Picnic will replace stadium campout for football tickets
By ANNE MARIE MATTINGLY
News Editor
A student picnic at Stepan Center on Monday, Aug. 21 will be the highlight of this year's student football ticket distribution, according to Perry Baert, ticket manager at Notre Dame's Department of Athletics. This is the second consecutive year of changes for ticket sales.
"Ticket distribution was organized by the previous [student government] administration. We're excited about their improvements," said Brian O'Donoghue, student body president.
Last year's distribution involved three nights of students camping in the stadium concourse with activities organized for each class by student government. But the expensive process had minimal participation, so the event's organizers decided to revamp the system once again.
"Although the distribution end of it went very well, the programming provided by the Student Activities Office and class councils was not very well attended — only two people actually spent the night in the stadium," said former student body president Micah Murphy in the May 3 edition of The Observer.
The picnic will replace the traditional student campouts for tickets, though the procedure for ticket distribution will be similar.
This year's event, called "Kickoff 2000," will be held from 5:30-8 p.m. at Stepan Center and students of all classes can receive lottery ticket stickers. While waiting for tickets, students will be entertained with live music and special guests. This year's activities were organized by the office of Student Affairs and student government, said Baert.
"There is going to be one big blowout bash now, instead of four mini-events where there was one for each class. This way, we can build up support for the football team — as well as all sports — with a pep rally-type event, give out a bunch of prizes and select the winning ticket number. This is better than trying to coordinate separate events for each class," said Ross Kerr, former Student Union Board manager, last May.
Students will receive lottery numbers within their respective classes, and a drawing at the picnic's conclusion will determine which number will receive the first position in the ticket line. Students will line up in numerical order following the starting number; numbers from one to the winning number will line up after the highest number. Students not receiving lottery numbers at the picnic will join the end of the line on the day of ticket sales.
Each student will be able to hold up to six ticket applications and corresponding I.D. cards so that groups of friends will be able to receive consecutive lottery numbers and purchase tickets together. If a number in the middle of the group is selected to begin the sales, the group will not be divided.
On-campus students will receive 2000 football ticket applications by Monday in their residence hall mailboxes. Graduate and law students receive applications from their schools; off-campus students may pick up their applications by presenting a current student I.D. at the second floor ticket window in the Joyce Center between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday. Saint Mary's students will receive their ticket applications at registration.
The senior class can purchase tickets Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Juniors may purchase tickets Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Law and graduate students will purchase tickets from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday. Sophomore and freshman ticket sales will take place on Thursday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., respectively. All ticket sales will take place at gate B of the stadium.
The ticket price for the six-game season is $108 for Notre Dame students and $144 for Saint Mary's students, payable by check or cash. Last year's seven-game student ticket price was $123 for Notre Dame and $165 for Saint Mary's.
Laura Rompf and Finn Pressly contributed to this report.
All News Stories for Saturday, August 19, 2000
