Big Ticket Still Causing Big Trouble for Students at Vanderbilt Game

By Nicole Vargas

Reporting Texas

Thousands of football fans took to Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday for the Longhorns game against Vanderbilt.

The stadium sold out, but students across UT expressed struggles claiming tickets, even when they purchased the Big Ticket at the beginning of the school year.

“It looked like a long queue and then you sit through the queue for 30 minutes,” said Ethan Carrillo, UT sophomore. “And then it says, ‘Sorry, no more tickets available.’”

The Big Ticket system works more like a lottery for football games. While students can purchase the $250 all-access pass for home games, they still have to wait in a queue with thousands of others who are trying to get a seat at the designated claim time. Often, it results in several students going ticketless for the next big game.

“Every home game that we’ve had, I’ve tried to get a ticket and I haven’t been able to get a ticket,” Carrillo said.

Students can pay extra for the Longhorn Foundation membership, which guarantees them a seat inside of DKR, but the extra $130 has been deterring students from cheering on the Longhorns in the stands.

“I was gathering information from people, websites, and Reddit, seeing if it was worth it, and the majority said it’s not,” Hermela Assefa, UT sophomore, said about the Big Ticket. “Because you’re not guaranteed a ticket and it’s a hassle trying to get one. So I don’t think the price was worth it.”

The jump in prices comes as Texas plays its second season in the SEC. 

“Texas Athletics, with all of the changes in the NIL where they now have to revenue-share with their players, are now having to cut some costs,” said Emma Daniell, Student Government athletics policy director. “So that includes possibly upping the price of the Big Ticket like they did.” 

Daniell’s bill to revise Big Ticket policies and DKR’s student section, which only has 13,000 seats, passed unanimously in Student Government last year. She has been working with Texas Athletics for solutions ever since.

“Us paying for a Big Ticket, completely optional for us, is what’s helping them pay for things like a clean stadium,” Daniell said. “We have to trade off with that, but at the same time, they should prioritize students and having cheaper tickets.”

For students who want to skip the gamble of securing a ticket, Campus Events + Entertainment is one organization hosting completely free watch parties for the student body.

“There’s people that might just be looking for a space that’s free to access but that’s still on campus and fun,” said Rigo Gutierrez, director of student programs. “Not having to worry about paying for a ticket, securing a ticket, finding parking on the day of the event.”

The space offered plenty of games and activities, free food and burnt orange gameday freebies for students to cheer on the Longhorns.

“I saw the event on Speedway and it’s really cool because normally I don’t even get to watch the game, or I try to get into a place to watch the game and it’s usually so packed,” Carrillo said. “So it’s been great.”

This past game versus Vanderbilt was E+E’s third watch party this season, and students can look out for their fourth and final gameday event on their instagram and events calendar.