Following a six-month review, Duke is changing the ticket plan for the 2000-01 men's basketball season at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Athletics Director Joe Alleva announced this week.

Beginning next fall, Duke will have a four-tier pricing structure based on the location of the seats. Ticket prices will range from $23 to $50 per game. Previously, all seats in Cameron were priced the same.

Alleva said the season ticket price for most seats in the stadium will actually go down next year. Any current ticket holders who do not wish to pay higher prices for their current seats will have the option of relocating with a price reduction. Those who wish to remain in the higher-priced seats may do so by paying the increased ticket price.

Under the new plan, there will be no changes made in student seating, which means the "Cameron Crazies" will continue to receive 2,500 free, courtside seats at every game. In addition, Duke will continue to honor a 2,100-seat faculty/staff commitment. Seat assignments for Iron Dukes members, the support organization whose 6,000 members contribute more than $6 million annually to the Duke athletics department, will continue to be based on annual giving levels and cumulative athletic gifts.

"In short, Duke needs to raise [money] to help support the continued excellence of our student-athletes and intercollegiate athletic programs," Alleva said. The change has been endorsed by the Duke Athletics Council and the Athletics Advisory Board.

In conducting its review, a seven-member task force, chaired by former Duke football player Bob Garda, assessed 60 years of seating practices at Cameron and made a comprehensive study of Duke's present ticket-holding population. This was the first in-depth examination of the men's basketball ticket policy in 20 years.

Since Duke's last evaluation, the university has added six varsity sports, 300 varsity athletes, 58 athletic scholarships (each valued at $35,000 per year), and more than $20 million to its operating budget.

"At the same time, two things haven't changed over the years," Alleva said in a letter to ticket holders. "The first is our commitment to run a model program that serves the needs of our student-athletes and maintains the highest standards of academic and athletic excellence.

"The second is that Cameron today is no larger than it was when it was built 60 years ago. Thus, we face a dilemma. Our commitment to excellence and the tremendous growth in our programs combined with an ever-increasing demand for limited seating present special challenges for Duke athletics."

As a private university, Alleva noted, Duke does not benefit from the substantial subsidy provided to state-funded universities. As a result, Duke has the fewest number of scholarships and highest scholarship costs in the ACC. Duke is working to add 34 women's scholarships to ensure compliance with Title IX and the strength of its women's programs. Duke also is renovating athletic facilities for a number of sports.

"In short, Duke needs to raise millions of dollars to help support the continued excellence of our student-athletes and intercollegiate athletic programs," Alleva said.

The change in ticket pricing has been endorsed by the Duke Athletics Council and the Athletics Advisory Board.

"The task force thoroughly reviewed all possible options, ranging from reseating ticket holders to doing nothing," said Garda, a long-time Iron Dukes member. "For a variety of reasons, this structure provided the right combination for Duke athletics. We need to create the proper revenue streams to maintain a first-class athletic department at Duke."