For senior Ally Wright, the decision came down to one question: Was $400 worth six football games?
The University of Florida released season student tickets earlier this year at a price about 50% higher than the previous year’s. Coming out to a $376.25 total, including fees, the elevated price has raised concerns among students about whether the season ticket package is worth the cost.
After purchasing tickets last season, Wright decided she wouldn’t for her senior year.
“I thought last year was pretty expensive too,” Wright said. “This year it’s going to be up by $100, and there’s one less game that we’ll be attending, so that was just upsetting.”
Instead of spending Saturdays inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, she plans to enjoy game day in other areas of Gainesville: tailgating, spending time with friends or watching from one of the many bars in town. If there’s a game she really wants to attend, she’ll look for an individual ticket.
“There are a lot more students that unfortunately don’t even have the option and don’t even get to consider it because it’s way too much,” Wright said. Although she’s able to afford the tickets, she doesn’t believe they’re a smart financial decision.
Wright’s thoughts reflect the calculation many UF students are making after the University Athletic Association raised student football season ticket prices for the fifth consecutive season. Tickets that cost $120 in 2021 now cost $350 before taxes. On average, students pay more than $58 per home game.
Despite the increase, the University Athletic Association said demand has remained strong. Nearly 7,000 student season tickets were sold during the first 24 hours they went on sale in April, and more than 15,000 have since been purchased.
In a statement to The Alligator, the UAA said revenue generated from ticket sales is reinvested into student-athlete programs and the fan experience. The association attributed the increase to rising athletic department expenses, including travel, nutrition, education, mental health resources, sports medicine and facility maintenance.
The UAA also said data from its student ticket resale marketplace, introduced last season, influenced its pricing decisions. While student season tickets cost $250 last year, some students resold enough tickets to earn a profit, signaling demand exceeded the original price.
With the value coming down to personal finances and preference, incoming junior Lana Kostic also found herself struggling with whether to purchase tickets.
A longtime sports fan, Kostic said she enjoys the atmosphere of college football Saturdays. Tailgating with friends and spending a day immersed in the excitement is part of what makes the fall semester memorable for her.
“Fall semester is so fun because of that,” she said. “Football games are so fun. I think it’s a great way to kind of hang out with everyone and build a community.”
However, Kostic has yet to purchase season tickets. Instead, she says she’s leaning toward buying individual game tickets, likely from friends.
“I don’t know why they would increase [the price],” she said. “I understand if we had a good season, but we didn’t necessarily have that this year. It was kind of underwhelming.”
For other students, the rising cost hasn’t changed their plans.
Alexander Peterson, an upcoming senior, purchases season tickets as soon as they become available. Missing his final football season at UF never crossed his mind, he said.
“It hurts the pockets a little bit,” Peterson said. “But I understand that this upcoming year is a super expensive year for our football team.”
One of his motivations for purchasing tickets is the unique energy a gameday in The Swamp holds. Even after consecutive losing seasons, Peterson said Florida’s football culture remains one of the strongest in college athletics.
“I don’t think there is an environment like this, not just in the SEC, but in all of college football,” he said. “I think that there are very few schools that can pride on the fact that every year you will have sold-out games while the team is 4-8.”
Like many students, Peterson views the season tickets almost as an investment. He said he’s sold at least one game every year and even made a profit in previous seasons by selling high-demand tickets, like Texas or Florida State.
He acknowledged he was fortunate to be in a financial position where could afford the purchase. However, he also recognizes that many students aren’t.
“I understand that there are countless students who probably wanted to purchase the tickets and they’re either not going to, or they’re going to buy the pass and then have to sell half the games [tickets],” he said.
Whether students buy season passes, individual tickets or spend Saturdays watching from the Swamp restaurant, game days remain a defining aspect of campus life. For students like Wright or Kostic however, rising prices may change what tradition looks like for the student body.
Contact Lily Perkins at lperkins@alligator.org. Follow her on X @lily_perkins10.
Lily Perkins is a fourth-year journalism sports and media student in her first semester at The Alligator as a sports enterpise writer. In her free time she enjoys cooking, spending time with friends, and of course, watching sports.
