The Pac-12 CEO Group decided to postpone fall and winter sports until at least January 2021. Timing and other details surrounding competitions will be determined in consultation with the Pac-12's Medical Advisory Committee and will be subject to campus, local, state, and federal guidelines.
You should have received an email on Monday, Aug. 3, which included a link to an online Membership Payment Reconciliation application. Within the application, your Membership payments have been separated into two categories: gameday expenses (tickets, parking, tailgate spaces, and order and delivery charges) and priority seat contributions (applicable for football Priority Seat Members only). The four reconciliation options for each category are listed below:
Tax-Deductible Buck/Cardinal Club Gift:
- By converting your Membership payment** into a gift to the Buck/Cardinal Club, you help provide the resources needed for student-athletes to compete at the highest level in their sport, excel in the classroom, and leave their mark beyond The Farm.
- Credit for 2021 Season:
- As Membership prices will not increase between the 2020 and 2021 seasons, this option guarantees your same seat location will be reserved and your Membership will be paid in full* for next season.
- Refund:
- The amount you choose to have refunded will be credited to the card used for your original purchase within 30 business days. You may be contacted by Athletics department staff to confirm your selections and preferred method of reimbursement.
- Combination:
- You may split this payment between a philanthropic gift, credit* towards next season, and/or a refund.
In the event that we are able to welcome fans back to our venues during the 2020-21 academic year, Season Ticket Members (STMs) will have access to tickets before the general public. STMs who convert their Membership payment to a Buck/Cardinal Club gift or make a separate annual contribution to the Buck/Cardinal Club, as well as current Stanford students and family members and close friends of the teams, will receive priority access to tickets. Members who elect to apply their payment as a credit toward the 2021 season will receive preference for tickets over fans who request a refund.
Regardless of which option(s) you select, we will continue to provide unique Season Ticket Membership benefits to all 2020 STMs during the 2020-21 academic year. We are extremely grateful for your continued loyalty and support of the Cardinal.
If you would like to discuss these options over the phone, please call the Stanford Athletics Ticket Office at (800)-STANFORD.
*STMs who had not yet paid their 2020 Membership in full and those who elect to split their Membership Payment Reconciliation between credit and gift/refund will be asked to pay any remaining balance during the 2021 Membership renewal period.
**Priority Seat Members who request a refund on their contribution and do not make other annual gifts to the Buck/Cardinal Club may lose their Buck/Cardinal Club benefits.
FAQs
Scholarships, Philanthropy and Buck/Cardinal Club Gifts
How are you handling scholarships for student-athletes?
Whether or not student-athletes compete in their sport this year, we are committed to continuing their athletics scholarship aid. This includes scenarios where COVID-19 halts seasons and where student-athletes choose not to compete due to the current circumstances. It also encompasses an additional year of aid for the 2020 senior student-athletes who were unable to compete in their spring sport. For the 2020-21 academic year, we are projecting at least $5M in scholarship expenses that are not currently endowed.
Why is the athletics department requesting donations when Stanford has one of the largest endowments in the country?
Stanford Athletics is fortunate to have endowments as a significant source of funding. However, the vast majority of endowments at Stanford are intended to last in perpetuity and are restricted toward specific long-term uses, including need-based financial aid for students and scholarships for student-athletes.
In general, Athletics has been a self-sustaining entity on our campus, and we are striving to preserve that model in a time when budgetary support for our academic mission is already under significant stress. Academic and administrative units across the university already have planned to cut budgets by an average of 7%, including workforce reductions, in response to the university's constrained resources as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We rely heavily upon annual ticket sales and generous philanthropic gifts from our supporters to provide our student-athletes with a world-class education and a championship-level athletics experience. Philanthropy will be especially impactful this year, as we navigate the harsh new financial realities imposed by COVID-19.
Will I receive a gift receipt if I choose to convert my payment to a tax-deductible Buck/Cardinal Club gift?
Yes, you will be mailed a gift receipt from Stanford University. If you would prefer to receive a gift receipt via email, please contact the Buck/Cardinal Club at 650-721-2410 or buckcardinal@stanford.edu.
Which option should I choose if I would like my 2020 football priority seat contribution applied towards my 2020-21 men's basketball Season Ticket Membership?
If you would like to apply your 2020 football priority seat contribution towards your priority seats for the 2020-21 men's basketball season, please contact Danny Berardini with the Buck/Cardinal Club at (650)-736-6907 or danny.berardini@stanford.edu.
Credit & Refunds
Is there any assurance that prices will not increase if I choose to receive a credit for the 2021 season?
Yes, Season Ticket Membership pricing, including priority seat contributions, will not increase between the 2020 and 2021 seasons. If you convert your full Membership payment to a credit, this guarantees your same seats will be reserved and your Membership will be paid in full for next season.
How will my credit be reflected on my renewal invoice for the 2021 season?
If you choose to convert your entire 2020 Membership payment to a credit for the 2021 season, you will receive notice via email in advance of the renewal period that your account is paid in full. If you choose to convert a portion of your 2020 Membership payment to a credit or have not yet paid in full for the 2020 season, you will receive an invoice at the beginning of the 2021 season with only the remaining balance.
If I choose to receive a credit for the 2021 season and later decide I do not want to attend games, can I still get a refund?
In light of the continued uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, we are committed to providing Season Ticket Members with flexible payment options and will honor refund requests through the completion of the 2021 Membership renewal period. For more information, please contact the Athletics Ticket Office at (800)-STANFORD or athleticstickets@stanford.edu.
When can I expect to have my payment returned to me if I choose to have my Membership payment refunded?
Please allow up to 30 business days for refunded payments to reflect on your banking statement. You may be contacted by Athletics department staff to confirm the refund method for the amount you choose. We appreciate your patience as our staff provides service to all of our Season Ticket Members.
MiscellaneousHow will tickets be distributed if fans can attend events this academic year?
In the event that we are able to welcome fans back to our venues during the 2020-21 academic year, Season Ticket Members (STMs) will have access to tickets before the general public, and all tickets will be delivered digitally. STMs who convert their membership payment to a Buck/Cardinal Club gift or make a separate annual contribution to the Buck/Cardinal Club, as well as current Stanford students and family members and close friends of the teams, will receive priority access to tickets. Members who elect to apply their payment as a credit toward the 2021 season will receive preference for tickets over members who request a refund. Additional details will be communicated via email if this scenario becomes a possibility.
When competitions are open to fans again, what measures will Stanford Athletics take?
We are planning to implement a number of health and safety measures, including more frequent sanitation of our venues and the incorporation of physical distancing in high-traffic areas. All decisions will be made in consultation with medical professionals and public health experts and will adhere to guidelines set at the University, county, state, and federal levels.
Will I be able to attend away games or postseason games?
At this time, we do not know if tickets will be available for away games or postseason games. We will notify Season Ticket Members via email if we are able to offer away game tickets.
What if I do not complete the Membership Payment Reconciliation application?
If no action is taken by August 31, 2020, all gameday expenses will default to an account credit towards your 2021 Membership and all priority seat contributions will be converted to a tax-deductible gift to the Buck/Cardinal Club.
Will I get to keep the seats on my account for the 2021 season?
Yes, regardless of your selection(s) on the Membership Payment Reconciliation application, you will have the opportunity to renew your same seats and parking locations, including those that you may have selected during the 2020 seat upgrade and add-on process. The Athletics Ticket Office will be in touch with you about 2021 Membership renewals when more information is available.
I have resold tickets for the 2020 season. What will happen to those sales?
Since tickets for the 2020 season have been voided, secondary market sales will be canceled. Please direct any questions regarding secondary market sales to the marketplace on which you sold your tickets.