How will the new Doak Campbell Stadium project affect me?
Thousands of Florida State’s season ticket holders eagerly await the Seminoles’ season opener against Alabama on Aug. 30 and the reveal of the most dramatic renovation of Doak Campbell Stadium since it was built in 1950. Still, others remain anxious about the changes to the iconic stadium, wondering: How will the changes to Doak affect me?
Season ticket holders, especially those on the west side, are asking about the cost of seats and the value they will derive from the new features. And for those who don’t attend home games, they wonder how the west stadium will look, sound and feel during television broadcasts.
In the first part of The Osceola’s series on the $250 million project we focused on why the east side of the 74-year-old stadium was renovated and the west side replaced. In the second part we focus on the west side seating options offered to those season ticket holders whose bleacher seats were removed by the project and the seat selection dates.
Focused on west side seat holders
The demolition and reconstruction of the west side of Doak Campbell Stadium with wider seats, more legroom and wider aisles reduced seating capacity and that forced a total reseating. Over the past two years, Florida State has focused exclusively on meeting with those account holders. The ticket representatives scheduled one-on-one meetings to explain the details of each of the new seating sections on the westside to help ticket holders understand their new seating options.
FSU conducted more than 4,000 one-on-one presentations, with many reserving one of the three premium priced products – eight Founders Suites, 32 Founders Loges and nearly 2,300 premium club seats – or the mid-priced chair-back seats and lower-priced west sideline bleacher seats. Others chose the Dunlap Champions Club or bleacher section elsewhere in the stadium, while still others have yet to choose.
Those ticket holders who reserved 2025 season tickets will be among the first to select seats in the exclusive re-seating process. Westside ticket holders, who have yet to reserve 2025 season tickets, are encouraged to do so to participate in the reseating process.
Seat selection dates:
Dunlap Champions Club – Ongoing
West Sideline Club – March 18 – March 24
West Chair-back – April 1 – April 7
Bleacher and Parking – May (dates TBD)
While the focus of this article is on the west sideline seating products and pricing, which has increased for many, and significantly so for some, we’d be remiss if we didn’t report the price of seating remains unchanged in the main stadium seating on the east sideline, and the north and south end zones.
| New section numbers | Previous numbers | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
108-110 | 9-11 | $750 | $750 |
107, 111-112 | 8, 12-13 | $550 | $550 |
113-120 | 14-16, 117-119 | $400 | $335 |
122-126 | 121-123 | $400 | $335 |
Chair-back seat product
The Chair-back seat section is located right above the club seats on the west sideline and features a 20-inch-wide, mesh-bottom seat with backrest, armrests and cup holders and an extra six inches of legroom. In addition to comfort, the extra legroom makes it easier to get to and from seats.
Chair-back seat holders also have access to the new stadium amenities, which include well-lit concourses, enhanced concessions, restrooms, a social gathering area with a bar on the south end of the west concourse, as well as wider aisles with handrails and speed steps to make the path to seat safer and easier than in years past. The modern design of the concourses will also improve the flow and movement of people throughout the stadium, limiting congestion and time spent in lines.
Chair-back seat prices
| New section | Previous number | Number | Price including booster contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
Zone 1 sections | 131-133 | 33-35 | $2000 per seat ($500 per seat, $1,500 annual contribution credit) |
Zone 2 sections | 130-134 | 31-32, 38-39 | $1,500 per seat ($500 per seat, $1,000 annual contribution credit) |
Zone 3 sections | 129, 135 | 29-30, 36-37 | $1,250 per seat ($500 seat price, $750 annual contribution credit) |
The chair-back price includes the ticket price ($500) as well as the annual contribution to Seminole Boosters, which determines membership benefits.
Chairback seats also require a one-time, tax-deductible, capital campaign contribution ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 per seat based on location and can be paid over three years. These tax-deductible gifts are vital to funding both the Doak project and the new Dunlap Football Operations Building.
Chair-backs priced between club seats and bleacher seats
The chairback seat prices are less than half the price of the premium Club Seats, but still a larger investment than many ticket holders paid for bleacher seats in prior years.
How much more?
Well, that depends on what a ticket holder chose to spend in years past. For example, the new annual price for two seats at midfield (Zone 1 between the 30s) is $4,000, which is $50 more than what a Silver Chief ($3250) with two bleacher seats ($700) paid after capital campaign gift is paid.
But those same two Zone 1 seats require $2,300 more for a ticket holder who paid $1,700 for two seats with the minimum contribution ($500 per seat).
Ticket holders will also have the option to select chair-back seats in Zone 2 (30 to 15 yard line) during the seat selection process at $3,000 for two seats (plus capital gift). They could also select seats in Zone 3 (15 to goal line) and pay $2500 for two chairbacks (plus capital gift).An economic option is to select two seats in the west sideline bleachers (endzone sideline) for $1200 (see below).
West sideline bleacher seats
The enhanced bleacher seats, located on the west sideline of the north and south end zone are priced at $600 per seat, which includes the seat price ($350) and $250 toward a Seminole Booster membership. The enhanced west sideline seats do not require a capital campaign gift.
| New Section Number | Previous Section Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
127-128 | 27-28 | $600 includes seat price, $350 and $250 booster membership |
136-37 | 36-37 | $600 includes seat price, $350 and $250 booster membership |
These west sideline bleachers have been enhanced with six inches more legroom and at least two inches more width than prior year bleachers. And these seats share all the amenities of the modern west concourses, concessions, restrooms and social gathering area with a bar mentioned in the Chair-back section above.
Price comparison isn't apples to apples
While it is natural to want to make an apples-to-apples price comparison, how do you do it when you have apples-to-bananas products; a 74-year-old stadium vs. a brand-new stadium?
While some ticket holders have no problem visualizing how this new seat experience compares to the past, most people wonder how the new seats will look and feel compared to the bleachers of prior years? How much value is there for me to have a 20-inch Chairback seat over the snug 15-to-16-inch metal bleacher with less legroom?
It’s a significant question that’s hard for ticket holders to answer until they see it and feel it.
Some ticket holders, who struggled to climb Doak’s steps, are factoring the “speed steps” and handrails into their value analysis. Rather than struggling with stairs that were 8 or more inches tall, the speed step cuts the rise of each stair in half, and the handrail provides added ease and security.And how do you place a dollar value on the enhanced restrooms, which will be brand new and more plentiful, especially the women’s facilities, or the social gathering area with adult beverages?
Naturally, there are many features to consider, and each of us have our own individual calculations.
Making those value comparisons is difficult when all you have to work with is written words, renderings and construction pictures. For that reason, it was important for FSU to invest all the time it took to schedule face-to-face interactions which were intended to help existing ticket holders understand the difference in experience and price, as well as the many seating options now available in Doak.
The stadium is now at the point where ticket holders can sign up for hard hat tours to help visualize the size of the concourses and the scope of the project as well as to feel the differences. Stay in touch with your ticket representative to schedule a tour.
Memories lie ahead
Season ticket holders have been concerned about the impact these changes will have on the spirit of Doak. And while their anxiety is understandable, those of us who have traveled to away games and bowl games know this -- FSU fans bring the party wherever they go.
To my way of thinking, where I sit at the party matters less than attending the party to see old friends, conjure memories, stir emotions, and make new friends and memories. How about you? How do you think the new stadium will affect you?
It won’t be long before the University of Alabama rolls into Doak for a long-overdue welcome that I don’t want to miss. So, find a chair, any chair, and make the Alabama game the party folks will be talking about for another 74 years.
We hope this series on the Doak project answers a few questions and inspires you to call the ticket office to make sure you are making a fact-based decision in time to be among the first to select seats in the new Doak Campbell Stadium.
Look for the third installment of this series – listing all the seating options in Doak – prior to the public seat selection process coming later this spring. If you’d like to share your seating experience with me for an upcoming article, or want to discuss, you can email me at jkutz@theOsceola.com or call 850.508.8690.
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