UofL students will have to pay $200 student athletic fee in addition to tuition starting this fall

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- University of Louisville students will soon have to pay a $200 student athletic fee along with their tuition every semester.

Full-time students enrolled in on-campus classes for this fall 2025 semester got an email saying the school is introducing a new student athletic fee and ticket model.

The fee allows students access to home football and men's basketball games. But if too many people want tickets, they'll have to enter a lottery.

Students will also get tickets to women's basketball, volleyball and baseball games.

University officials said the money will go directly to the athletic department to support operational expenses.

In June, WDRB learned UofL's athletic department projects a $12.5 million budget deficit now that Division I schools are required to share revenue with athletes.

The university also gives students the option of a Ville'ns+ membership, which would guarantee seats to all men's basketball and football home games. That's an additional $75 and is capped at 500 students.

Some students who will have to pay the fee say it's not fair.

"To charge somebody $200, I don't know that I've ever been to a game, that's crazy," UofL senior Emma Mills said.

Krish Patel has paid for student tickets in the past and already plans on going to all the Cards' home games.

"The $200, I didn't know about that, but I mean I'm fine with it because I want to go to the games and more opportunities for me to go to the games would be perfect," said Patel.

Even though he's on board, he said not all of his friends enjoy the sporting events.

"If other students don't want to go to the games, I feel like they should be able to opt into it so it's not like a mandatory fee that everyone has to go to," Patel said.

University officials said almost all institutions collect a student athletic fee, and the new fee aligns with the ACC average of $204 per semester. They said a large percentage of ACC schools also charge for football season tickets, in addition to the fee.

For more information about student ticketing, head to UofL's website by clicking here.

Sponsor of Kentucky's new school communication bill says changes could come next year

Man charged with murder of Louisville woman found dead after disappearance

Attorneys for Joseph Lawson ask judge to throw out his conviction in Crystal Rogers' case