On the heels of a fifth straight losing season, Kansas University will not raise football ticket prices in 2001.
At its January meeting on Wednesday, the KU Athletics Corp. board approved a season ticket price of $175.
That’s actually higher than last year’s season ticket, but the Jayhawks will have seven home games this fall instead of six. At least it’s highly likely KU will have seven home games.
“We’re operating on that assumption,” KU athletics director Bob Frederick said. “We have signed the contract on our end. It hasn’t been returned, but we don’t expect any issues.”
Frederick did not name the school, but it is believed to be Wyoming.
Kansas has confirmed nonconference home games against UCLA and Southwest Missouri State. The Jayhawks’ Big 12 home foes will be Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa State.
A vigorous marketing campaign is planned, Frederick said. Details will be outlined at the next KUAC board meeting on Feb. 21.
The $175 season ticket price will save the buyer $24 over single-game prices. Just like last year, a reserved ticket for a nonconference game will cost $25 and a Big 12 game $28. Nebraska is excluded, however. The NU ticket will cost $40. General admission in the North Bowl will remain $15 for all games except Nebraska. Student ticket prices will also stay the same.
KU officials have discussed removing the south end zone bleachers, designating that area standing room only and charging a $10 admission. It has been noted that many fans stand behind those bleachers anyway and watch the game on the video board.
In other action, the KUAC board:
Tabled until the next meeting whether to vote on including a member of the faculty on hearings specified by the Student-Athlete Code of Conduct.
Learned that eight of the 18 varsity teams compiled grade point averages over 3.00 during the fall semester. Women’s cross country led the way at 3.40. Football was last at 2.27 and men’s basketball next-to-last at 2.36.
Heard a gloomy report from Frederick about the ability to continue to fund grants-in-aid over the next five to 10 years. “Even if we sell out the football stadium,” Frederick said, “I don’t know if we can keep up with revenue over expenses.”
Discussed but took no action on a suggestion by board president John Ferraro that KU also offer special deals to season ticket holders when it offers two-for-one deals for the general public like it did for last fall’s season football finale against Texas.
