Navigating Student Tickets and Family Weekend at East Carolina University
East Carolina University (ECU) offers a vibrant and engaging experience for both students and their families. Understanding the ticketing system, especially concerning student tickets and special events like Family Weekend, is crucial for a smooth and enjoyable experience. This article provides a comprehensive guide to navigating these aspects of ECU life.
Student Football Tickets: Free Access and the Student Pirate Club
ECU students have the exciting opportunity to attend athletic events, including football games, free of charge. This is facilitated through a free student ticket system and the Student Pirate Club (SPC).
- Free Student Tickets: ECU students can receive a free student ticket to access the student section of the stadium, known as "The Boneyard," for football games.
- Student Pirate Club (SPC): The Student Pirate Club is a student-run booster organization that supports all ECU athletic programs. For an annual donation of $60.00, students gain access to electronic tickets, which they can print or download to their phones. These tickets grant access to the SPC section (The Boneyard) for all athletic events free of charge. Registration for the SPC typically begins in April and continues through August, encouraging early sign-up to avoid missing out.
Family Weekend: A Pirate Pride Celebration
Family Weekend at ECU is an annual event designed to allow families to experience the university alongside their students. It is filled with numerous activities and opportunities to display Pirate Pride.
Ticketing and Seating Arrangements
Family Weekend often includes a highly anticipated football game, and understanding the ticketing process is essential for families planning to attend.
- Ticket Availability: Tickets for families located in the Boneyard Student Section (“Boneyard GA)” have sold out. There is a limited number of tickets still available in the rest of the stadium. These seats are the “Lower Sideline”/”Reserved” seats.
- General Admission vs. Reserved Seating: Families have options regarding seating during Family Weekend.
- If families opt to purchase general admission tickets, those tickets will be located in the student section of the stadium, alongside the student's free ticket or Student Pirate Club pass.
- Alternatively, families can purchase reserved seat tickets, where they will be assigned specific row and seat numbers for each ticket in their order.
- Student Seating with Family: For Family Weekend ONLY students will have the option to use their free student ticket to sit with their family in the Reserved section seating. If families prefer their student to sit with them in the reserved section, they need to indicate this preference on the order form.
- Age Considerations: Children aged 2 years old or younger do not require a football ticket. However, all other individuals, including students (if they choose to sit with their families in a paid section), need a ticket to enter the stadium. There are typically no youth prices offered for tickets to premier football games during Family Weekend.
Receiving Your Tickets
- Football tickets are typically sent out 1-2 weeks before the first home game. For purchases made after this period, tickets are usually sent out the same day.
- Tickets can be delivered in two formats: Print-at-Home and mobile delivery.
- Print-at-Home: Allows you to download a PDF version of your tickets and print them out.
- Mobile Delivery: Enables you to download a PDF version of your tickets or add them to your Apple Wallet or Google Pay app. Mobile tickets must be displayed on your phone for scanning at the gate; printed versions of mobile PDF tickets will not scan.
Family Weekend Tailgate
A highlight of Family Weekend is the annual Family Weekend Tailgate, creating a spirited atmosphere before the ECU game.
Read also: Ohio State Student Football Tickets: A Complete Overview
- The tailgate features BBQ, music, shaved ice, and vendors.
- It is a catered event, meaning outside food, drinks, or vehicles are not permitted in the designated area. Students cannot use their meal plans for the Family Weekend Tailgate.
Parking and Shuttle Service
To facilitate convenient access to the game, ECU provides parking and shuttle services for visiting families.
- Parking with shuttle service is available for the ECU Football Game. Shuttles commence from the Health Sciences lot. Shuttles will pick guests up on 14th Street, where you were dropped off, beginning at halftime and ending 1 hour after the football game ends. The Park & Ride Shuttles will read “FAMILY WEEKEND” across the front.
- Families wishing to utilize the Family Weekend Park & Ride Lot must pre-purchase a parking pass.
Showing Pirate Pride
Don’t miss the opportunity to show your Pirate Pride by wearing your Family Weekend t-shirt on game day!
Important Stadium Policies
ECU Athletics enforces specific policies to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all attendees.
- Clear Bag Policy: ECU Athletics has a clear bag policy.
- Prohibited Items: In addition to the clear bag policy, items such as umbrellas, artificial noisemakers, alcoholic beverages, flags on poles (banners must be approved in advance), outside food or drinks, and coolers are not permitted inside the football stadium.
- Parking Restrictions: The parking lots surrounding the football stadium are reserved for season ticket holders who have purchased spaces and tailgate packages for the entire season.
Read also: Student Guide to Baylor Basketball
Read also: Ticket Prices & Availability
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