Kansas Jayhawks athletics has announced a readjustment of its season ticket structure for the 2020-21 men’s basketball season. The university will now offer season tickets in eight seating tiers rather than three with the main highlight of the plan being a decrease in prices for the first time since the 2008-09 season.
An estimated 45 percent of Allen Fieldhouse season ticket owners will experience lower ticket prices this coming season than last year. The decision to realign the ticket structure comes from both fan feedback and market research, and amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the athletic department is aiding fans hit hard by the economic impact by offering a new season ticket price of $500.
“Our priority is to keep Allen Fieldhouse as the best homecourt advantage and we cannot do that without our fans,” said University of Kansas Athletic Director Jeff Long in a statement. “We have heard the concerns of some fans that our prices have increased to a level some struggle to meet, and given the economic conditions created by COVID-19, we felt it was a good time to reduce some prices and create more options for our loyal fans. Simply put, we know many of our fans will be struggling when we emerge from this pandemic and we needed to create a more affordable experience or we could risk losing the incredible home court advantage that has made Allen Fieldhouse the best college basketball venue for decades.”
The revised ticket structure ranges in price from $500 to $1000 for the bottom five tiers. Tier 3 will go up in price slightly to $1,125 from last season’s price of $975. Fans in the existing top two tiers will face the same 2019 prices of $1,275 and $1,650, respectively.
“We felt it was important to create a dramatically reduced base line season ticket as an option for our renewing season ticket holders that are experiencing significant financial stress,” Long added. “Additionally, we think it will be an attractive price point for fans that want to become season ticket holders for the first time or are ready to become a holder again.”
The Kansas Jayhawks have not only become one of the most successful teams in NCAA basketball history, but have maintained one of the country’s strongest fan bases as Allen Fieldhouse has achieved a streak of 306 consecutive sold-out games dating back to the 2001-02 season.
“Our fans are the best in the country and we have been fortunate to see Allen Fieldhouse sold-out for every game during our 17-seasons here,” said men’s head coach Bill Self. “It is unfortunate to see how this pandemic has hit so many, so hard, but hopefully the addition of tiers and lower ticket prices will allow our fans to enjoy Kansas basketball together again soon. All of you have helped create the best home court advantage in college basketball. We look forward to seeing you in Allen Fieldhouse this winter.”
The NCAA halted all winter championships and spring sports as a result of the pandemic but has since outlined the core principles needed to resume college sports.
