Football: Want Cajuns season tickets? Pay a fee for priority

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, March 26, 2013

Four days after revealing plans for almost $70 million in improvements to Cajun Field, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette on Monday announced a May 10 season-ticket renewal deadline for priority seating in the 2013 football season.

The Ragin’ Cajuns also are instituting a $20 fee for a new group of priority-seating sections, UL ticket manager Matt Casbon said Monday.

Reserved-seat season tickets for 2013 will begin at $125, plus the separate $20, with general admission seats costing $100.

That’s up from $120 for reserved seats — an increase of only slightly more than 4 percent, not including the priority fee — and up from $96 for general admission.

The Cajuns also are offering a Family 5 Pack of general admission seats costing $350.

The priority fee will be applied to about 2,000 bleacher seats, and they’ll be among the third of what now is three priority-fee section groups at Cajun Field.

Cajuns coach Mark Hudspeth, whose club is coming off back-to-back 9-4 seasons and back-to-back New Orleans Bowl victories, encouraged fans Monday to buy early and often.

"To me," Hudspeth said, "it’s a great show of support for our football team."

The Cajuns sold a record 10,878 season tickets last year, up from 8,125 — a 33 percent increase — in 2011.

The May 10 priority deadline is for both renewed and new season tickets.

Renewal notices will be mailed to current season ticket-holders this week, according to a news release from the school.

Donors to the 2013 Ragin’ Cajuns Athletic Foundation annual fund will receive first priority, based on level of giving, and new season ticket requests from non-RCAF members will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

After May 10, all season-ticket seating requests will be handled in the order they’re received.

Spectators can purchase seats by downloading an order form online at RaginCajuns.com, by sending an email to ultickets@cajundome.com or by calling the Cajundome ticket office (337) 265-2357.

Construction on 5,900 new end-zone seats at Cajun Field is expected to get under way later this year, and another $57 million in improvements — increasing capacity at the stadium from 31,000 to 50,000 — are part of second-tier projects in the university’s new three-tier, $115 million athletic facilities master plan.

UL has five home games next season, beginning with a Sept. 14 visit from Nicholls State of the FCS Southland Conference.

Other Cajun home games include visits from new Sun Belt Conference-member Texas State on Oct. 5, independent New Mexico State on Nov. 2, Troy of the Sun Belt on Nov. 7 and UL Monroe of the Sun Belt on Nov. 30.

UL opens its season with road games Aug. 31 at Arkansas of the SEC and Sept. 7 at Kansas State of the Big 12.