In-person ticket collections have been integral to the student experience at Texas A&M for many years. COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The 2024 college football regular season has concluded, and various programs are facing transformations ahead. For Texas A&M, one significant alteration announced on Friday involves stepping away from the traditional method of conducting ticket collections […]
In-person ticket collections have been integral to the student experience at Texas A&M for many years.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The 2024 college football regular season has concluded, and various programs are facing transformations ahead.
For Texas A&M, one significant alteration announced on Friday involves stepping away from the traditional method of conducting ticket collections for games.
In a note titled “Prioritizing Student Safety” from Texas A&M University President General (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh III, he expressed gratitude to all attendees of the first Lone Star Showdown in over a decade and those who added excitement to the event.
Nonetheless, concerns surrounding the safety of individuals waiting for tickets and maintaining cleanliness around the ticket office area became problematic.
“We endangered students during the ticket collection for the Texas game,” President Welsh mentioned in his Friday message. “I refuse to allow that to occur again.”
Some individuals even started gathering around the Kyle Field ticket offices as early as when the Aggies faced New Mexico State—three whole weeks prior to the Texas game.
However, in contrast to past years, the ticket collection was scheduled to take place the week before Thanksgiving to allow staff to have the holiday off, which thankfully reduced the wait time for tickets.
In-person ticket collections have long been a staple of the Texas A&M student experience, remaining one of the unchanged traditions even as Kyle Field has hosted several premier games rewarding the most dedicated seniors and graduate students—who typically pull tickets on Monday—with the prime seats in the student section, usually on the first deck.
Moreover, new regulations were introduced before the season started and were enacted after A&M’s opening game against Notre Dame. These new rules dictated the start times for campouts related to ticket collections and detailed what items could be brought and used during the campout.
Regarding the ticket collection for the Texas game, numerous alleged violations were reported concerning the ticket line, along with health concerns and disputes among individuals waiting, according to a report from the Texas A&M student publication The Battalion. The Corps of Cadets’ Company E2—Reveille’s caretakers—were even said to have intervened due to some standing on the Reveille graves located near the ticket offices just outside Kyle Field.
By 2:30 p.m. on the day ticket collections began, all student guest tickets had been sold. Three days later, Texas A&M Athletics announced that all student tickets were accounted for.
As indicated in the message, a survey carried out by the Student Government Association revealed that roughly 2/3 of sports pass holders who responded (63%) supported transitioning ticket collections to an online format.
A team assembled earlier this week to start formulating the framework for the new system, with plans to develop the online method over the next few weeks, as mentioned by President Welsh.
Click here to view the complete message.
