Basketball ticket increase to help funding program

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas will raise the price of men’s basketball tickets to $25 beginning with the 2008-09 season in an effort to address escalating costs and solidify funding for the operation of its 19 sports benefitting more than 450 student-athletes, Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long announced on Monday.

“As we adjust our sports budgets in response to the rapidly increasing costs associated with operating our 19 sport program, it became essential that we increase revenue from men’s basketball ticket sales. It is crucial that we generate the additional resources needed for our more than 450 student-athletes to compete and succeed in the Southeastern Conference and nationally,” Long said. “We continue to pursue new revenue streams while working to maximize the support from established sources. A ticket increase is only a part of the process of securing the essential funds required to operate a successful athletic program. The revenue generated from this increase will benefit our student-athletes academically and athletically.”

The increase is only the second in the past eight years for Razorback men’s basketball. Arkansas’ single-game conference ticket remains lower than a number of Southeastern Conference and Big 12 schools, including Kansas ($55), Oklahoma State ($50), Missouri ($48), Texas ($40), Tennessee ($35), Kentucky ($33), Oklahoma ($27) and Texas A&M ($27).

The University Of Arkansas Department Of Intercollegiate Athletics is self-supporting and does not receive direct support from the University or a student fee.