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Why is a Seat Adjustment necessary?

Approximately 92% of the athletics department revenues are associated with football and men's basketball. As budgetary resources for MSU Athletics have become increasingly reliant on donations, scholarship seating, contributions, sponsorships and ticket revenue, it is important to have a system in place that properly stewards those who are supporting the program. MSU Athletics is a self-supporting entity, receiving no financial support from the university. Each year contributions provide scholarship support, help pay for facility upgrades, and support operational budgets for 25 varsity sports. The Seat Adjustment program gives season ticket holders the opportunity to improve seating based on their overall investment in the MSU Athletics program. The Spartan Points Priority System is intended to promote fairness, reward the loyalty of long-time supporters, and encourage current and future contributors to give to Spartan Athletics.

Who was involved in the creation and review of the Seat Adjustment process?

MSU Athletics researched various programs across the nation for the past two years in anticipation of our need to move toward a consistent system to determine seat locations. We have had discussions with our internal and external stakeholders throughout this process. In addition to athletic department personnel, Spartan Fund donors, season ticket holders, the Athletic Council, the Athletic Director's Advisory Council, University Advancement, MSU administration and the Board of Trustees have all had input in this process.

When will actual process of selecting seats take place?

Season ticket holders (STHs) will be selecting their seats June 14 - July 16, 2010, with a temporary halt in the selection process June 28 - July 5 due to alumni events, U2 concert and 4th of July holiday. STHs will receive a letter the end of May indicating the date and time they are to select their seats. Appointment times are scheduled based on Spartan Points rank.

How will the seat selection process take place?

For the majority of season ticket holders, the seat selection process will take place online. The technology used for the online process was developed by Ballena Technology, Inc. Ballena is the leader in the field of venue visualization and seat selection. The following are just a few of the many universities that have utilized their technology: Stanford, Maryland, Indiana, Louisville, University of South Carolina, USC.

Outlined below are the three options that you have has for selecting your seats:

   1.)ONLINE:: *RECOMMENDED*Selecting seats online is as easy as 1-2-3...log on, select section, select seat. Done! If you have purchased anything online, then you will find this simple to do!

   2.) ONLINE WITH PHONE ASSISTANCE FROM THE SPARTAN FUND: The Spartan Fund will be prepared to assist you over the phone. You may call at your appointed time and a Spartan Fund representative will assist you in selecting your seats.

   3.) ONLINE AT SPARTAN STADIUM WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE SPARTAN FUND: If you wish to select your seats in person you can do so at Spartan Stadium. We ask that you arrive to Spartan Stadium 30-45 minutes in advance of your appointment time.

PLEASE NOTE: We can only guarantee those who are selecting seats online will be able to select at their assigned appointment time. Those individuals choosing to select seats over the phone or in person need to be aware that they may encounter busy signals or lines; therefore may not be able to select precisely at their selection time. We will do our best to prevent delays but cannot guarantee on-time selection via phone or in person. The best way to avoid delays is to select seats ONLINE!

How do Appointment Times Work?

Seat selection appointments will begin on Monday, June 14. Appointments times will be scheduled Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. There will be a temporary halt in the seat selection process the week of June 28 - July 5 due to the U2 concert and 4th of July holiday.

Appointment time will be scheduled approximately 5 minutes apart. We encourage you to login prior to your selection time to see which seats are currently available. When your appointment time arrives, you will be able to login, and click on your desired seat--it will automatically be added to your cart. You will have 30 minutes from the time that you select your first seat to complete your selection. If you have not completed your selection within 30 minutes, you will simply need to login again. Allowing 30 minutes to select your seats ensures fairness and makes it impossible for other STH to "hold" seats during their appointment time.

Will I Feel Rushed when Trying to Select my Seats?

We encourage you to logon prior to your appointment time so that you can familiarize yourself with which seats are available. This way when your appointment time arrives you are ready with your selection! As soon as the seat selection process begins on June 14 you can monitor seat availability during the days and weeks prior to your assigned appointment time. Therefore, when your appointment time you can know precisely which seats you would like to select and with a few clicks you can complete your seat selection within a minute. It's that easy.

What is the Maximum Number of Seats that I can Select?

You will be allowed to renew the number of seats that were purchased in the 2009-10 season, as long that the amount is not in excess of the limits listed below:

Ambassadors ($50,000+) 8 Captains Club ($1,000 - $1,999) 4
Champions Circle ($25,000 - $49,999) 6 Green & White Club ($500 - $999) 4
Scholarship Level ($10,000 - $24,999) 4 Sparty Club ($250 - $499) 4
Directors Club ($5,000 - $9,999) 4 Ralph Young Club ($100 - $249) 4
Honorary Coaches Club ($2,000 - $4,999) 4 Season Ticket Holder (non-Spartan Fund Member) 4*

*subject to availability

Those who had less than four tickets in 2009-10 may request additional tickets up to the standard by adding their name to the wait list.

What if I Miss my Assigned Appointment Time, or am Unavailable During my Assigned Appointment Time?

Those who miss their scheduled appointment time may log on and select their seats at any time after their appointment time has begun. If you know that you will be unavailable to select your seats during your appointment time you may designate a proxy to choose seats on your behalf. A proxy form will be included in the May mailing (the mailing that contains the date and time of you seat selection appointment).

Will there be Pre-Allocated Seats?

Yes. Pre-allocated seats are necessary to support the mission and financial viability of the University. In order to maximize the number of seats available during the 2010 Seat Selection process, actions were taken to reduce both the quantity and quality of seats that are retained for University use. Categories of pre-allocated seats include University administration, coaches and staff, student-athlete recruitment, accessible seating, donor commitments, sponsorships and Big Ten Conference agreements.