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Basketball prices bug faithful fan

For more than 25 years I have supported men’s basketball at ASU by buying season tickets. I, like many others, supported the team through the good and bad (mostly not so good). We accepted the fact that prices increased ($64 in 1991 and $575 this year according to my checkbook).

When I first bought tickets in 1982, faculty members got a significant discount. Several years ago the discount was to be eliminated, but we complained and retained a 20 percent discount. The discount is appreciated.

This year I was informed that to keep my tickets I must make a donation (read as ticket premium) to keep my seats. Or I could pay the same and be moved to the rafter seats. As a retired faculty member I have reason to complain. Consider these facts:

• ASU faculty members have taken a pay cut (furlough with no pay).

• American household income decreased the most since 1947 last year, down 3.6 percent.

• Retired people like me who rely on retirement investments get 1.5 percent on CDs.

• Retirement and other stock accounts are down more than 30 percent from two years ago.

• The basketball coach got an 18 percent salary raise to $1.1 million this year.

So in a year when the above facts are apparent, I was told that I must pay a $124 premium (read as 21.6 percent ticket price increase) that will increase $124 a year until I pay a premium of $496 a year (read as 86.4 percent ticket price increase). It is called a donation — I thought donations were voluntary.

Is this fair? Is a doubling of ticket prices reasonable? Was my support over the years worth nothing? My budget is tightening and I must cut my spending. The ASU athletic budget is tightening —they must charge more!

Charles B. Corbin

Professor Emeritus


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