Tickets for the 131st Monon Bell game went live at 12 p.m. on Sept. 26, 2025 and were gone in less than an hour. The annual rivalry game between DePauw and Wabash is one of the most anticipated events of the year, drawing thousands of students, alumni, faculty and family members. With this high demand, some disappointment is inevitable but this year’s ticketing process left many frustrated and confused.
Selling out in less than an hour, many people who were looking forward to the game were left without a way inside the stadium. As soon as tickets became available, the online queue system was overwhelmed, resulting in heavy criticism online. Despite registering and logging in beforehand, many users, myself included, were left ticketless. Comments under the DePauw Football Instagram post criticized the sale’s management, with fans writing how they were stuck in the queue even after tickets officially went live.
Adding to the technical issues, people also reported experiencing glitches and abrupt system boots. For many, it felt less like a fair, first-come-first-served system and more like a lottery that lacked transparency and adequate support. Many users were stuck in a frozen queue screen, unable to refresh for fear of losing their spot, only to be met with a "sold out" notice when the page finally loaded.
There was little to no communication from the university or the athletic department during the chaos and no updates or follow-up afterward acknowledging the issues. For an event as important to campus culture as the Monon Bell game, that silence felt like a dismissal of student voices and experiences.
I feel bad for the seniors whose last Monon game this would be, and for the freshmen who anticipate experiencing this tradition for the first time. Briggs Gatterdam ‘28 reminisced on her first Monon game, saying, “When we got to ring the bell after last year's win, it felt like I was taking part in something with all my peers, and I felt connected to the DePauw community.” When students can’t attend one of the biggest traditions of their college experience, the Monon alumni engagement and ticket sales in the future could be affected.
There should have been a way to guarantee more students access to tickets because this game is a crucial aspect of DePauw culture which everyone looks forward to watching. The game is advertised on our tours and on our website as something that will draw in potential students.
Not only was it more difficult to secure tickets this year, but they were also too expensive for many students to justify the purchase of the tickets. Given these issues, a potential solution is being discussed among students. Holding the game at a neutral, third-party location with a larger capacity than either DePauw’s or Wabash’s stadium. This move could help resolve the issue of limited seating and reduce the need for students to resort to buying tickets in the opposing team’s section just to attend. A larger venue would ensure everyone could attend and sit where they belong.
Ultimately, the Monon Bell game is a cornerstone of DePauw tradition and a celebration of school pride and community. But when students face high prices and poor communication, it undermines that very spirit. It’s time for DePauw and Wabash to prioritize access, transparency and fairness. Whether the solution be a larger, neutral venue or simply a smoother ticketing process, changes could be a powerful first step in honoring what this game means to all of us. For a tradition that means so much to the DePauw community, it’s time the process reflected that same level of care and commitment.
