THIS YEAR, the University's Athletic Department has adopted a new policy for student attendance at basketball games.Under the new system, students can request seats at basketball games and have a spot guaranteed when they arrive. The goal behind this new system is to cut down on long lines and also to encourage students, who previously thought-- incorrectly -- that long lines and fans camping out meant the game was sold out, to attend the games.
While the new system, SHOTS, has upset some students, many of whom fear that this will eliminate the tradition of camping out and take away the University's Division I feel, the system is actually a very good idea. Attendance for a sporting event, especially one which actually does sell out, should not be based on who decides to show up earliest. This is especially unfair for students who have to go to jobs, study late or go to class on gamedays.
Moreover, students should be able to plan their schedules to include basketball games if they wish to attend, which means they shouldn't have to risk their schedule being thrown asunder if they can't get in. With advanced ticketing, the students can know ahead of time whether they'll be able to get into the game and can plan accordingly.
Fan presence is an absolutely critical part of any sporting event. It's what makes home court advantage a true advantage. A loud fan base can distract opponents, raise morale of the home team, help give refs an extra little push on questionable calls and offer a great and encouraging environment for potential recruits to see. Since students are, by nature, the most dedicated and best fans for a college sports team, it's always in the best interest of the team to find a way to make sure as many students as possible attend the games. That is what this system accomplishes.
The concern about the death of the camping-out tradition, however, is a very legitimate one. Camping out for sporting events does add a special feel to our school's games, and also makes a good impression on fans from other schools, as it shows just how dedicated our sports fans really are. However, the fear that this new system will end the camping-out tradition is unfounded.
A good example of why this fear is unfounded can be found in last Saturday's football game against Miami. Having shown up myself about five hours before game time, I got to meet a number of people who had camped out in front of Scott Stadium for days, some since as early as the Wednesday before the game. However, with football games, the student section doesn't sell out. If there's no more room in the student section, we're put in the upper deck or on the hillside. There's no risk in not getting into the game if you don't camp out. So what made these people camp out days in advance? The same thing that made me wake up at 9 a.m. on a Saturday: the promise of great seats.
What those who fear an end to camping out for basketball seem to miss is that this new ticketing system says nothing about where the student will be sitting. Seating in the student section, especially the floor seats, will still be first come, first serve. If you're going to the Maryland game and you don't camp out, you're going to be in the upper deck of the student section, no matter how early you ordered your space. Our seating system will still ensure that our camping-out tradition will continue.
With the new student ticketing system for the basketball games, more students will be able to attend the games and offer their support for our team. The first come, first serve seating system will still allow the Division I feel of a camping-out tradition, while at the same time the system will protect students who simply cannot get to a game hours (or days) in advance. This new system was a great idea and will hopefully make for an awesome basketball season.
Sam Leven's column appears Tuesdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at sleven@cavalierdaily.com.
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