Colorado State University on Wednesday unveiled its reseating plan – which offers lots of options for fans to choose the best possible game-day experience – for the new on-campus stadium.
The stadium, which debuts in 2017, replaces aging Hughes Stadium and will be CSU’s first on-campus football facility in nearly 50 years
“We’re excited about the new stadium and all it will offer our fans,” said Joe Parker, CSU’s director of athletics. “The experience will be vastly different, and we anticipate our fans will be very excited. And even though there will be some challenges associated with this reseating process, this new stadium brings with it all the advantages of a new on-campus stadium – something many of our fans have never experienced.”
Information aplenty
Fans will have plenty of time – a full 16 months – to prepare for the process. By spring of 2017, fans can choose their own seat locations based on their loyalty to the Rams and financial support of CSU.
In the meantime, ongoing education should help fans feel at ease about the process. The first of four full-color brochures is being mailed to season ticket-holders in the coming days with their 2015 tickets, and three more brochures explaining the process will be mailed prior to seat selection.
“We’ll be spending the next 16 months making sure our season ticket-holders are comfortable with the process,” said Dave Crum, CSU senior associate athletic director for advancement. “We want fans to be educated and feel like we have effectively communicated with them. We want to make sure everyone’s heard.”
Brochures on their way
Fans can get a preview of the first brochure by visiting the stadium website. The brochure details the reseating process, including per-seat donations required to sit in the best seats on the west side of the stadium. Seats between the 15-yard lines will include a per-seat donation of $100, $300 or $500, depending on location. Donations will help fund scholarships for CSU’s nearly 400 student-athletes.
While those “priority” seats offer fans some of the best views, nearly 85 percent of the seats will not require a donation. Fans can even sit on the 50-yard line in the upper east stands without making a per-seat donation. Parker said he doesn’t anticipate a significant increase in ticket prices for 2017 beyond the current price: $225 per season ticket.
The order for seat selection will be based on Ram Points, a system implemented in 2009 to track points based on season ticket purchases and donations to Athletics and other University programs. Fans will have until Dec. 31, 2016 to build their point totals and improve their positioning for ticket purchases.
Fans wishing to sit in the stadium’s “premium” locations – loge boxes, indoor and outdoor club seats, private suites, etc. – can purchase tickets now. Call (970) 491-2222 for more information.
Tailgating alive and well
Fans can also choose on-campus parking spots at the time of their seat selection. Parker emphasized that tailgating is not only allowed, it is encouraged.
“We’ll have a variety of options available to fans, including the traditional tailgating that is so popular with our fans,” he said.
The seat selection website will be live Jan. 1, 2016, and be available for more than a year. Fans will be encouraged to use the site, which will include virtual stadium views from every seat, to familiarize themselves with the stadium and the site.
Parker and Crum, who have been through stadium reseating projects at other universities, are hoping CSU fans read the brochures and utilize the online information available on the project. Those who are uncomfortable with technology can contact the athletic department directly (970-491-2222) with questions. CSU will also provide assistance to fans unable to order their seats online.
