I have been an IFUND member for 8 years. I've had the same four seats in section 230 row 4 for the same 8 years. Now I'm being told I won't be guaranteed the same seats. The past two years I contributed $500 to IFUND so I could have a Lot 32 pass and family 4 pack. (Of course paying for the tickets as well) Now they are suggesting a donation of $1000 and the only family 4 packs will be in the East Balcony. I don't want to sit there. I like the seats I have. Does anyone else have a problem with this? I've written numerous folks in charge of the Athletic Department and Memorial Stadium with no response. I'm just wondering if I'm the only one who isn't happy about the way this is being done? Is everyone really going along with this and raising their contribution level? I'm really undecided. I don't want to lose my 8 years of contributions.
Football Reseating
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Sorry to hear this for you and I wouldn’t think many on here would/will be happy about this. Unfortunately EVERYTHING these days is about the dollar, what can you do for me or how loyal can you be today and tomorrow. Do you happen to have any mineral rights on your property?……then we could really talk.
illinifan4249
- Space Coast, FL
While you aren't guaranteed the same seats I expect you will be able to get the same seats if you want. From the projections that they sent in the email, All-American ($500) IFund level gets you a pick in the top 3500 people. I expect the higher people are the more they will either select their previous tickets or pick better seats in more prime locations.
I'm not sure if there is a much better way to do it, I expect that they are more-so trying to move the people who have been grandfathered into 'prime' seats that don't or haven't been making an annual contribution.
The only issue that I have with this reseating is they should have taken this time to move the students out of the north endzone and into sections behind the opponent bench. I think the north endzone is actually a good seating area for non-students.
Serious Late
- Peoria via Denver via Ann Arbor via Albuquerque vi
They know a) it costs a lot more to keep up in the new era and b) the quality of the product is worth the increase.
I've been looking into it for next year with the same question (is it worth it. My wife and I seem to disagree.) I don't fault the university though, nothing I want more than big boy football with diehards complaining about how hard it is to see them live because of all the renewed interest from casuals. It's such a healthy sign.
My take is this, thank goodness we will be unsetting the apple cart. It means we are worth a damn. Also if you want to I would increase my donation for this one year to lock in my seats and then you could reduce your donation the next 5 years as they will be reseating again in 2031. So you could think of your $500 investment as a six year investment and that would make it ~$83 a year if you reduce back to $500 in 2026-2030.
Price of success. I’m fine with it.
We have had Season Tickets for 20+ years and have an assigned “Fighting Illini Account Manager” from the University, this young man is working with us during this reseating process.
We have (4) West Balcony seats as well and were also told that there is “no guarantee” on getting the same seats.
I believe the selection order will be based on your IFund membership level ($ donated) and your Priority Points within that Membership Level.
I’m surprised that no one from the University is returning your calls though?
Have you tried to contact an I Fund representative directly?
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We’re in 229, just south of you, and love the West Balcony. Tickets in your section and ours are $229 (only $10 more than last year) and do not require an I-Fund Priority Seating donation. For a $250 Excellence donation (now tax deductible btw) we park in Lot 45, a very lively and reasonably close lot.
A $500 Excellence donation should get you into Lot 32. That $500 Excellence donation also gets you All-American status, which with your 8-year history,should be plenty of priority for good seat selections in 229-230 / 224-225. Seems likely you’d even score a seat upgrade.
If you’d like options closer to midfield, sections 228/226 go for $309 each —- just divide your $500 donation into $300 Seating + $200 Excellence. It’s the $500 total that determines your priority for seat selection and eligibility for parking. And your ticketing rep can shuffle your donation between the Seating and Excellence categories later, provided the total is unchanged. My rep shifted ours yesterday in 10-15 minutes. IIRC she said it can also be shifted even after you choose your seats.
The process seems pretty reasonable and fair. The price is a wonderful value compared to other B1G programs.
A $500 Excellence donation should get you into Lot 32. That $500 Excellence donation also gets you All-American status, which with your 8-year history,should be plenty of priority for good seat selections in 229-230 / 224-225. Seems likely you’d even score a seat upgrade.
If you’d like options closer to midfield, sections 228/226 go for $309 each —- just divide your $500 donation into $300 Seating + $200 Excellence. It’s the $500 total that determines your priority for seat selection and eligibility for parking. And your ticketing rep can shuffle your donation between the Seating and Excellence categories later, provided the total is unchanged. My rep shifted ours yesterday in 10-15 minutes. IIRC she said it can also be shifted even after you choose your seats.
The process seems pretty reasonable and fair. The price is a wonderful value compared to other B1G programs.
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Thanks so much for that information!
Do you have an email address with the Ifund? If so, you'd have to have been getting bombarded with emails regarding the change. At the bottom of those emails is your Ifund account manager. I'll guess this is who told you about the no guarantee to your previous seats? Otherwise, Memorial Stadium has nothing to do with tickets and the athletic department came up with this process. It's not changing.
I can tell you last year section 230 wasn't a super hot spot to sit. It's more desirable than the east balcony but it had some seats open for purchase during the season. I'd guess $500 would get you 4 tickets there but without knowing how much ticket demand will increase this year, it's impossible to say.
Consider the past 8-years the best value in college athletics. Just forget about the Lovie years
Talk about value, I'm going to the ISU vs. KSU game in Dublin. That single game ticket cost me more than an entire season ticket costs in section 230. I'm guessing I would have been able to find a much cheaper ticket later, but I didn't want to get to Dublin and get left out not knowing what ticket resales are in Ireland.
In doing this, I bought the ticket through KSU and looked at their season ticket prices. Ouch. We have it really good here. For those stadium reno geeks, check out KSU's endzone premium seating. I think it looks pretty good. Illinois charges $98. KSU charges a lot more, although it is "premium" seating with a lot of benefits.
Personally, I did up my donation quite a bit. It really wasn't to get better seats. It was more just to support the athletic department and the football team. It's a money game now. I'll probably get to slide a little towards the 50-yard line but still stay out of the priority seating area. Those areas seem a little stuffy and I like sitting with the riff-raff.
You’re welcome! Many of us will be pleasantly surprised at how our seat selections are tweaked for the better.
One more correction to my post, looking it over with fresh eyes this morning. “It’s the $500 total that determines your priority for seat selection and eligibility for parking” is incomplete. Your donation history, purchase history, and eight years of renewals also boost your rank for seat selection within All-American. They have a similar effect on your priority among others eligible for Lot 32.
You’ll can find your status online, along with a better explanation of priority. Even w/o your rich history, I’m ranked 2160th overall, and 545 among 727 with All-American status. You’re probably several hundred places ahead of me.
My ticketing rep shared that they see about 80-85% renewals each year. Those who don’t renew cite kids graduated, we moved far away, or too old to make the trek, so there’s turnover. Even with 45,000 season tickets sold, 85% renewal, and 62,000 capacity, we have 24,000 seats available (38%) for new season ticket purchases each year.
But done this way, long-term patrons have a nice edge. Given 15-20% annual attrition, each reseating is an upgrade opportunity for long-term folks. Every six years your rank improves and you move higher in the queue for better seats.
For example, someone might scoop up nicer seats than yours in 2027 when the current holder drops out. Then in 2031, you get a shot at his seats, thanks to your points advantage. Long-term patrons climb the reseating priority ranks. Of course you can use your higher priority to stay where you are too.
Just curious, whenever they redo the south endzone, what if they made the south endzone premium seating. Then moved the students to the east stands and the diehard south endzone group got first choice on north endzone seats, would you object?
Then it’s good news for you either way. Two-thirds of the East Balcony is also at the same $98 price as the Horseshoe, so you have loads of options with no donation requirement and relatively little competition. Keep in mind season tickets account for no more than 70% of seats. They’re pretty concentrated among the more expensive sections and you have high priority in the navy blue sections. You get your pick before any single game tickets are sold. It’s highly likely you’ll find your same seats available.
Attachments
Every four years - they are staggering basketball and football after the initial reseating.
I keep buying crappy horseshoe seats and then never sit there. There are always open seats on the 2nd level east side
I would have to think hard about that. I don't really care for the straight on view in the NEZ.
When I first started out in the HS we were at that same angle and now we have worked our way around to the end of Sec. 120 and I like that angle much better.
I also like that the sun is at our back in the HS.
I
Bummer.
So to understand it, the seats i pick this year are what i get for next 5 years??
sure. If you want them, you have right of first refusal.
But you also have the option of choosing from those not previously booked season-long as well as season ticketed seats released by folks who no longer want them. Combined, these amount to roughly 40% of all seats.
I have simple needs. I’m happy in 207. What’s it gonna take to keep me in the first ten rows?
Deadline is March 1 to reserve your tickets. Support The I Fund and get your parking pass with your donation! We have a good home schedule with some tough games. Going to be fun! I got mine let's fill the place even better than last season! I'd love to see ut rocking again like in the early 80s!
Honestly, probably not much. Just give what you can.
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