Iowa Nixes Free Tuition Raffle Amid Legal Concerns

A recent decline in student attendance figures at University of Iowa football games prompted the school to try something out of the box to get students to, at the very least, purchase tickets that guaranteed them the opportunity to attend those games.

“We want students in Kinnick Stadium, and the staff has spent the year listening and planning ways to increase the fun and excitement,” Iowa athletic director Gary Barta said in a statement. “A loud and active student section is such an important part of the game day experience.”

On Tuesday, Iowa announced that it would hold a raffle for all of the students that had purchased season tickets for the upcoming Hawkeye football season by the deadline of this Friday. The grand prize? Free tuition for five students. Based off of the current going rate for an in-state student, that works out to about $8,000 per student. Tickets run about $25 apiece per game, and students can purchase six- and seven-game packages. Other prizes up for grabs would include grocery gift cards, and free books and supplies.

Photo source: Instagram

“We are acting on the feedback we’ve received directly from students,” Lisa Pearson, director of marketing for the UI Athletics Department, said in the statement. “They’ve told us they want to have some fun with their friends before the games and during the games, they want a chance to win prizes, they enjoy free food…so, we’re providing that opportunity in addition to an opportunity to cheer on a football program that is coming off an eight-win season and an invitation to another January 1 bowl game.”

Well, unfortunately for all of those students who purchased UI season tickets after this raffle was announced, the school has decided to temporarily suspend the whole thing after legal concerns were raised.

According to the Associated Press, Barta said he decided to halt the program after questions were raised about whether it complies with state raffle laws. David Werning, a spokesman for the school’s athletics department, told the Des Moines Register that the raffle laws in question had to do with the use of credit cards to purchase the tickets (legally, they are to be purchased with cash only) and the fact that the tickets must be of equal value. UI allowed tickets/raffle entries to be purchased online and in varying quantities (i.e. the six-game vs. seven-game packages).

“I have suspended the promotion temporarily as we determine how to make sure that this promotion is in complete compliance,” Barta said in a prepared statement. “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.”

In less than two years, student attendance at Iowa football games has dropped from around 10,000 to 7,000.