The sports travel glossary

Allotment

The block of tickets a team, school, or organization is given to distribute, usually to its own season-ticket holders and donors first. It is why an out-of-market fan often finds nothing available for a marquee event.

Ballot

A lottery for tickets, used at events like Wimbledon and the Final Four. You register interest ahead of time and, if drawn, are offered the chance to buy, often for a date and seat you do not get to choose.

Clubhouse

The premium, elevated seating and dining areas at a racetrack or venue, a step up from the general grandstand in comfort, view, and dress code.

Debenture

A multi-year investment in a venue, most famously at Wimbledon, that carries the right to the best seats. Holders can legally resell them, making debentures one of the most dependable routes to marquee tickets.

Face value

The original printed price of a ticket, set by the venue or organizer, before any resale markup. Face value and market price can differ enormously for a hot event.

Full strip

A single ticket covering every session of a multi-day event in the same seat, such as both Final Four semifinals plus the championship. Many championship lotteries sell only full strips, not single games.

General admission (GA)

Open, unassigned access to an area rather than a specific seat. At the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, GA means the infield, which is a party but often has no view of the finish line.

Grandstand

The main tiered seating along the front of a racetrack or stadium. Reserved grandstand seats are the sensible entry point for actually watching the race, as opposed to the infield.

Grounds pass

Entry to the grounds and outside courts or areas of an event, but not the reserved show courts or premium sections. At Wimbledon, a grounds pass is a strong, affordable way to experience the first week.

Hospitality

Premium packages that combine a ticket with food, beverage, indoor comfort, and prime viewing. For events with limited public tickets, hospitality is often the reliable way to secure specific days.

Infield

The area inside a racetrack oval. At the Derby and Preakness it is general-admission lawn seating and the biggest party, but most of it cannot see the finish line and watches on the video board.

Occupancy (double, quad)

How many people share a hotel room in a per-person package price. A quad-occupancy rate assumes four to a room and is the lowest per person; fewer people per room costs more each.

PSL (personal seat license)

A one-time fee, common in the NFL, that gives the holder the right to buy season tickets for a specific seat. It is separate from the ticket price itself.

Secondary market

The resale market where tickets are bought and sold after the original sale, on platforms and through brokers. Prices float with demand, and some events only allow resale through an authorized channel.

Seller of travel

A travel agency registered under state law to sell travel. Sports Travel Zone, a service of Early and Away Travel, LLC, is registered in California (CST 2155818-70) and Florida (ST43282).

Session

One ticketed part of a multi-part event, such as a day or night session at the US Open, or the Home Run Derby versus the All-Star Game. Sessions are usually sold as separate tickets.

See the guides for deeper explanations of how tickets work at each event.