Marshall University Athletics

2020 Men's Basketball - Lottery Questions & Answers

2020 Men's Basketball - Lottery Questions & Answers

Below you will find questions & answers to how the 2020-21 Marshall Men's Basketball Ticket Lottery will operate, along with various ticketing related questions. 

Click on a question for the answer to appear below it.

This page will be frequently updated throughout the season.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Yes!  A seating plan has been developed by Marshall Athletics and the Big Green to maximize attendance for each home game during the season. 

As of November 1, the capacity inside the Henderson Center will be limited to 15%, or approximately 1,300 fans.  The capacity limit was set by Conference USA.

There are currently 15 home games (conference and non-conference) scheduled this season.  The schedule remains fluid and is subject to changes due to the effects of COVID-19.

No - there are no season tickets available this year because of the limited capacity in the Henderson Center for the 2020-21 season.

2019 Men’s Basketball Season Ticket Holders will have the ability to “opt-in” to a ticket lottery system.  See below for more information.

LOTTERY QUESTIONS

 

  • Lottery is only available for Season Ticket Holders last season in 2019-20.

 

  • Lottery is only available for active Big Green members. You must make a contribution toward the 2020 Annual Fund to be considered active.

 

  • Lottery will be run on a game-to-game basis. Winners from one game's lottery are not guaranteed to win the next game's lottery.

 

  • All 2019 Season Ticket Holders who opt-in to the lottery & are active Big Green members will be eligible to be entered into that game's lottery to receive tickets for that game.

 

  • This will be a weighted lottery that will consider multiple factors on top of being a Season Ticket Holder:
    • Priority Point Total (rewards donors longevity with and total gifts to Marshall Athletics)
    • 2020 Big Green Annual Fund Level
    • 2020 Herd Athletic Fund (HAF) Level
    • Membership in the Tip Off Club
    • Gifts / Pledges to the Herd Rises Campaign

 

  • There are three unique seat location lotteries that are mutually exclusive from the others. They are:
    • Lower Level Chairback lottery (eligible for all 2019 lower level chairback & bleacher Season Ticket Holders)
    • Upper Level Chairback lottery (eligible for all 2019 lower level chairback & bleacher and upper level chairback Season Ticket Holders)
    • Upper Level Bleacher lottery (eligible for all 2019 Season Ticket Holders)
      • Example: If you were a lower level chairback Season Ticket Holder last season, you're eligible for all three lotteries.
      • Example: If you were a upper level chairback Season Ticket Holder last season, you're eligible for two lotteries (upper level chairback & upper level bleacher).
      • Example: If you were a upper level bleacher (GA) Season Ticket Holder last season, you're only eligible for one lottery (upper level bleacher).

No.

Due to the limited availability of tickets and the demand from Season Ticket Holders on attending games, the only way you are eligible to come to a game this season is if you were a Season Ticket Holder in 2019.

This is subject to change if tickets are not sold out on a game by game basis to lottery winners.

We want to seat as many 2019 Season Ticket Holders as possible while maximizing those who attend games this season.

The lottery will allow Marshall Athletics to maximize attendance at all home games within the COVID-19 guidelines presented to us by C-USA, the state of WV, Cabell County, and Marshall University.

To provide perspective on the seating challenges presented by COVID-19, there were over 4,000 season tickets distributed in 2019, while the maximum capacity for games in 2020 will be approximately 1,300. More challenging, there were over 2,500 season tickets distributed in the lower level last season and the maximum capacity in the lower level in 2020 will be approximately 500.

Think of it like ping pong balls in a drum - like a lottery.

Each ping pong ball equals one entry into the lottery.

For everyone who opts in, the metrics will be:

2019 Season Ticket Holder - 1 ping pong ball, or 1 entry

Priority Points – 1 entry per 25 points.  (1,000 points – 40 entries)

2020 Big Green Annual Fund Contribution

$60 - $299  1 entry

$300 - $999 – 2 entries

$1,000 - $1,499 – 5 entries

$1,500 - $4,999 – 25 entries

$5,000 - $9,999 – 50 entries

$10,000 + - 75 entries

 

2020 Herd Athletic Fund (HAF) Contribution 

$2,500 – 10 entries

$2,501 - $5,000 – 20 entries

$5,001 - $10,000 – 30 entries

 

Herd Rises Campaign Contribution

$1,000 - $5,000 – 5 entries

$5,001 - $10,000 – 10 entries

$10,001 - $25,000 – 20 entries

$25,001 - $99,999 – 30 entries

$100,000 + - 50 entries

 

Tip-Off Club Membership

$150 – 1 entry

$300 – 2 entries

$600 – 3 entries

$1,500 – 5 entries 

$5,000 – 10 entries

Only available for 2019 (last season) Men's Basketball Season Ticket Holders who are current Big Green members.

This process is identical to traditionally renewing your season tickets online.

Login to your account on HerdZone.com and click Season Renewals. 

Follow the instructions listed on the application to opt-in for ALL game ticket lotteries this season. 

There is a one-time $10 additional charge that will be charged upon completion of the opt-in application.

Deadline to opt-in this season: Wednesday, November 18th at 5:00PM

2019 Season Ticket Holders who had between one (1) and three (3) season tickets will be eligible to receive TWO (2) TICKETS in each game's ticket lottery this year.

2019 Season Ticket Holders who had four (4) or more season tickets will be eligible to receive FOUR (4) TICKETS in each game's ticket lottery this year.

That is not available this year.

You must opt-in for all home game ticket lotteries by Wednesday, November 18 at 4:00PM.

When C-USA play starts, if you are selected as a winner for the Friday or Saturday game lottery, you are ineligible to receive the other game that same weekend against the same opponent. Therefore, the maximum number of lotteries you “could” win is 11.

You will have the ability to only opt-in for the lower level chairback lottery. By not opting in for either of the upper level chairback & bleacher lotteries, your name will not be put into the system to be selected for these seats. If your name is not selected in the lower level chairback lottery, you won't get tickets for that game.

The same is true for upper level chairback Season Ticket Holders. If you do not want to sit in the upper level bleacher this season, you should only opt-in for the upper level chairback lottery.

If you are traditionally a lower level chairback Season Ticket Holder and you wish to be entered into all three seat location lotteries (you don't care where you sit in the arena), you are able to do that as well.

They will be run prior to each game, with appropriate notice given to those selected.

In the event a game gets cancelled, that lottery will be used on the next available game in which a lottery has been already run.

Example: If the FAU games are cancelled on January 29 & 30 after the lottery winners are announced, those winners' tickets would be moved to the MTSU games on February 12 & 13.

The winners in each seat location lottery will be reranked in priority point order and allocated into seats in that seat location area.

You will be notified via email that you were selected for the specific game.

Your card will be automatically charged for your ticket total for that game.

Your tickets will be sent digitally to your email address on file prior to the games. Like football, only in emergency circumstances will your tickets be printed.

Yes.

If you are selected for the game, your card will be automatically charged. There will not be a way to opt-out of being charged if you cannot make it. The operations in this season & uncertainty of games make it not possible.

Keep in mind that due to the nature of the lottery, the chances of being selected for all of the games is extremely low.

Assuming that everything is back to full capacity for the 2021-22 season, you will have the ability to renew your normal season tickets like you have done traditionally in the past. 

The lottery and the 2020-21 season is a completely separate process from the traditional way things are done.

 

  • 2019 Season Ticket Holders who are current Big Green members are eligible to opt-in to the lottery
  • Must opt-in on HerdZone.com via online application (like renewing your tickets)
  • Ticket lottery will be run exclusively for each home game
  • No two lotteries will be the same - the winners will change game-to-game
  • Winners seat locations could change game-to-game
    • Just because you won two consecutive game lotteries does not necessarily mean your seats will be the same. The winners will be reranked in Priority Point order prior to being placed into seats.
  • Winners' credit cards will be automatically charged for the game's ticket lottery they won
  • Tickets will be sent digitally no later than 48 hours prior to the game

University, state and/or local health officials, in response to local health conditions, reserves the right to alter Henderson Center attendance capacity at any point during the season. Any changes will be communicated to Marshall fans via email, social media, and HerdZone.com.

TICKET PRICING & PARKING QUESTIONS

 

  1. Lower Level Chairbacks - $50 per ticket
  2. Upper Level Chairbacks - $30 per ticket
  3. Upper Level Bleachers - $25 per ticket

Your card will not be charged unless you win a game's lottery. Keep in mind that due to the nature of the lottery, the chances of being selected for all of the games is extremely low.

No - due to C-USA policies on how close patrons can be to the court this season, lower level bleachers behind each basket will not be available in the ticket lotteries this year.

If you were a Season Ticket Holder in the lower level bleachers last year, you will be eligible for the lower level chairback lottery in addition to both upper level lotteries.

If you are selected in a lottery for a game this season, a mandatory $10 parking charge will be added to your order.

Your tickets will allow you access to parking in the 3rd Avenue garage and West Lot on game day. 

HEALTH & SAFETY GUIDELINES

Yes. 

Over-the-ear masks are required to be properly worn for all of those in attendance and must remain on until leaving the arena after the game.

The mask must be worn AT ALL TIMES in the arena.

No, concessions will not be open for games this season. 

You are permitted to bring in one (1) unopened bottle of water (max 20oz) per person. Fans, who for medical reasons only, are permitted to bring in small food items.

All other food and drink is prohibited.

Seating in the entire arena had to be adjusted to WV state social distancing guidelines. The following will apply to your seats in the stands this season:

  • No groups larger than four tickets in one grouping while seated in the stands;
  • While seated in the stands, the two rows in front and behind you will remain empty;
  • While seated in the stands, the three seats to the left and three seats to the right of your group will remain empty.

No - like football, no re-entry is permitted at the games this season. Once you enter the arena with a valid game ticket, you are not permitted to leave the arena and re-enter with the same game ticket.

No re-entry into the arena.

Social distancing guidelines must followed in the concourses of Henderson Center.

There will be hand sanitizer stations and vendors will be removed from the concourse area to allow for space to stay six feet apart. 

Restrooms will be cleaned and sanitized throughout the game.