Students will not only see a drastically different approach to the problem of students scalping tickets, but also an increase in Football season ticket prices next year.

The Athletic Department announced March 15 that student ticket prices have increased $1 per game plus a $5 service charge and will now cost students $134.50 for the entire season. The deadline for returning students purchasing tickets was last April. Tickets are available through the ticket office.

In an effort to prevent scalping, the Athletic Department also announced that those presenting student tickets at the gate will also need to show their MCards. Students will only need to flash their IDs at the gate, but the department hopes to add card scanners at the gates in the future.

"Right now, we will rely on a visual check," Athletic Ticket Manager Marty Bodnar said. "Maybe in the future, we will be using scanners, but right now just a visual check."

Due in part to the possible delay caused by students having to show their IDs to gain entry, the Athletic Department is stressing that fans will have to arrive early to the games to ensure prompt entry.

"We always encourage everybody, students and non-students, to get into the stadium as soon as possible," Bodnar said. "We certainly encourage students to arrive early."

Despite the changes in policy, Bodnar said students will still be able to bring family and friends to football games next season, provided they take the appropriate steps in advance. Students can transfer tickets from student to non-student status at the ticket office prior to the game. Students wishing to transfer tickets will need to pay the difference - approximately $26 - between a student and non-student ticket.

Bodnar was not sure what the precise method for transferring tickets will be. But the ticket office will inform students in August as to the exact procedure of validation for tickets.

Despite decreased ticket sales last year, the Athletic Department has chosen not to put a limit on the number of student tickets to be sold this season. Last season, 19,600 students requested tickets and the department considered limiting student tickets this year. But instead, it decided to adopt the ID and transfer policy.

"We had planned for Fall 2002 to allocate 20,000 tickets for students," Athletic Director Bill Martin said. "But as we began to discuss this plan with U of M student leaders, many of them voiced concerns that some students might be shut out of purchasing season tickets. They urged us to accommodate all student ticket requests for this season and they supported the notion of requiring student identification. Thus, we are not going to place a cap of 20,000 on the number of student tickets available, but establish this ID policy instead."