The University sports promotions department has suggested an idea to increase enthusiasm at Virginia men's basketball games, but Student Council is concerned that the proposal only will promote mayhem.
The department wants to form "Team Cavalier," a student fan organization. Members would receive a variety of perks for a $25 fee, with the most notable benefit being access to season tickets at basketball games in a special area within the student section.
Associate Athletics Director Andrew Rader said that he hoped that Team Cavalier, if approved, would expand into an organization to support all Virginia athletics.
An initial proposal involved giving Team Cavalier members 120 seats in a special part of the student section. The Student Council Athletic Affairs Committee, however, has recommended that the department remove this aspect of the plan.
Rader said Council members generally were opposed to the idea of reserving seats for Team Cavalier.
Athletics Affairs Committee Chairman Andrew Lilienthal said that members of his committee were concerned that if more than 120 Team Cavalier members came to a game, confusion would ensue as excess Team Cavalier members tried to merge into the regular ticket line.
"There are a few kinks that need to be worked out" with Team Cavalier, Council Chief of Staff Anita Gupta said. "I think too many people will want to participate."
The committee has not yet decided on whether to support the plan as a whole.
Other planned benefits of Team Cavalier membership could include T-shirts, meetings with coaches, and admission to team practices. Currently, the structure of the Team Cavalier program has not been set officially by the athletics department.
"Our committee has been quite negative about the entire idea," Lilienthal said, adding that committee members thought increased support for Virginia athletics should be led by students rather than by University officials.
"We as an athletic department want this to be a student-run program," Rader said.
Council representatives including Lilienthal and Gupta plan to meet with promotions department officials this early this week to discuss the sources of disagreement with Team Cavalier.
Gupta said that if a vote on creating the Team Cavalier plan occurs, it could take place at the Oct. 9 Council meeting.
Though some Council members have voiced skepticism about the particulars of the Team Cavalier proposal, Gupta and Lilienthal both said that allowing more students to attend basketball games and giving students better seats are Council goals.
In December of last year, Council passed a resolution asking for student input in seating plans for the new arena.
One factor that could aid Council in reaching its goal of more student seating is the construction of a new basketball stadium. The construction of the stadium is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2006-2007 school year.
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