Be sure to check out the powerpoint from the summit below. 

A crowd of approximately 3,000 people filled nearly all of the available seating on the east side of Daniel-Meyer Coliseum to attend the Amon G. Carter Stadium Seating Summit on Jan. 10.

Athletic Director Chris Del Conte and Director of Ticket Operations Sean Conner explained the ticket pricing and the seating selection process starting next season.

Faculty and staff will receive a 20 percent discount off the base ticket price, but there will not be a discount off donations required for certain sections. Each faculty and staff member will be allowed to purchase four tickets at the discounted price, Del Conte said. Choice of seats will still be based on the Horned Frog Priority Points system, as it will be for all season ticket holders.

Students will continue to have free admission to football games because cost is included in tuition. The official student section will be located on the east side of the stadium in the center of the lower section.

Del Conte said the new student section would end complaints from fans in the old student section that could not see due to students standing in front. Not only does the new student section end complaints, but also allows for students to be closer to the field.

Del Conte said head coach Gary Patterson told him, “I want it to be an unbelievable home field advantage.”

The presentation noted that TCU tickets are the most affordable, and ticket holders receive the best value compared to the other Big 12 schools.

“I’m going to place a value on being purple. I’m not placing a value on being any other color but ours,” Del Conte said. “[Other schools], on the other hand, when they want to come to our place, we’re going to welcome them just like they welcome us at their place – a steep increase.”

By contract, TCU is required to offer the opposing team 4,000 seats. If a fan cannot get a ticket or does not want to sit in the visitors’ section, Del Conte said they will have to sit in a crowd of purple.

Since the Board of Trustees established the point system in 2006, ticket holders with higher priority points will be allowed to make their seat selections before those with lower points.

Ticket holders will be allowed to purchase as many tickets as they have in the past, as well as four additional tickets.

Del Conte said season ticket holders should be receiving a packet in the mail in two weeks that will explain the seat selection process in more depth.

For the first time, season ticket holders will be able to choose a specific seat online. Ticket holders can also order tickets by phone or in person at the ticket office. Each ticket holder will be given a certain date and time to purchase tickets. Following the designated time, they are still allowed to purchase tickets but availability will decrease as more people begin to buy tickets.

Season ticket holders will also have a new option called grouping. This option allows season ticket holders to choose other people to sit together at games. In order for grouping to be fair, each party must average their points together so they each have the same amount.

The ticket prices and seating options have some football fans worried because of fears that the system will put their current seats in jeopardy.

Former faculty member Dolores Oelfke said she was worried about her seat in the first row behind the TCU bench. She said she thought TCU Athletics needed to do more for the “little guys” who may not have as much money to donate in order to get prime seats.

Oelfke said “come hell or high water,” she will be in her first row spot cheering on her Frogs.

While some football fans, such as Oelfke, are worried with the reseating process, another said it exceeded his expectations.

Former TCU half back Marvin Chipman said he liked the new ticket selection process and did not see any outstanding negative effects.

“I thought it went very well,” Chipman said. “I didn’t see anybody shaking their head or being upset.”

He said family legacy was what he was most concerned about. At the end of the Q&A session, the topic of legacy was brought to the crowd’s attention. Del Conte said he is working on it.

“I’ve had season tickets for 40 years. When I die, [if] my kids can’t get my seats, [it] would be terrible,” Chipman said.

He said he was very excited for joining the Big 12 and the new stadium. He said he’s been with the team through rough times but the program has been moving in the right direction for the past 10 years.