Scoring a ticket for Bedlam game just got tougher

STILLWATER — A ticket for Bedlam football this season will cost $294. The cost increases to $419 if you don't want to sit in the west end zone.

And you thought a $100 ticket to watch Oklahoma State host the University of Oklahoma two years ago was expensive.

AT A GLANCE

Getting tickets

•Four season tickets can be purchased in the Family Fun Zone for $980 or $245 a person. •Season tickets can also be purchased for $294.

•New graduates — any OSU fan within five years of their graduation date — can purchase a season ticket for $245.

•Faculty and staff season tickets will be $336.

OSU officials announced 2008 football season-ticket prices Tuesday. The interesting twist is they won't sell individual tickets for the Nov. 29 Bedlam game; you have to buy a season ticket.

OSU athletic director Mike Holder said the decision was based on Iowa State having success with a similar plan last season for its game against in-state rival Iowa. Iowa State's season-ticket sales increased nearly 20 percent.

"When you saw what happened there, you think, ‘Maybe that's something we should consider,'” Holder said.

OSU athletic officials discussed the plan for more than four months. Once Holder and his staff were convinced that's the direction they wanted to go, a month ago they informed OSU's president and the board of regents.

"Our ability to compete for championships, in all sports, is dependent upon our fans' commitment to buying season tickets in football and basketball,” Holder said.

"Frankly, this decision is all about the long-term success of OSU athletics. Based on solid results at Iowa State, we believe this decision can produce a positive result at OSU.”

Two years ago, OSU sold three-game packages for $160 that included tickets for Missouri State, Baylor and OU. This year there will be no packages. As a result, the Bedlam game could be OSU's least-attended game of the season.

OSU and OU have given the opponent 5,000 tickets for Bedlam instead of the 4,000 required by Big 12 officials. Last year the two schools agreed to cut back to 4,000 when OSU played in Norman.

Holder informed OU athletic director Joe Castiglione on Tuesday that OSU will instead give the Sooners 5,000 tickets.

"It's a gesture of good will,” Holder said. "When we told him (last year) we wanted to cut back to 4,000 we didn't anticipate making this change, not allowing any single-game tickets.”

Later this fall, single-game tickets will cost $60 for each non-conference opponent (Houston, Missouri State and Troy), $85 for the other three conference games (Texas A&M, Baylor and Iowa State).

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