March 2023 Department Debrief: Discount Tickets (D-Tix)

March 14, 2023

Discount Tickets (D-Tix)

To contact Discount Tickets (D-Tix): Call (614) 688-4636, email dtix@osu.edu, visit their website at dtix.osu.edu, or see them in person at the Ohio Union Information Desk

Department Debrief is a monthly article from the Parent and Family Relations office dedicated to helping family members and supporters better understand the services, opportunities and support offered by particular offices for students.

This month, our office met with staff from Discount Tickets (D-Tix) to learn how students can purchase tickets to Columbus-area shows, museums, concerts, sporting events and more at a discounted rate.

1.) If Phil, the groundhog was to threaten to announce six more weeks of winter every year unless you could describe the D-Tix program in 30 seconds or less, how would you describe it to him?

Discount Tickets (D-Tix) is a program that is just what it sounds like: an opportunity available for students at The Ohio State University in which discounted tickets are offered. Megan Haddock, the Discount Ticket Program Coordinator, stated in our interview for this month’s Department Debriefs that D-Tix is a “program for students that offers discounts to things around the Columbus area at about 40-50% off.” D-Tix is not only a fantastic program The Ohio State University offers your student, but it provides them with an opportunity to explore the city. Discount Tickets sells students gift cards and tickets for a variety of art events, restaurants, concerts, museums, sports and occasionally “special” events such as tickets to Lockology Escape Rooms and North Market Gift Cards.  

Haddock recommends that your student utilizes D-Tix while they are enrolled. She emphasizes the program as an opportunity to leave their comfort zone and explore the city. Columbus offers a variety of experiences to students and using D-Tix is a great way for your student to take advantage of those opportunities and become involved while having a fun experience. As stated by Haddock, “it’s a really great discount and it gets them (students) to go explore the city and do something that is not campus related.”  

Additionally, when asked about a discount ticket not many people know about, Haddock mentioned their SegAway tours and Game Arena tickets. D-Tix offers so many discounted tickets for a variety of events that it is no surprise some may not be widely known. Recent sales such as free Broadway Beetlejuice tickets, discounted Blake Shelton tickets and Jeni’s ice cream gift cards have gained the attention and preference of many students. However, when asked what Haddock’s favorite discounted offer has been, she said it was their discounted Broadway Lion King and Hamilton tickets. These tickets were not only Haddock’s favorite, but clearly the favorite of many students as well since they sold out within a few days. 

2.) How do students become eligible for D-Tix?

While all of the information provided above may be interesting, I am sure many parents and family members are wondering how their student can actually buy these tickets. Haddock explained that when attending Ohio State, students pay a student activity fee, which is how D-Tix is funded. As a result, your student does not have to register before they can begin purchasing tickets because they automatically gain access to all discounted tickets when paying that fee. All tickets are available for students with a valid BuckID and are limited to two per BuckID. They must be registered for classes, and they must have paid their fees to receive tickets. However, your student still needs to know to utilize the program in order to receive tickets. As explained on the D-Tix website, tickets can sometimes be based upon a first come first serve basis or placed on general sale at the Ohio Union Information Desk where your student can present their BuckID and pay for the tickets.  

However, Haddock also explained that some tickets are lottery events. This means that your student has to register in order to win and buy them. This is typically reserved for the events that are more popular and they are limited to two per semester for students. The lottery system opens on Mondays and Tuesdays and is open for a full 48 hours until it closes. D-Tix then draws the winners on Wednesday mornings, notifies the students that won, and gives them 48 hours to pick up their tickets at the Ohio Union Information Desk. D-Tix then continues picking lottery winners every 48 hours until all the tickets are gone for that event. While your student is limited to two of these tickets per semester, they are able to enter the lottery every week until they win a ticket (for general sale lottery events). Haddock also emphasized that students can find all of their lottery events for the semester under the “Events” tab on their website. Under the events section of the website, Haddock stated events are constantly being added.  

Additionally, Haddock explained the process of group orders. Group orders are reserved only for large groups such as residence halls or registered student organizations. These events include Gateway Film Center, the Columbus Museum of Art, the Columbus Clippers, Franklin Park Conservatory, and so much more. Group orders are an easy way for one student to put in a mass order for tickets rather than each student individually buying tickets. However, these tickets sell out quickly and are reserved only for registered student organizations and residence hall groups. Haddock stated they release these tickets on Monday and sell them throughout the week. As a result, these tickets can sometimes sell out after being available for only a day or two. Students can get up to 40 tickets and have only one person pick them up instead of each individual person coming to buy their own tickets. Additionally, group orders take 1-2 weeks to process, and each group is only allowed one group order per semester. Overall, group orders are an excellent way for a student organization or residence hall groups to buy tickets for the same event. These orders can be completed on a submission form located on the D-Tix website.  

3.) Do you have any upcoming events you would like parents, families and students to know about??

With a sport-loving campus, it is no surprise that some of D-Tix’s most popular tickets are sporting events. Haddock stated that she would love for students to know more about the Columbus Crew game tickets, Columbus Zoo tickets, and Columbus Clippers game tickets D-Tix offers. She also emphasized that the discounts offered by D-Tix often make the price of tickets cheaper than the children’s prices at these events. She recommends that if families or parents are ever visiting their student, they have their student buy tickets for some fun events from D-Tix.  

Haddock stated parents, families, and students can email dtix@osu.edu with any questions, concerns, or recommendations or call the Ohio Union Information Desk. She emphasized that D-Tix is always looking to improve their system to add new events to the program, so reach out with any great ideas! 

Brooke Tacsar
Student Assistant
Parent and Family Relations