Going to a ballgame is a familiar ritual for many college students. It’s a time for socializing and supporting the university’s teams. At Florida A&M University, football season is a big deal and attending games is a top priority for students, faculty and supporters. In addition, homecoming is a rite of passage for those associated with FAMU.
Aside from the Classic in Orlando, homecoming draws a large crowd, vendors and opportunities for everyone to network and celebrate. The Rattlers faced off against the Texas Southern Tigers for homecoming this year. As anticipated, the tickets sold out quickly for students and supporters.
“I did not go to the homecoming game because I did not get a ticket. I feel like that was too much for a game ticket,” said 3rd year public relations scholar Elaine Johnson
All hope was not lost as the university’s main arena, Al Lawson, had a special offer in mind. For $30, the university offered spectators to watch the homecoming game live from the air-conditioned building. The proposition baffled students and other supporters, considering that the homecoming game tickets were only $45 for non-students, making the offer within Al Lawson just $10 less. Some even commented that offering such a gesture for free would’ve been better.
For FAMU homecoming in 2023, if supporters and fans couldn’t get a ticket, they could watch the game at the Will Packer amphitheater for free. So why the sudden change? Most home games are free of entry once half-time passes and the band has performed. However, realistically speaking, aside from the action-packed game keeping everyone on their toes, the following main attraction is the band. After all, no one misses an opportunity to highlight performances featuring the matching 100.
“The language that what was presented to us was students [high school band competition] were promised that they could watch the game, and the game sold out before they made room for them to attend the homecoming game. As a result, they decided to allow them to watch via Al Lawson, and it seemed like a good idea compared to the promise that had been made. Someone else said as long as it’s sold out. We’re running it over there. Maybe we should offer it to people who couldn’t get a game ticket for the homecoming game,” shared an anonymous source.
Basketball season is underway, and it was announced via the University’s official social media accounts, such as Facebook and Instagram, that all basketball games would be free of entry for the remainder of the Fall 2024 semester.
Most home basketball games occur within Al Lawson, while football games are at Bragg Stadium. According to some, there was once a point in time where basketball games also had higher attendance rates. However, these days, the men’s basketball games see higher numbers that are still relatively low. In addition to the game, there’s an available concession stand, games, and activities during half-time, intermission, and sometimes prizes, so why is student engagement so low?
During football season, one of the regular complaints students and others have is the consistent issue of retrieving tickets from online providers. Another potential issue is resellers hacking the system, obtaining several tickets, and selling tickets for increasingly expensive amounts.
“Yeah, it was a good game homecoming game, I had a good time. The energy was great, and I sat in the front near the seating section. I did have a hard time getting my ticket, though the website was giving me issues,” said Aniyha Headly, a bio-premed senior
Now that football season has ended and spring season sports are beginning, the athletics department is hopeful about working to build a solid base of support among the student body. More marketing and exposure are taking place, and students are slowly emerging. On average, a ticket for football season costs range from about $15 onward, with the option of purchasing season packages ranging from $1,000 to $25,000.
While basketball tickets were relatively cheaper than football, and despite this, football has continued to sell out. Could FAMU football be experiencing a gravy train, or will things begin to pick up for men’s and women’s basketball in the future? Many could only hope for growth in all areas, bringing more attention to the players and further prompting more opportunities for the players that could potentially lead to long-term success.