U faculty and staff members who attended last week’s Real Salt Lake soccer game at Rice-Eccles stadium received a $2 discount on seats in the north goal bleachers.
Anyone who visits a Salt Lake Valley Jiffy Lube can receive a coupon that is redeemable for a $4 discount on tickets for remaining RSL home games.
U students, however, do not get the benefit of any discount at all to watch Utah’s newest major league franchise in action.
Both the university and RSL think students should take advantage of the opportunity to see professional soccer at Rice-Eccles stadium.
“We want to encourage the students to come and I believe we have a student discount in place for that,” said Mark Burke, director of stadium and arena event services for the U.
However, students attempting to purchase a “student ticket” from the Rice-Eccles box office will learn that no such discount exists.
“We’re getting the shaft,” sophomore PRT student Michael Ewanowski said. “Real games are on our campus, we should get a discount.”
According to both the U and RSL, last week’s faculty/staff discount was a one-game promotion only. Other than that, no campus discounts are offered-at least not yet.
Because of the impact that RSL has had on campus since Spring Semester, some feel that reduced ticket prices should be offered to students, faculty and staff for every RSL game.
“I thought we already had a discount,” said U employee Randy Durney. “If it’s going to be on campus, we ought to be able to take advantage of it somehow.”
In its inaugural season, RSL ranks second in the MLS for home-game attendance. After the first seven games at Rice-Eccles stadium, the team has averaged more than 20,000 fans per game.
Such impressive attendance figures have left some wondering why RSL hasn’t provided a way for U students to attend games at reduced prices.
“I know the games have been pretty crowded,” Ewanowski said. “But I can’t believe they aren’t willing to cut us a break of even a couple of dollars per ticket.”
According to RSL, the team is discussing the idea of student discount tickets. However, Steve Pastorino, the general manager for RSL, said that the team was not willing to offer discounts to students in the near future.
“Certainly we want (discounts) to be in place before students are back in the fall,” Pastorino said.
Until the fall, the only way for U students to save money on RSL tickets is to get an oil change through a local Jiffy Lube. However, by the time fall rolls around, RSL’s season is nearly over. When Fall Semester begins at the U, Real Salt Lake will have just four regular-season games remaining on its schedule.
RSL played two games during the end of Spring Semester, and the team has played six of its 11 scheduled summer home games.
