FSU updating athletics ticket priority. What does that mean for famed Animals of Section B?

Florida State has no intention to disband the famed Animals of Section B, the boisterous 72 season-ticket holders in Howser Stadium’s grandstands that support the baseball team.

FSU announced Monday its plans to modify its existing ticket priority policy for men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, soccer and softball.

The new per-seat model for reserved season tickets will require a donation to Seminole Boosters, Inc., with every reserved season ticket purchase beginning with the 2023-24 athletic season.

The news left many members in the Animals of Section B wondering about the group’s future.

The Animals — known for their chants, zaniness, the traditional rendition of “O Canada” and a 63-song songbook — date their existence back to 1977.

Slightly more than 40 percent of baseball season ticket holders, for example, have never made a contribution to FSU athletics the past two seasons.

Some are previous Booster donors but not current. Some have never donated.

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Zookeeper Shannon Thomas talks with FSU athletics employee

Shannon Thomas, a FSU baseball fan since the late 1980s and official leader (Zookeeper) of the Animals since 2011, discussed the new policy with an FSU athletics employee Thursday.

She told the Democrat she’s scheduled to meet with Seminole Boosters, Inc. President and CEO Stephen Ponder next week.

"It sounds much more promising than all the panic everyone experienced Tuesday," Thomas said of the group's conversations prior to FSU's home game against Florida. "I don't know how it's all going to pan out but they are willing to work with us."

The group’s 72 seats are across parts of six rows in the upper grandstands on the first-base line. By 2025, the Booster-per-seat contribution for seats where the Animals sit will be $250.

One guess is FSU could get creative in reaching a price point for the Animals’ block of seats and donor level. Even potentially expand its footprint.

Each Animals’ season-ticket this year costs $225 (FSU is scheduled to play 31 home games this season).

Donations give FSU student-athletes the best chance to succeed

FSU’s ticket priority policy was first implemented in 1977 and has been modified four times over the years, most recently in 2018.

FSU recently completed a two-year study of priority policies at peer institutions across the Southeast, in both the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Southeastern Conference.

Based on that study, FSU decided to modernize its policy to help provide the resources that give all Seminole student-athletes across 20 sports the best chance to achieve athletic and academic excellence.

“After doing a comprehensive study of all our peers who have been in this model for years, it is something we feel in order to stay in today’s climate we need to do,” FSU Director of Athletics Michael Alford told the Democrat.

The policy also encourages donor participation in each of those five sports (men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, soccer and softball) to help achieve that goal.

More than 40 percent of FSU’s athletics’ budget comes from contributions.

Seminole Boosters, Inc. — responsible for implementing the athletic department’s revised ticket priority policy — has started contacting each donor affected by email and phone to answer any questions and concerns.

Booster and Animals member Johnny “Mac” McAllister, a 10-year member of the group who did not miss a home game last season, said he understands donations are needed for sports to remain competitive.

“I would be curious to see what other schools do and charge,” McAllister said of the modified ticket priority policy. “With me, it’s about coming to an understanding how it is going to work.”

FSU ticket priority policy to be implemented over two seasons

According to the Seminole Boosters’ web site, the modernized policy will be implemented over two seasons.

Phase I - Next athletic season, and starting with the current 2023 annual fund membership, all season ticket holders will need to be active members with Seminole Boosters. The annual membership contribution will continue to serve as an “umbrella” donation for all season tickets.

Phase II - Starting in the 2024-25 season and the 2024 annual fund membership, per-seat giving will begin and will be separated by sport, removing the “umbrella” giving.

The per-seat donation requirement for every season ticket purchased in those five sports (men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball and soccer) will be based on location within the venue.

The individual’s giving in those five sports will be added up and that total will determine their Seminole Booster annual donor level.

The Boosters provide two examples of the changes:

Example A

Tom is a Tomahawk-level member paying $2,000 annually to Seminole Boosters. He has four tickets at Doak that require a $500 seat donation. He also has two tickets at baseball that will require a $500 donation per seat starting in the 2025 season. Tom’s 2023 annual fund donation amount can remain the same. However, his 2024 annual fund will need to increase to $3,000 annually to maintain all his seat locations.

If he is unable or unwilling to pay $3,000 annually to maintain his current seats, he may choose to locate his seats in a lower priority area of those venues or reduce the number of seats he has in those venues.

Example B

Jessica is a baseball season ticket holder and not a Seminole Booster member. She will need to join the 2023 annual fund at the minimum $70 level to renew her seats for the 2024 season, and during the seat selection process for the 2025 season, she will be able to select seat locations based on her booster priority. The seats will have a per-seat donation requirement that will become her new 2024 annual donation amount.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU ticket priority policy gets update next year for five sports