Ever see one of your state legislators at Faurot Field or Mizzou Arena to watch the Tigers in action? Maybe you’ve caught a glimpse of a lawmaker in the stands while watching a high-demand game on TV. (A certain contest against a cross-state rival might fit that bill.)

Ever wonder how they scored their tickets?

Monthly spending reports from six University of Missouri lobbyists show that many legislators received their tickets as gifts from the university. Some legislators received hundreds of dollars in tickets per game and were de facto season ticket holders.

According to the reports, which span from September 2007 through February 2008, the university gave legislators and other public officials more than $33,000 worth of gifts. Most of that sum includes tickets to MU football and basketball games, but the total also includes meals, travel and other events, such as concerts.

The reports are the latest available on the Missouri Ethics Commission Web site. Occasionally, the reports note that public officials have paid the lobbyist back for their tickets. Additionally, some gifts were given to staff members of legislators. There’s no record of who actually used the tickets.

Of course, the list does not include tickets or box suites given by other lobbyists – these are just from UM system officials.

Now, without further comment, on to the full list!