University Athletic department officials say they are troubled over rumors that University students are scalping tickets online to Virginia Tech fans for the Nov. 29 Tech-Virginia football game.
"When you put tickets on eBay, you don't know what type of fan you're selling it to -- a Virginia fan or a non-Virginia fan," said Dirk Kastra, associate athletic director for external affairs.
At a recent Student Council meeting, Athletic Director Craig Littlepage also decried the practice.
"Our hope is we have Virginia fans in Scott Stadium supporting the team," Kastra said.
Buying then reselling the limited number of student-guest tickets available also takes away opportunities for other students to purchase tickets and share the University-football experience with friends or family, Kastra said.
Though officials noted that they have only recently been made aware of the extent of the issue, the phenomenon is not student specific.
"If you look online, there are season-ticket holders selling their tickets, so it's not unique to students," Kastra said.
Of nine eBay users selling tickets yesterday for both the Virginia Tech and Florida State home games, eight were selling "general admission tickets." General admission tickets entitle the holder to sit in the either North Grass or Orange section, the lower half of which is the student section.
One pair, as of yesterday afternoon, had received 21 bids. With four hours of bidding remaining, the highest bid received was $227.50.
University Judiciary Committee Chair Alexis Gregorian said technically the resale of tickets could be a violation of the University's Standards of Conduct.
Standard seven prohibits the "alternation, fabrication or misuse of, or obtaining unauthorized access to, University identification cards, other documents, or computer files or systems."
Because a disclaimer of the back of all tickets explicitly states the resale of tickets at more than face value is prohibited, scalping could be interpreted as a misuse of "other documents." However prosecution is unlikely, Gregorian said.
Because students have not been notified that a resale could be a violation, demonstrating a scalper knowingly broke the standard would be difficult. Future additions to University policies outlined in The Record, which the UJC is charged with upholding under Standard six, could make scalping a violation.
The Code of Virginia allows localities to establish ordinances that make it unlawful for a person, firm or corporation to resell admission tickets for a profit. Violators can receive a Class three misdemeanor and, if convicted, may be fined up to $500.
University Police Sgt. Don McGee said the decision to prosecute a case is made by the Commonwealth Attorney's Office.
The Athletic Department makes 3,000 guest tickets available to students. Each ticket is $40 for the Virginia Tech game, and a student may only purchase two during the initial selling period. Any remaining tickets then are sold at a later date.
Tickets went on sale Monday, Sept. 8 and sold out in two-and-a-half weeks, a week faster than last year, Asst. Ticket Manager Taz Carrington said.
"The team's better and Tech is usually in the top 10," Carrington said. "I think expectations are higher this year."
Scalping and the high prices at which tickets are reselling, while troubling, is an indication of the excitement surrounding Virginia football, Kastra said.
"On one hand it's a commentary on where we are heading," he said. "It is a desirable ticket."
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