The University Athletic Department plans to implement a new online student ticketing system for the 2004-2005 men's basketball season, according to Director of Sports Promotion Andrew Rader.
"In the last several years there has been an increased concern for the Athletic Department [because of] a declined interest and support in the Virginia basketball program," Rader said. "So, we wanted to put in place a policy to make it easier for students to secure their tickets as well as give us an indication of attendance. Ease and convenience are the principal benefits for students."
Under the new system, University students will have to register online before the start of the basketball season. They will then be sent e-mails prior to basketball games and will be given a two-day period in which to register. Students subsequently will be sent notification that they can claim their tickets.
Ticket claiming will require students to print out a statement with their name and a unique barcode on it. At the game, students will present the paper and their student identification to gain entrance to University Hall.
The new system will replace the old system of "first come, first served" in which students are admitted to University Hall in the order in which they arrive with no pre-ordering system in place. However, people still may be able to camp out to get better seats once they have gotten their general tickets from the online system depending on how the new system is implemented, Rader said.
Since the new system allows the Athletic Department to track specific attendance, a point-based loyalty rewards program will be set up along with the new system. Students who attend games will receive points for coming. Rader said two points will be awarded to students for games that are not sold out and one point will be awarded for games that are.
If more students register for tickets than are available for a given game, students will be selected through a weighted lottery system. Students who have the most loyalty points will have a better chance of getting tickets through the lottery, according to Rader.
"This system allows us to promote attendance with a system that rewards it," Director of Ticketing Dick Mathias said. "Mostly, we are trying to make sure that we are filling the student section every home game, hopefully with students. The major benefit for students is that they know whether or not they are going to get in the building."
The idea for the new ticketing scheme was inspired by an almost identical system in place at the University of Maryland.
Maryland Associate Athletic Director Michael Lipitz said Maryland implemented the system because of concerns over multiple-night campouts, long lines and students missing class.
"We had issues with just general crowd control," he said. "It was a pretty smooth transition. When you go on [the Web site] and click everything, it's pretty self-explanatory. The students find it very convenient."
Rader said an additional benefit of the system is that the Athletic Department can more easily track attendance so that tickets for general admission can be sold if students will not fill the seats.
Rader will make a presentation to Student Council tonight and a resolution will be introduced by Student Council College Rep. Tom Gibson next Tuesday asking for Council's support of the new system.
"We want to get the resolution passed by the end of the semester so that we can start promoting the new system over the summer," Gibson said.
--Staff reports contributed to this article.
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