Understanding UR’s new ticket system for sporting events

The University of Richmond Athletics introduced a new ticket system for sporting events during the fall, adding new steps to the process and requiring students to reserve seats ahead of certain games. 

Jason Vida, assistant athletics director for communications, said the primary goal of the new system is to determine whether the university is effectively meeting its student engagement targets, with plans to even start rewarding students with the best attendance with special benefits..

“Students previously had to enter through the same gate, which often led to long lines during high-demand games. With the new ticket system, once students claim their tickets online, they can enter through any gate,” Vida said. “For example, our men’s basketball game against VCU is incredibly popular, sometimes requiring students to line up four or five hours early. By claiming a ticket ahead of time, they can avoid long waits. If they want the best seats, they may still need to line up, as those remain first-come, first-served.”

Senior Glenn Lukusa said he only knew about the change after he went to the first men’s basketball game. He said he recognizes the reasons for implementing the new system.

“I understand why they want students to reserve a ticket, probably because sometimes popular games, like one against VCU or one including a team that has an NBA prospect, are usually sold out really fast. The school wants to make sure that they have enough seats for students, and they don't overfill the seats when people who don't go to the school pay for their ticket seats,” Lukusa said.

Vida acknowledged that the new setup could present challenges for students, but efforts have been made to minimize those issues.

"We’ve ensured early communication through emails and updates on our website," Vida said. "For students without internet access or those who may encounter other technical issues, they can simply go to the ticket windows a Robins Stadium or Robins Center to claim a ticket or ask for support. It's a fail-safe for students to get in without hassle.” 

First-year Miles Hurst said he learned about the new ticket system through an email. While he found the process straightforward, he said he still had some difficulty reserving his spot.

“The only problem I experienced was when reserving my ticket, I tried to log in and input where I wanted it to go, but the system did not recognize my account,” Hurst said.

While Hurst said he would prefer the previous system, he admits that there is at least one important benefit with the new one. 

“I understand why they do it this way, but I think the old system is so much easier and less of a hassle,” Hurst said. “The good part about the new system is being able to know in advance if you get into big games, as you can see if tickets are about to be out or already out.”

Additionally, Vida hopes that the new process will help the university recognize the biggest fans in the student body and thinks that it could help revive the Richmond Rowdies, a pep rally club at UR that fizzled out in the mid-2010s.

"The group has faded over time, but with this new system that allows us to track attendance, we hope to bring it back by recognizing and engaging those who show up consistently," Vida said. “This initiative could reignite school spirit and further encourage student involvement in Richmond’s athletic events.”

Students can reserve tickets through the Richmond Spiders website. Most tickets are available now, except for the highly-anticipated men’s basketball game against VCU, which opens Jan. 7 at 10 a.m.

​​Contact writer Katherine Nguyen at khue.nguyen@richmond.edu .