UCLA students should swarm Rose Bowl under bold new ticket policy

The price is right for UCLA student tickets wanting to attend the school’s biggest sporting events.

How does free sound?

In his latest transformative move, new UCLA CEO and athletic director Tim Harris is making all regular-season home football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball games complimentary for Bruins students.

The new policy that was announced Wednesday will take effect Saturday when UCLA (2-0) hosts Purdue (1-1) in the Bruins’ Big Ten opener at the Rose Bowl.

“Our students are the heartbeat of UCLA,” Harris said in a statement. “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.”

In his first few weeks on the job, Harris has made a series of big changes and generous gestures. He bought 300 tickets to give out for the Bruins’ football home opener against San Diego State and changed the attendance policy to more accurately reflect how many fans are inside the stadium.

“We have an exciting team led by Bob Chesney and a lot of momentum surrounding UCLA Athletics,” Harris said. “Now it’s time for our students to help set the standard. Arrive early. Be loud. Be relentless. We can’t wait to see a sea of Bruin Blue at the Rose Bowl this Saturday.”

UCLA students can claim tickets to home football games through their student ticket account starting with the Monday of each game week. Registration for the game against Purdue opened Wednesday morning.

Students who previously purchased a 2026-27 Den Pass, which cost $199, will receive an automatic refund by Sept. 25. Students can also purchase up to eight guest tickets for each home football game, with the exception of the rivalry game against USC on Nov. 28. Details regarding the ticket process for the USC game will be announced at a later date.

Details regarding the men’s and women’s basketball student ticket request process will be communicated before the start of the 2026-27 season.