FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas ’ athletic department will be able to generate more than $ 2 million combined over the next five basketball seasons by selling new courtside seats for men’s games at Bud Walton Arena.

Press row is being moved to the east side baseline, creating space for 34 courtside seats that will be sold for $ 12, 000 each season with a five-year lease, Razorbacks Athletic Director Jeff Long announced Thursday.

That’s $ 60, 000 times 34 seats for a five-year total of $ 2, 040, 000.

“We think these seats will go very quickly,” Long said. “It’s really a very unique opportunity for those fans that support us at the highest level.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Long said letters have gone out to about 800 of Arkansas ’ top donors with the courtside seating information.

Demand for the seats figures to outweigh supply, and the seats will be sold to those ranking highest on the lifetime giving list to the Razorback Foundation, Long said.

Initial ranking for what is being advertised as the “Courtside Club” by Arkansas is for lifetime donations as of July 26, but the final ranking will be determined Aug. 22 at the end of the business day, which could trigger some late heavy spending.

Long said courtside seat holders also will have exclusive privileges to an area in the arena where they’ll be provided with food and beverages before the game and at halftime.

Other announcements Thursday regarding Walton Arena included adding electronic signage for the scorer’s table and areas between the lower and upper decks for advertisements; new retractable seats to replace the current ones that aren’t operating properly; what Long called the “Classic Hog” logo to be displayed on the newly resurfaced court; and bench seating for the students that will allow for more students in those sections.

The main student section will continue to be on the arena’s southwest area.

“If we were building Bud Walton today, I think you’d see us make the decision to ring the court with students,” Long said. “But given what we have to work with now, that wasn’t an option.

“ It would displace too many very, very loyal fans who have invested in our program and helped us become what we are today.

“ I think the students will be a little bit closer to the court in this new seating situation, but I wouldn’t want to paint a picture that they’ll be right on top of the court. I think it will be an advancement for them not having the individualized seat to deal with and that they’ll be more enthusiastic from the bench.”

Long said the cost for installing the new retractable and bench seats will be about $ 1. 8 million and cost for the video advertising boards will be between $ 900, 000 and $ 1. 2 million.

Revenue from the signage is “hard to tell” at this point, Long said, but he expects “it will be significant.”

Arkansas Coach John Pelphrey, whose first Razorbacks team went 15-1 in Walton Arena last season, said he’s excited about the changes.

“It’s about protecting what we’ve got and adding to it,” he said. “These things are only going to enhance our environment and make it as tough as it’s ever been here.”

The new courtside seating means both teams will enter and exit the floor through the east tunnel.

“Any time you get both teams together there is a potential for [problems ],” Pelphrey said. “But we’ll have the right people in place [for security ] and coach them up and hopefully keep all of the potential problems to a minimum.”

Long said courtside seats also will be available for women’s games but that a price has yet to be determined.