HOW MUCH DO THE FOOTBALL TICKETS COST?
2012 tickets cost $70 each, with a $5 service fee per ticket. The total cost for a pair of tickets for Alumni Association members is $150.
HOW DOES THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION TICKET LOTTERY WORK?
Active, dues-paying members of the Alumni Association (as of Mar. 1) who apply for the lottery by the end of the registration period in May, will be entered into a random ticket lottery. The Athletics Ticket Office will conduct the lottery, which randomly assigns home game tickets to participating members. When all available tickets are assigned to members who applied, the lottery ends. Members are notified of their lottery results via e-mail.
WHAT ARE MY ODDS OF WINNING THE LOTTERY AND GETTING TICKETS TO A GAME?
It is difficult to determine anyone's chances in the lottery because it will depend on how many Association members apply and how many tickets are available. Those numbers vary greatly from year to year based on a number of external factors (quality of home schedule, team expectations, etc.). In 2011, nearly 100 percent of applicants received tickets, which was an increase from 2010 when 97 percent of applicants received tickets. In 2008 and 2009, 90 percent of members who applied for the lottery received tickets.
HOW MANY ASSOCIATION MEMBERS APPLY FOR TICKETS EACH YEAR?
The number of Alumni Association members who apply each year varies. In 2011, roughly 40,000 members submitted an application.
IF MY CREDIT CARD IS BILLED BY THE TICKET OFFICE AFTER I APPLY ONLINE, SHOULD I ASSUME THAT I WON THE TICKET LOTTERY AND WILL GET TICKETS TO A GAME?
Your credit card will not be charged for tickets until it has been determined through the lottery that you have won them. Please make sure that the credit card you use to apply for tickets is valid through July 2012. Also note that any donation you make to the Association when applying for tickets will be immediately charged to your credit card.
IF I DIDN'T GET TICKETS LAST YEAR, WILL I HAVE PRIORITY THIS YEAR?
No active, dues-paying member of the Alumni Association will receive special priority in regard to tickets. All members are treated equally and have an equal chance to get tickets through the lottery. The process starts fresh each year.
WHEN WILL I GET MY TICKETS IF I WIN THE LOTTERY?
The OSU Ticket Office typically mails tickets two to three weeks before the home game you will be attending. You can find out your lottery result at your Alumni Association online account in July, but you will not receive your tickets or seat assignment until a few weeks before the game.
WHY CAN'T I FIND OUT MY RESULTS UNTIL JULY?
Season ticket allocations for the Buckeye Club, Presidents Club, faculty/staff, and students are made during June. The Alumni Association lottery will not be held until after season ticket allocations are made, because those with season tickets are not eligible to receive tickets through the lottery.
WHAT IF I WIN THE LOTTERY AND GET TICKETS TO A GAME I CANNOT ATTEND?
When you apply for tickets, you are making a commitment to accept the home game you are awarded. After you have been awarded tickets to a game, those tickets are yours. Neither the Alumni Association nor the Athletics Ticket Office can change your game, take your tickets back, or refund your money.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO NOT APPLY FOR THE TICKET LOTTERY?
There is no penalty if you do not apply. A new random lottery will be held each year.
WHY ARE ALUMNI BEING GIVEN MOSTLY NONCONFERENCE GAMES INSTEAD OF CONFERENCE GAMES?
Nonconference games have comprised the majority of tickets Alumni Association members have received in recent years. Beginning in 2012, more tickets available in the OSUAA lottery will be for Big Ten home games, but the majority of tickets will still be for non-conference home games.
DOES THE OHIO STATE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION GET FEWER FOOTBALL TICKETS THAN OTHER COLLEGE ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS?
No other alumni associations in the Big Ten offer a football ticket opportunity as part of their benefit package. However, some do offer limited ticket opportunities. The University of Michigan, for example, allots 8,000 tickets annually for its Alumni Association. Penn State makes 1,000 tickets available to Association members for its Homecoming game.
HOW CAN I BE ASSURED OF RECEIVING TICKETS?
No university entity, including the Alumni Association, offers a guarantee of receiving tickets as part of membership in the organization. However, organizations such as the President's Club and the Buckeye Club do offer the opportunity to apply for tickets.
WHY ARE WE BEING ASKED TO REGISTER AND PAY ONLINE INSTEAD OF VIA U.S. MAIL?
To protect ticket applicants from identity theft, the university has asked its units to start phasing out the storage of credit card numbers, copies of checks, and canceled checks. By using an online payment method, ticket applicants are much more protected from identity theft or having their information shared without their knowledge.
I DON'T HAVE REGULAR ACCESS TO A COMPUTER OR AN E-MAIL ADDRESS. HOW WILL I BE ABLE TO REGISTER ONLINE?
There are several ways that people who don't use computers regularly can gain access. You can first check with your family or friends who have computer access and ask for their help in setting up an online account. Also, most public libraries offer computer access for those who have valid library cards. The library staff can assist you. You also may contact your local alumni club or your affiliated alumni society to see if someone in that organization can provide assistance. If none of those options work for you, contact the Alumni Association at (800) 762-5646 so we can assist.
IF I DONATE MONEY TO THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION WHEN I APPLY FOR THE LOTTERY, DOES THAT IMPROVE MY CHANCES OF GETTING TICKETS?
No. Donor history plays no role in determining ticket priority. All active, dues-paying members of the Alumni Association as of March 1, 2012, have an equal chance to get tickets in the lottery.
IF I DONATE MONEY WHEN I APPLY FOR TICKETS, WHERE WILL THAT MONEY GO?
Donations help fund the work of the Association and directly contribute to providing enhanced member benefits. Among the items that could be supported by these donations are member programming, club and society support, student recruitment, and other alumni communications.
WILL MY DONATION TO THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BE CREDITED AS PART OF THE UNIVERSITY'S DONOR RECOGNITION PROGRAM?
Donations made as a part of the football ticket registration process do qualify to receive university credit. If you have questions, please contact Tony Vidmar, senior director of development and sponsorship, at vidmar@ohiostatealumni.org.
HOW DO I MAKE A DONATION WHEN I APPLY FOR TICKETS?
When you apply online, you will see a field where you can enter the amount of money you'd like to donate to the Association. Your donation will be charged to your credit card account immediately, but your card will not be charged the ticket fee until the lottery is conducted and it has been determined whether or not you will receive tickets.