It’s official. Ticket prices for Georgia football games are going up.

During Tuesday's UGA Athletic Association Board meeting the Board approved a motion that will raise the average cost for UGA football ticket from $50 to $66.42.

Increases will be determined on a two-tier system.

For games against schools from the Power 5 Conference, costs will increase from $50 to $75 while ticket for games against Non-Power 5 schools will increase from $50 to $55.

Total price for a seven-game session will rise from $300 to $465.

All changes go into effect for the 2018 campaign. The required donations to the Hartman Fund, which are required to purchase season tickets for football, was not changed.

According to president Jere Morehead, the increase was deemed necessary to handle the rising costs of the football program in making the necessary investments in personnel, facilities and support resources that it will take to maintain a championship level football program.

“This is a good problem to have,” Morehead said. “It means our football program is strong. But they are going to need our ongoing support.”

Paying coaches is also part of the plan.

After the meeting, athletic director Greg McGarity confirmed that part of the hike in prices will be used to pay for the increase in salaries, including a bump to head coach Kirby Smart that will take place in the coming month.

Smart made $3.75 million last year coaching the Bulldogs.

“We plan to make substantial adjustments to the compensation of our football staff, which will necessitate these ticket increases,” said McGarity, who added raises will be addressed in the coming weeks.

To compare, Georgia goes from having one of the cheapest season ticket packages to the fifth-most expensive in the SEC.

For example, current season ticket costs at rival SEC include Alabama - $445 (63.57 average ticket), Tennessee - $420 ($60.00 average ticket), Auburn $475 ($67.85 average ticket), LSU - $425 (70.83 average ticket), Texas A&M- $490 (70.00 average ticket).

“Even with these adjustments, the cost per game will remain in line with our peers,” McGarity said. “Similar to seasons past, single-game tickets may be available based upon varying visiting team ticket allotments or returned tickets from these allotments.”