'Lifetime' ticket holder sues A&M over changes to Kyle Field

With lawsuits underway in five counties over Texas A&M University's proposed price increases for certain football season ticket holders, another has been filed in Jefferson County.

Mary Jane Zummo, who filed suit Aug. 2 against the university's 12th Man Foundation, claims an announced "reseating process" for Kyle Field football games beginning in 2015 will cost her about $124,000 to keep seats promised to her for life.

At least 18 other plaintiffs have filed similar lawsuits.

Zummo and her late husband, John F. Zummo, agreed in 1982 to contribute $40,000 to the 12th Man Foundation's endowed scholarship program, in exchange for four season tickets to home football games and other lifetime benefits, according to court documents.

"In 1982, plaintiff's husband personally picked out their seat locations in Kyle Field: west side, second deck, between the south 40 and 45 yard lines," her petition states.

The Zummos' names were put on the chosen seats, showing that the seats were for them, the suit states. In addition, the foundation promised the best available game-day parking for life, the petition states.

This year, however, the defendant unilaterally changed the deal by instituting a "Priority Point Program" requiring donors like the Zummos to bid against other contributors to retain certain benefits, the suit states.

In July, the foundation announced the reseating process and set a deadline of July 31, 2013, for donors to designate sections in which they want seats in the redeveloped Kyle Field, the suit states.

"If this plan is permitted to move forward, the seat locations to which plaintiff is entitled under her agreement will be auctioned off, and plaintiff will forever lose the benefits for which she and her husband paid defendant," the petition states.

The suit asks the court to issue a permanent injunction ordering the defendant to continue to provide four tickets to each home football game in Zummo's designated seat for the rest of her life, along with other benefits under the contract, the petition states.

She also is seeking monetary damages of up to $1 million.

The suit was filed in Jefferson County because at the time of the 1982 agreement, the Zummos lived there, the suit states.

Zummo is represented by Randall O. Sorrels and Clyde J. "Jay" Jackson of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Friend in Houston and Claude M. McQuarrie III of McQuarrie Law Office in Porter.

A&M announced May 1 that when construction is finished in August 2015, Kyle Field will seat 102,500, making it the largest stadium in the state as well as in the Southeastern Conference for college athletics.