow donors and students who didn’t receive full packages purchase the tickets. The tickets will be in the other team’s section, will cost the same (around $45) and students will pick them up as they were away tickets.
R&B: If a student has an older version of his or her ID card, would the tickets be loaded on there as well?
Cearley: No, the tickets are loaded on the most current ID card.
R&B: Do you expect students to sell IDs to one another?
Cearley: Well, we aren’t going to rule that out, but I can tell you selling an ID violates University policy. The student judiciary and other offices can be involved, so it’s not the brightest idea.
The IDs will also be checked to ensure the photograph matches the student using it, Cearley said.
R&B: With general seating, can a student leave a “full” section to use the restroom or go to the concession stand and re-enter the same section? How will staff monitor this?
Cearley: Those are great questions and we’re still in the process of figuring that out. We are very aware of it possibly being an issue and our event management office is developing a solution in the next month or so.
R&B: Will students still have to pick up hard copies of tickets for away games?
Cearley: Yes, it will be the same as in the past.
R&B: What else should students know about this effort?
Cearley: There’s going to be a very big effort on our part to make this successful. I think it’s going to be easier for the students – which is one of the key points. We will learn a lot from this too. I think we’re moving in the right direction.
Cearley said the Athletic Association is developing a Web site specific to this process for students to understand the system in advance. See their Web site as well as The Red & Black for more developments.
