FAYETTEVILLE -- Seating priority at Baum-Walker Stadium will be overhauled prior to the 2022 University of Arkansas baseball season, according to a letter sent to season-ticket holders on Thursday.
The letter, which was signed by UA Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek, baseball Coach Dave Van Horn and Razorback Foundation Executive Director Scott Varady, detailed new donation amounts required to purchase season tickets. A minimum donation to the Razorback Foundation Annual Fund of $100 will be required to buy season tickets beginning next year, and larger donations will be required for better quality seats.
Season-ticket holders will receive an email today addressing how the change will affect them individually. The ticket office has around 2,800 season-ticket accounts, according to UA spokesman Kevin Trainor.
"Current season ticket holders will have the opportunity to retain their seats by meeting the new Annual Fund donation level requirements for each section or will have the option to select/receive seats in another section consistent with their Razorback Foundation membership level," the letter stated.
Donations to the Razorback Foundation do not count toward the cost of season tickets. The letter stated season-ticket prices will not increase for the next three seasons, except for suites, where ticket prices will increase in 2022.
There will also be caps placed on the number of season tickets that can be purchased. That will provide more people an opportunity to buy tickets, according to the letter.
"After 25 years without significant changes to the seating requirements in Baum-Walker Stadium, we recognize that some fans will be asked to increase their support, some at significant levels to maintain their current seating locations," the letter said. "If that is not possible, the Seating Plan provides the opportunity for current season ticket holders to secure season tickets in other areas of the stadium.
"The success of Razorback Baseball has been made possible by the loyal support of our Razorback Foundation members and season ticket holders. As we continue to enhance our commitment to our student-athletes and to winning conference and national championships, we are asking you to, once again, join us in that effort."
Baseball games have long been one of the best values for Arkansas fans, but ticket demand has swelled in recent years at the 26-year-old ballpark. The UA reported 6,710 season tickets sold in 2020, when the season was canceled after four weeks due to the covid-19 outbreak.
Full season-ticket packages were not offered this year due to limits on capacity for the first three months of the season. The Razorbacks allowed unlimited capacity for their final regular-season series against Florida when they clinched the SEC regular-season championship, and for NCAA regional and super regional games hosted at the ballpark.
The Razorbacks have regularly ranked among the top four in the NCAA in annual baseball attendance, along with SEC West rivals LSU, Mississippi State and Ole Miss, but ticket demand increased significantly after Arkansas finished runner-up at the 2018 College World Series.
The 2020 season ticket total was a 13.2% increase over 2018, and a 5.7% increase over 2019 when Arkansas played in the College World Series.
In addition to tickets for all regular-season home games, season-ticket holders receive a priority window to purchase NCAA postseason tickets in Fayetteville. Arkansas has hosted a regional during the last four NCAA Tournaments, and has hosted a super regional four times since 2015.
Fourteen of the 18 most-attended games in the ballpark's history have been for postseason games. Three of the other four games came during this year's series against Florida.