PULLMAN, Wash. — With two games remaining in the regular season, the #3 nationally ranked Washington State University Cougar football team has qualified to play in a bowl game. Which bowl game has yet to be determined, but the process for determining eligibility for game tickets has been decided, tied to the priority points system implemented last football season.
WSU students who have purchased a fall or all-year sports pass will have access to tickets through a lottery, said Brady Crook, WSU associate athletics director for development in the WSU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Student sports pass holders must register for the lottery, Nov. 21-Dec. 6, online at www.wsucougars.com or directly to wsucougars.ocsn.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/bowl-bound-student-tix.html. Each student selected in the lottery may buy one ticket. Students may pick up their tickets with valid identification at sites yet to be determined near the bowl game football stadium two days prior to the day of the game.
Access to tickets for current and retired faculty and staff, alumni and supporters will be decided through a priority points system, which was initiated last year and used to determine tickets to the 2001 Sun Bowl. The system will determine who gets access to tickets and how many tickets they may buy, said Crook. It is similar to points systems used nationwide by universities with competitive athletic programs, where the demand for tickets exceeds the supply.
The priority points system is also being used to allocate tickets to the university’s other “special” athletic events, such as the 2003 WSU regular season football game at Notre Dame. During the week of Nov.4, more than 16,000 individuals were notified by WSU of their eligibility for bowl game tickets through the points system.
“We created the system to eliminate uncertainty and clarify the access a person, household, corporation and others have to tickets for Cougar athletic special events,” Crook said. “The system equitably allocates tickets based on an entity’s investment in WSU. It will be used when demand for tickets exceeds supply and allows allocation of tickets by quantity and location.”
Faculty and staff, for example, each receive 100 points as employees. Points are also given for all financial support given to WSU, as well as volunteer service to WSU, purchase of WSU football season tickets, years of giving to WSU, and purchases of WSU bowl game tickets. The final points tabulation will be determined at the close of business Dec. 2.
Details on the points system are available online at http://wsucougars.ocsn.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/bowl-bound-priority-points.html.
What about students without sports passes or those who are not lottery winners? And, what about faculty, staff members and other supporters who do not have enough priority points to likely be able to have access to bowl game tickets? They need to check other ticket sources, Crook said. “We are faced with extremely high ticket demands and a limited number of tickets. Our intent is to provide tickets to as many members of the Cougar family as possible. But, we realize there will be a greater demand for tickets than we are able to fulfill,” he said.
But Crook also cautions supporters to be sure they are buying their tickets from reputable sources. Travel agents can make plans for travel and housing, but some may not have tickets to the game as “part of the full package.”
The WSU Web site, www.wsu.edu, also provides information about the priority points system and other bowl game details by clicking on the “Bowl-Bound Cougars” link at the top of the page. The Bowl Bound site will be updated as additional bowl information is available. The final date for determining which bowl the Cougars will attend is Dec. 8.
Answers to “Frequently Asked Questions” about Cougar football bowl game tickets are at the Bowl Bound Cougars Web site.
