As cheers echo through the stands on game day, one section has stood out the past few years, not for its energy but for its emptiness. Despite free admission for all University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) students, the student section often struggles to fill up.
What many students may not realize is that UTEP offers free entry to all home athletic events with no need to buy or reserve seats in advance. Tickets are distributed online and at on-campus tabling events while also being promoted through social media.
Yet, turnout remains low, and many tickets go unclaimed according to the UTEP Athletics Department. Now, the university is left wondering: why aren’t students taking advantage of their free entry to cheer on their teams?
UTEP Ticket Sales and Operations Manager Benjamin Cohen notes that students aren’t as aware as they should be of the ticket opportunities.
“I’ve talked with some students, and they didn’t realize that they had access to free tickets,” Cohen said.
For some students like Heidi Gonzalez, a junior education major, the reason for not claiming her tickets was a matter of not knowing, but now she sings a different tune.
“I would definitely [claim the student tickets],” Gonzalez said. “I’d probably do like volleyball. My sister really likes volleyball.”
For other students including freshman digital media production major, Erick Garcia, disinterest or confusion plays a bigger factor.
“I was aware of it, but confused on how the process was,” Garcia said. “I’m not a big sports guy.”
According to UTEP Athletics, one of their biggest challenges is keeping students engaged and spreading information on how students can claim their tickets. One measure the spirit team has put in place is the pep rallies in the Union Building or even sporadic frenzies on campus that students can look out for. Athletic Director for Revenue Generation Michael Levy emphasizes student awareness.
“Are they aware? If they are aware, do they know how to get their tickets?” Levy said. “I feel like that aspect is something that we’re really struggling with.”
Currently students can claim tickets online by logging in with their UTEP email and password and selecting one free ticket from a list of upcoming events.
Despite the confusion, student attendance has shown signs of improvement. According to athletics department data, the first game of the 2024 season drew 2,500 students, with a total of 7,000 throughout the season.
Football and men’s basketball remain the most attended sports on campus, but other sports including volleyball have seen growing student interest.
“Volleyball numbers from a student perspective, have grown pretty significantly over the past couple years,” Levy said.
A total of 1,600 student tickets were claimed for volleyball in just last season alone.
To further boost turnout, UTEP has partnered with student organizations, sponsors and Greek life to increase game attendance. These include pep rallies and spirit as well as incentives such as rewards systems, swag in the student’s section and discounts after the game.
Another strategy involves more direct outreach, meeting students where they are, such as the Union Building or Centennial Plaza.
“I think students are looking for social experiences,” Levy said. “How do we make this a can‘t miss social event regardless of the team‘s performance? Because it‘s a fun thing to do.”
As UTEP continues to explore new strategies, free tickets are only the first step.
Jewel Ocampo is a Staff Reporter and may be reached at [email protected].
