 "Photo: Elishia Seals")
Student Government Association Vice-President Jessica Cowan spearheaded the Fightin' Tritons movement this school year; now the Athletics Department is pushing for even more of a boost in team support with "UMSL Smart Cards."
Michael Frazer, director of corporate sales for Athletics, gave students an introduction to the University of Missouri-St. Louis' latest partnership with local businesses at last week's SGA Assembly meeting, held in the SGA Chambers at 12:30 p.m. last Friday.
Frazer said his job is to generate revenue for Athletics and the smart card program will serve as a fundraiser for the university's athletics department with cards being sold for $5, with the money going directly to the department.
"One of the main things we came up with in Athletics is we had to try to find a way to get the student involved; to not only come out to the games, but also to use some of the vendors that are spending their money with athletics," he said.
Frazer said the program was released approximately six weeks ago, and has 18 sponsors.
As far as what a smart card does, Frazer said it provides discounts to the card's purchaser, saying, "It's just your basic discount card."
"But if you eat at places like Penn Station or the Cool Valley McDonald's or you go to the bookstore … [smart card sponsors] provide a pretty good discount," he said.
The two examples Frazer said were the best are the discount at Penn Station, which is a 10 percent discount and a free 20 oz. soda, and then Cool Valley McDonald's location, which allows smart card owners to buy any one sandwich and get one free.
Frazer said the McDonald's discount is only good at the Cool Valley location, but it does include breakfast items.
According to Frazer, Athletics next summer the sponsors, as one of their criteria to determine their continued support of the athletics programs here at UM-St. Louis, will use the sales of these smart cards.
"So, we are trying to get students to use the restaurants and facilities that are spending money with athletics, in exchange we also want to provide the students with some pretty good discounts," he said.
Frazer said the card can be used more than once at the sponsored locations and all students have to do is show the card and employees at the businesses will apply the necessary discounts. "If you eat out once a week this is probably a good investment," he said.
The cards will expire May 31 and can be purchased at Athletic events for basketball and they will also be available for purchase in the Mark Twain Building between the business hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Frazer also serves as a broadcaster for the UM-St. Louis Athletics Department, for basketball games being aired live through the campus' student-run radio station, The U. The first game aired Saturday night at the Women's basketball game against Missouri Baptist, where the Tritons defeated the Spartans 81-53.
In addition to the Triton win, the night marked the official kickoff of the Fightin' Tritons.
Cowan unveiled the Fightin' Triton t-shirts to those in attendance at the SGA meeting and told those who need to pick them up that she would have them in her office after the meeting or they could shoot her an e-mail to come up with another time to pick them up.
Cowan said at the Nov. 20 games there will be a $300 textbook raffle for members of the Fightin' Tritons.
The raffle will take place at the end of all of the basketball games. "My only stipulation is you have to be in attendance and you have to have your [Fightin' Tritons] shirt on," Cowan said.
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