Sacramento State President Luke Wood approved the implementation of increased student fees on Sept. 16, including an increase to the intercollegiate athletics fee that will aim to enhance Sac State athletics.
The fee is set to increase $75 over the next three years. It was previously $181 per student and will reach $256 by the 2027-28 school year.
According to a memorandum Wood sent to the Student Fee Advisory Committee, the increase in funds will allow for the improvement of athletic facilities and a new multiuse stadium for several sports; football among those noted. In addition, Wood’s memo also listed new track and field facilities, training spaces, replacing court flooring and upgrading AV and restrooms.
“It’ll be a comprehensive stadium,” Wood said. “At the very least it will be a stadium for football, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s rugby, access for intramural, recreational and club sports, convocation, graduation, concerts and potentially some potential partners who would essentially provide resources so they have access to the stadium for different events.”
The SFAC noted in the memo that postponed maintenance is a campus-wide issue, citing that current funds do not permit the need to address such issues.
Wood said in his memo that Sac State will generate $4 million annually for facility maintenance and improvements with the fee increase.
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The increased athletics fee and stadium plan is contemporary with a recent coalition dubbed the Sac 12, that is pushing to get the Hornets into the Mountain West Conference or the Pac-12. Sac State would need upgrades to their athletics facilities for this to happen, according to an independent report done by College Sports Solutions that released Tuesday.
Hornet Stadium opened in 1969, has an occupancy of 21,195 and has played host to various events over the years including professional football teams, Olympic trials and concerts.
“Is there a timeline for the stadium? What facilities are outlined? How’re they going to upgrade them? I think that would be the way to justify increasing the fees,” junior business administration major Jacob Young said.
In addition to plans for a new stadium, the memo from Wood said that all alumni will receive one complimentary ticket to all home sporting events three years after graduation, starting fall 2025.
“I think it’s creative and hopefully will help boost attendance,” Sac State alumni Tim Shestek said. “Sac State, to the next level, is gaining steam and will only increase as more alums get exposed to Hornet athletics.”
The fee increase will not solely benefit NCAA athletes at Sac State, but can also be used for recreational and club activities. The intercollegiate athletics fee is one of four proposed fee changes motioned by Wood.
“I think you’ll hear about everything real soon, not just that, but all these. Now that we know what we are doing, we will roll it out quickly,” Wood said.
