A new online system for Ohio State football will "require OSU season-ticket holders who are members of the Buckeye Club, President’s Club or Varsity O or longtime ticket buyers to select their seats online in priority-designated sections of Ohio Stadium" for the '16 season, according to Todd Jones of the COLUMBUS DISPATCH. Members of those donor groups "must go online and choose the location of the tickets they’re eligible for by viewing a three-dimensional seating diagram" of the stadium. OSU will "maintain the current priority-points system -- points are earned based on amount of donations, etc. -- and use it to determine groups’ windows of opportunity to select." Changes in ticket distribution "inevitably cause grumbling among traditional fan bases, especially one as passionate as the supporters of Ohio State football." But the school "hopes any disgruntlement among its football season-ticket holders" will be "overshadowed by the empowerment of being able to choose their seat locations." OSU Exec Associate AD Martin Jarmond said, "The only thing that changes is, you have the ability to select your seats. This takes the guesswork out of us trying to figure out what you want." OSU faculty and staff members "used the new system" to choose their seats this season and will "continue to do so." Assistant AD/Ticketing & Premium Seating Brett Scarbrough said feedback from the faculty and staff has been "overwhelmingly positive." Jones notes the school "will have customer-service people available by phone" to assist fans with the process. Ticket distribution for students, club seats and suite holders "will remain the same and not be part of the new system" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 10/23).
