LSU fans seeking new season tickets will have to donate money in a different way to get a season pass to LSU athletic events.New season tickets, parking permits and ticket upgrades will now be given out based on philanthropic donations a person has given to the University through the LSU priority point system, the LSU Athletic Department announced on Wednesday.Donations associated with tickets used to be included in the calculation of priority points for new season ticket distribution. With the new policy, only donations unassociated with tickets and parking passes will count toward priority point totals of people seeking new season tickets.”We have always awarded new season tickets and parking permits and ticket upgrades based on the priority point system, which is lifetime giving to the University,” said Senior Associate Athletic Director Herb Vincent. “The only change now is that in that calculation, we won’t figure in monies given to the University associated with tickets, which is Tradition Fund or payments for suites or club seats. They’ll just strictly be philanthropic donations, that money given for construction projects, scholarships, things like that.”Donations unassociated with tickets include donations toward scholarships and construction projects. Donations associated with tickets include donations given to funds like the LSU Tradition Fund as well as toward club seats and suites.The new policy will not affect fans who already own season tickets or parking permits.The new system will be in place by March 31, the deadline for fans to apply for new season tickets or renew current season tickets. March 31 is also the deadline for fans to increase their priority point totals for football season tickets and parking permits.The procedure for distribution of away game and postseason tickets will not change. Contributions associated with tickets will still count toward priority point totals for away game and postseason tickets.No more than four season tickets will be given annually to a new account if the demand for tickets exceeds supply.The University made the change to encourage more people to donate philanthropically and to open up more season tickets, Vincent said.”[It’s] what every school in the country tries to do with their point system, so it’s not an uncommon policy,” Vincent said. “It really opens up more tickets to people who want to apply for tickets because those people who have been paying Tradition Fund and club seats and suites have been accumulating tickets yearly just by virtue of those payments. People who make philanthropic contributions now have a better opportunity to get tickets.”
 
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Contact Robert Stewart at [email protected]