The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Ticket promotion being revised

University of Iowa students may still have a chance to win free tuition.

After a raffle program from the Athletics Department was suspended because of legal questions, officials are now trying to find a way to revise the promotion.

Rick Klatt, a Hawkeye associate athletic director of external relations, said officials are in discussion to try to modify the prize as a sweepstakes rather than a raffle.

“The sweepstakes option is a possibility that we’re waiting on feedback from the Johnson County county attorney,” Klatt wrote in an email.

On July 28, the department introduced the measure to push ticket sales because more than 3,000 tickets remained unsold.

However two days later, Athletics Director Gary Barta suspended the program after legality issues came up.

“In the end, our goal is to do everything possible to make sure that that the student experience at Hawkeye football games is as fun and exciting as possible,” Barta said in a statement last week.

With the program suspended, officials sent out an email Aug. 1 offering refunds to students who bought tickets because of the promotion.

“Students who bought a ticket because they wanted to win a prize and between Monday when the raffle was announced and Wednesday when it was suspended will have the opportunity for a full refund,” Klatt said.

In the state of Iowa it is illegal to gamble on credit, which was one of the problems that the program faced because payments could be made online rather than just in person with cash, The Daily Iowan has previously reported.

Another concern was the varying ticket prices for tickets.

Tickets for this year’s seven home games were $175, or $163 for students who belong to the Students Today Alumni Tomorrow organization. Tickets for six home games, which excludes the Iowa-Nebraska game, cost $150, $140 for Students Today members.

In addition, officials did not specify whether participants would need to be present in person to claim their prizes. Under Iowa law, organizations cannot require participants to be present to win prizes.

In previous years, the department has reserved 10,000 tickets for students and sold them out. Last year, only 7,300 student tickets were sold.

On Aug. 1, tickets became open to the public.

However, Klatt said, revised promotions will only include students who buy tickets.

“At this time there are no plans to involve anyone other than UI students,” he said.

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