April 18, 2007

ATHENS, Ohio - Starting with the season-opener against Gardner-Webb on Sept. 1, the Ohio football team will utilize the east sideline at Peden Stadium. The switch was made in order to comply with the MAC Football Student-Seating Policy that was passed prior to the 2004 season.

The current Football Student-Seating Policy states:

"Each MAC institution commits to a safe, secure and sportsmanlike environment behind the visiting team bench area (30 yard line to 30 yard line). As a part of that commitment, home team student and band seating shall be OUTSIDE the visiting team bench area. Additionally, the host MAC institution commits to an active and responsive security presence behind the visiting team bench area to address potential violations of the above policy."

Ohio's non-compliance with this policy was discussed during this past winter. It was the athletic department's opinion that the buffer area created by the Phillips Club seating section on the visitors' sideline was satisfactory towards compliance with the rule. However, given the clarification that no students can be seated between the thirty-yard lines from row one to the top of the stadium, it was determined that changes needed to be made to the seating at Peden Stadium.

After discussing multiple options with a random sample of Phillips Club season ticket holders, O Zone members, and Ohio University students, it was concluded that the best option to comply with the MAC rule is to move the Bobcats' sideline to the opposite side of the field. Therefore, the visiting team's bench will now be directly in front of the Phillips Club seating area on the west side of the stadium, and the Ohio football team will be located in front of the student section on the opposite side of the field. The visiting team section has been moved to section 112 in the northwest corner of the stadium.

For more information about 2007 football tickets, contact the Ohio Ticket Office at 1-800-575-CATS or click here.