Clemson changing the way it handles football ticketing, starting with 2020 season

The Clemson Athletics Department is leaving paper tickets in the past for football games, starting with the 2020 season.

The Tigers will roll out mobile-only ticketing beginning this season at Memorial Stadium, a setup that’s common among pro sports team.

“Digital ticketing allows fans greater convenience and safety, and can reduce the impacts of counterfeit tickets,” the school said Thursday in making the announcement.

Clemson’s first football game of the 2020 season is set for Sept. 3 at Georgia Tech. The Tigers’ first home game is scheduled for Sept. 12 against Louisville.

In a statement about the changes, the school said:

▪ “Fans will no longer receive a printed ticket booklet or have the option to print at home, and those who paid will be refunded the printing fee. All fans will receive their tickets via mobile delivery. Details for how to access the tickets will come at a later date.”

▪ “In addition to being safer for fans by reducing contact at the gate, mobile ticketing offers fans more control in how they can access, transfer or return tickets. The move allows Clemson’s Ticket Office to more nimbly adapt to potential changes to stadium operations or schedule in the upcoming season. In 2019, nearly 20 percent of season tickets were delivered via mobile devices.”

College football teams are moving forward with plans for a full 2020 season amid the evolving coronavirus pandemic. South Carolina is among the states seeing record numbers of new COVID-19 cases.

Clemson football and men’s and women’s basketball athletes reported back to campus at the start of June. The school has publicly acknowledged more than 20 coronavirus cases affecting football student-athletes. Colleges across the country have reported positive cases among athletes, with some schools suspending summer workouts as a precaution.

“It’s very difficult right now,” Clemson Athletics Director Dan Radakovich told Yahoo Sports. “I almost think it’s part of the process to get us where we need to be.”

Clemson University is currently in Phase I of its three-phase return to campus. The athletics department is also in Phase I. There is currently no set date for moving into Phase II.

“We are excited about moving to mobile tickets in our stadium this year,” Owen Godfrey, associate AD for Ticket Operations, said in a statement “This allows us to be flexible and offer a more safe and secure method to bring fans into the stadium. Our fans have experience with mobile tickets in the past, having attended several mobile-only postseason games in the past three years.”

Options for fans without mobile devices will be announced at a later date, the school said.

This story was originally published June 25, 2020 at 4:33 PM.