The key word here being opportunity. To even be considered for tickets for the Izzone attendance at the annual Izzone Campout on Oct. 9 is necessary. Following the campout MSU students will have the opportunity to purchase tickets for the home games occurring during the fall semester. Costs per ticket per game are $10 and a purchase of a minimum of four out the nine games during fall semester is required. Selection dates for tickets will be announced following the campout and are based on Izzone Priority Points. 

The point system still carries over from the old policy which also means current students who have points from previous years will see their points carry over to this season as long as they attend the Izzone Campout. Two points will be awarded to each student who purchases a membership. Two points are also awarded for attendance at the campout, and two points again will be awarded for each game the student attends.

Those students with higher point accumulations will have first pick at tickets as they will have an earlier selection date. Selection dates begin on Oct. 13. Students have the option to select which games they would like to attend but must choose a minimum of four tickets. This now gives students the flexibility to choose games they want to see as well as not waste any money on games they cannot attend. 

Once the final game of fall semester ends on Dec. 12, students will then have the opportunity to purchase tickets for games occurring during the spring semester. The selection date is to-be-determined but again, students with higher point accumulations will have the earliest selection dates. Students must purchase a minimum of four here as well. This time there are only eight games during the spring semester.

Contrary to what is seen on TV, the Izzone is more than the lower bowl, and includes an upper bowl section. However, the lower bowl is the most popular part of the Izzone, and tickets will go fast as those with the most priority points have first dibs at the lower bowl seats. Students who purchase tickets to the lower bowl of the Izzone must enter the game 20 minutes before scheduled tip-off time.

In a phone interview earlier on Tuesday, the MSU Ticket Office expressed the changes came in part to help more students experience the Izzone, as well as shorten the wait time to enter the game. Game entrance wait times have reached an estimated two hours before and the ticket office stated they wanted the focus taken off the two hour wait times and put onto the two hour long game.

Student reaction has been mixed on the new policy. Some have expressed an excitement about the new options and see it as a positive for the future of the Izzone.

“I feel like this will give chances to the younger students who are stuck in the upper bowl,” Ryan Cole, a sophomore journalism major said. “I think it will improve the quality of the lower bowl experience. These are good changes right now but I think we will have to reevaluate how they worked after the season.”

However others expressed confusion and concern over why the changes were happening. Some questioned the need to change the system already in place.

“It seemed to work very well, I mean I understand there’s going to be increased interest following the Final Four but , I don't really understand the need for a change,” Ricky Simon a junior mechanical engineering major said.

Paying for tickets individually and the cost of it all was also a split issue.

“It’s just a big hassle I’d rather pay for the tickets all at once and go to all the games,” Simon said. “I just didn’t understand why there’s two sets of games. I was just confused by how it’s split up. We’re also paying $55 dollars more than last year which I wasn’t happy about.”

“I definitely like the idea of being able to buy individual tickets. That way, if I have a conflict, I don't have to waste money on tickets I won't use,” Cole said. “But I'm probably still going to buy tickets for every game because I don't want to miss out on a great year of Spartan basketball.”

Student sentiment is split, and more than a few students are confused on the changes but as Cole put it “that’s common with any change.”

Students wishing to purchase an Izzone Membership must go to msuspartans.com and click on the Izzone section found under tickets. For more information regarding the changes and for a schedule of games for both fall and spring semesters click here. Or call the Spartan Ticket Office Mon. - Fri. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at (517) 355-1610.