UCLA football is 2-0 but the Bruins keep taking wins off of the field as well. Before the season kicked off, UCLA pulled the plug on the Martin Jarmond Era, firing the Athletic Director and replacing him with former Los Angeles Lakers executive Tim Harris.
The changes haven’t stopped there. On Wednesday, UCLA Athletics announced that tickets to football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball games are now free for students.
📣 FREE TICKETS FOR @UCLA STUDENTS 🐻
— UCLA Athletics (@UCLAAthletics) September 16, 2026
That’s right – your ticket to the game will cost nothing. Your support of our athletics programs means the world to us, and we can’t wait to see a packed Den all season long!
➡️: https://t.co/qzxcL7mrP3
ℹ️: https://t.co/FkIyKYIAD0 pic.twitter.com/ZiuwzG0JRR
This move is clearly made with
the idea of improving attendance at the Rose Bowl. UCLA has invested heavily into Bob Chesney and the football program, this move removes a hurdle to help gets fans into seats on gamedays.
It’s already a trek to get to Pasadena from the UCLA campus, adding a ticket expense is only a deterrent to the non-football die-hard portion of the student population. With the Bruins showing that they’re a team worth watching, the UCLA Athletics Department have lended a helping hand to any students on the fence about coming out to see UCLA football.
For students who have already purchased their The Den pass, have no fear, the athletic department that refunds will be issued by September 25th.
"Our students are the heartbeat of UCLA," Harris said in a release. "Their passion, energy and pride create an atmosphere that makes a difference for our student-athletes and coaches. We want as many students as possible experiencing UCLA Athletics, supporting their fellow Bruins and helping us build one of the best home environments in college sports. We need our students to show up, be loud, and make a difference.”
While this is likely a football-first decision, it should only help the atmosphere for UCLA basketball games. The Bruins’ women’s team is coming off of a national title and the men’s team features Serbian freshman Nikola Kusturica, giving students reasons to take advantage of the free tickets.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA announce free tickets for students for football, basketball games
