Students Turned Away- Athletic Office Runs Out of Tix

[gaelfu]

Great job again, Gene. How the fuck do we run out of printed student tickets for today's game when the student section isn't even close to full? Gene, you are truly the definition of clownshoes, and make no mistake, Boston College's student athletes succeed in spite of you and the incompetent athletic department which you unfortunately head.

[DuchesneEast]

It should have been free with a student ID and general admission. Make it easy.

[Dirtywater75]

What? So they didn't let anyone in to a half empty arena? They can't be that stupid.

[AdamBC]

Not sure how they ran out - 10 min to tip off I flashed my BC ID and got one off the top of a huge stack of tix at the gate. (It was free for anyone with a BC ID.)

What was more obnoxious was that only a few of the concession stands were open - and the lines were brutal.

Way to look competent BC.

[TheGuru]

Conte was not 1/2 empty, it was at least 2/3 empty.

[Dirtywater]

I have always felt that an important part of the BC "college experience" is the entertainment provided from BC sporting events. Students should have first priority on tickets and never be charged an admission price. Has BC's student government ever made this an issue or mounted an organized campaign to get the current policies changed? Has anyone collected data re student sports ticketing policies in place at peer schools? To the students - what do you think is needed to get the policies changed from your perspective? With the costs of a BC education approaching 52k per year - its a bit chicken shit for the school to make it difficult to attend a basketball game.

[ryrob]

I have always felt that an important part of the BC "college experience" is the entertainment provided from BC sporting events. Students should have first priority on tickets and never be charged an admission price. Has BC's student government ever made this an issue or mounted an organized campaign to get the current policies changed? Has anyone collected data re student sports ticketing policies in place at peer schools? To the students - what do you think is needed to get the policies changed from your perspective? With the costs of a BC education approaching 52k per year - its a bit chicken shit for the school to make it difficult to attend a basketball game.

The free ticket idea has been brought up many times by many people. The answer is always the same: "BC fields the most sports teams in the ACC and they need to be funded."

[eepstein0]

I have always felt that an important part of the BC "college experience" is the entertainment provided from BC sporting events. Students should have first priority on tickets and never be charged an admission price. Has BC's student government ever made this an issue or mounted an organized campaign to get the current policies changed? Has anyone collected data re student sports ticketing policies in place at peer schools? To the students - what do you think is needed to get the policies changed from your perspective? With the costs of a BC education approaching 52k per year - its a bit chicken shit for the school to make it difficult to attend a basketball game.

The free ticket idea has been brought up many times by many people. The answer is always the same: "BC fields the most sports teams in the ACC and they need to be funded."

Men's basketball tickets should be free to students. Every game should be a walk up policy. There simply isn't the interest to charge that much money.

[ryrob]

I have always felt that an important part of the BC "college experience" is the entertainment provided from BC sporting events. Students should have first priority on tickets and never be charged an admission price. Has BC's student government ever made this an issue or mounted an organized campaign to get the current policies changed? Has anyone collected data re student sports ticketing policies in place at peer schools? To the students - what do you think is needed to get the policies changed from your perspective? With the costs of a BC education approaching 52k per year - its a bit chicken shit for the school to make it difficult to attend a basketball game.

The free ticket idea has been brought up many times by many people. The answer is always the same: "BC fields the most sports teams in the ACC and they need to be funded."

Men's basketball tickets should be free to students. Every game should be a walk up policy. There simply isn't the interest to charge that much money.

There is not one person who doesn't agree with this. I see the AD's side in this though: when you actually pay for tickets you feel more compelled to go and remember when games are. If it's a walkup policy, attendance might be even worse as our nerd students won't care about most of the games.

[branchinator]

Problem is that most students are having their parents pay for the tickets.

[Shredder]

I have always felt that an important part of the BC "college experience" is the entertainment provided from BC sporting events. Students should have first priority on tickets and never be charged an admission price. Has BC's student government ever made this an issue or mounted an organized campaign to get the current policies changed? Has anyone collected data re student sports ticketing policies in place at peer schools? To the students - what do you think is needed to get the policies changed from your perspective? With the costs of a BC education approaching 52k per year - its a bit chicken shit for the school to make it difficult to attend a basketball game.

The free ticket idea has been brought up many times by many people. The answer is always the same: "BC fields the most sports teams in the ACC and they need to be funded."

Men's basketball tickets should be free to students. Every game should be a walk up policy. There simply isn't the interest to charge that much money.

There is not one person who doesn't agree with this. I see the AD's side in this though: when you actually pay for tickets you feel more compelled to go and remember when games are. If it's a walkup policy, attendance might be even worse as our nerd students won't care about most of the games.

I agree with free admission and think that it would be good for filling the student sections (in basketball and football) before game time. Athletics probably sees it as poor business because even with empty seats at the less popular games, at least the tickets are sold. I think it's Wake that has a system in which students opt in or opt out for a flat fee that includes admission to any game they can get to as well as some other things. I think that's the best policy. As for it being an issue with UGBC, if it doesn't involve heated bus stops or straw-man issues like the campus being divided, no one will bring it up.

[ryrob]

Problem is that most students are having their parents pay for the tickets.

I keep hearing this, but what are you basing that on? I don't know a single person where this was the case.

[claver2010]

Problem is that most students are having their parents pay for the tickets.

I keep hearing this, but what are you basing that on? I don't know a single person where this was the case.

i'm guessing there are just as many season tickets that never get picked up now as there were back in the early 90s

It's just that no one gets season tickets anymore

I haven't heard of people having their parents pay for their tickets either -I don't know where this "majority" thought came from.

[Dirtywater]

I have always felt that an important part of the BC "college experience" is the entertainment provided from BC sporting events. Students should have first priority on tickets and never be charged an admission price. Has BC's student government ever made this an issue or mounted an organized campaign to get the current policies changed? Has anyone collected data re student sports ticketing policies in place at peer schools? To the students - what do you think is needed to get the policies changed from your perspective? With the costs of a BC education approaching 52k per year - its a bit chicken shit for the school to make it difficult to attend a basketball game.

The free ticket idea has been brought up many times by many people. The answer is always the same: "BC fields the most sports teams in the ACC and they need to be funded."

Men's basketball tickets should be free to students. Every game should be a walk up policy. There simply isn't the interest to charge that much money.

There is not one person who doesn't agree with this. I see the AD's side in this though: when you actually pay for tickets you feel more compelled to go and remember when games are. If it's a walkup policy, attendance might be even worse as our nerd students won't care about most of the games.

I agree with free admission and think that it would be good for filling the student sections (in basketball and football) before game time. Athletics probably sees it as poor business because even with empty seats at the less popular games, at least the tickets are sold. I think it's Wake that has a system in which students opt in or opt out for a flat fee that includes admission to any game they can get to as well as some other things. I think that's the best policy. As for it being an issue with UGBC, if it doesn't involve heated bus stops or straw-man issues like the campus being divided, no one will bring it up.

Don't mean to sound like the old sage here - but my guess is that all of this could be changed with a little organized effort by a group of interested students. Find out what the other ACC schools have in place and write up what you believe would be an acceptable and fair policy. Get the data on annual gross ticket revenues from student tickets by sport - I bet its insignificant. The benefits of having a full house and major support shown on national television would far outweigh the nickels and dimes Gene's beancounters are collecting. Demand that the UGBC get off its ass and make a case and volunteer to work with them (assemble a large group to meet with them to let them know this is important). Make sure the case is well organized and thought out - and written down in the form of a new policy. Then cast for alumni support - you will get it. Do not go to Gene. This has to be from top down. Unfortunately, nothing ever gets changed unless people who give a shit make an effort. And if nobody wants to bother - then you get what you got. I will be personally happy to lend a hand. Its utterly absurd that we do not have better student attendance at games and it is even more absurd to make it a burden for our students to attend those games. Squeaky wheel always gets the grease guys.

[claver2010]

Don't mean to sound like the old sage here - but my guess is that all of this could be changed with a little organized effort by a group of interested students. Find out what the other ACC schools have in place and write up what you believe would be an acceptable and fair policy. Get the data on annual gross ticket revenues from student tickets by sport - I bet its insignificant. The benefits of having a full house and major support shown on national television would far outweigh the nickels and dimes Gene's beancounters are collecting. Demand that the UGBC get off its ass and make a case and volunteer to work with them (assemble a large group to meet with them to let them know this is important). Make sure the case is well organized and thought out - and written down in the form of a new policy. Then cast for alumni support - you will get it. Do not go to Gene. This has to be from top down. Unfortunately, nothing ever gets changed unless people who give a shit make an effort. And if nobody wants to bother - then you get what you got. I will be personally happy to lend a hand. Its utterly absurd that we do not have better student attendance at games and it is even more absurd to make it a burden for our students to attend those games. Squeaky wheel always gets the grease guys.

Freshman year I was involved in somehting along those lines, someone I knew on UGBC that was a sports guy (he's a lurker on the boards -don't think he posts) asked if I wanted to join him. A 10 page report on the athletic policies of all fellow ACC schools & athletic "peers" was developed. We ended up meeting with the UGBC president (I think but it was 5 years ago) but it got swept under the rug like everything else at UGBC that doesn't relate to a greener earth or diversity.

I'll try to dig it up but I doubt I have it with the multiple computer crashes in that time.

[AdamBC]

Problem is that most students are having their parents pay for the tickets.

I keep hearing this, but what are you basing that on? I don't know a single person where this was the case.

i'm guessing there are just as many season tickets that never get picked up now as there were back in the early 90s

It's just that no one gets season tickets anymore

I haven't heard of people having their parents pay for their tickets either -I don't know where this "majority" thought came from.

Back in the day - or at least when I started at BC (within the last ten years), incoming freshmen would get a letter sent to their homes with ticket prices for the 3 sports. Often parents would buy season tickets for their kids without following up. So a few hundred ticket packages would be purchased and never picked up at the ticket office by the nerds. With the new system that can't happen as tickets are e-mailed to the students in PDFs at the start of the season.

[innocentbystander]

Problem is that most students are having their parents pay for the tickets.

I keep hearing this, but what are you basing that on? I don't know a single person where this was the case.

i'm guessing there are just as many season tickets that never get picked up now as there were back in the early 90s

It's just that no one gets season tickets anymore

I haven't heard of people having their parents pay for their tickets either -I don't know where this "majority" thought came from.

Back in the day - or at least when I started at BC (within the last ten years), incoming freshmen would get a letter sent to their homes with ticket prices for the 3 sports. Often parents would buy season tickets for their kids without following up. So a few hundred ticket packages would be purchased and never picked up at the ticket office by the nerds.

Orientation at the Naval Academy (while I was trying in vain to get an appointment to Annapolis), I learned about the "Honor Code." You were never to violate the Honor Code. One of the stipulations at the USNA was that if you weren't already an athlete participating in a varsity sport (ie: consuming 20 hours a week of your time not doing academics), you were required (REQUIRED) to attend at least two sporting events a week. And at any moment, a higher ranking cadet could stop you anywhere on campus and demand a full briefing of the last two sporting events you witnessed (who won, who was the leading scorer, etc.) If you LIED about anything, that would be in violation of the Honor Code. And that would surely get you booted from the USNA and right quick....

....and that school was (and still is) filled with nerds.

Nerdification is not an excuse for anything. I think BC should mandate (somehow) that students attend these events. And no, Quidditch does not count.

[AdamBC]

I should have taken pictures earlier this year of all the signs at the entrance/exit to ONeill with all the week's sports games listed with big graphics. Clearly the athletic department has decided to advertise where students now spend most of their free time.

[shockdoct]

If I recall BCRC was created and run as a separate entity until UGBC became jealous of the publicity it received. UGBC consumed the organization and that was the last I ever heard of it.

[Bryn Mawr Eagle]

I have always felt that an important part of the BC "college experience" is the entertainment provided from BC sporting events. Students should have first priority on tickets and never be charged an admission price. Has BC's student government ever made this an issue or mounted an organized campaign to get the current policies changed? Has anyone collected data re student sports ticketing policies in place at peer schools? To the students - what do you think is needed to get the policies changed from your perspective? With the costs of a BC education approaching 52k per year - its a bit chicken shit for the school to make it difficult to attend a basketball game.

The free ticket idea has been brought up many times by many people. The answer is always the same: "BC fields the most sports teams in the ACC and they need to be funded."

Men's basketball tickets should be free to students. Every game should be a walk up policy. There simply isn't the interest to charge that much money.

There is not one person who doesn't agree with this. I see the AD's side in this though: when you actually pay for tickets you feel more compelled to go and remember when games are. If it's a walkup policy, attendance might be even worse as our nerd students won't care about most of the games.

I guess I'm the one person who disagrees. In fact, I find the idea preposterous. The sense of entitlement on this board sometimes blows my mind. Why should my donation dollars, or any portion of my ridicuously high tuition dollars, go to subsidize another student's free attendance at sporting events where a significant number of people are at least willing to spend some money for the ticket? In order to have a sustainable athletic program you've got to generate revenue. If you're giving away free student tix to one of the three major revenue-producing sports, what does it say about the sustainability of your program? Look, if demand is crappy for a particular game then lower the price. If a game is during a break I can even see doing two for one deals, really substantial reductions, or other gimmicks to try to increase attendance. But free student tix obviously did not fill Conte on Saturday against an at least half-decent opponent so I see no reason why anyone should think it would substantially increase attendance for other games. Why would free student tickets to all the other revenue generating sports be any different? I know that when I pay for a ticket, I sure as hell try to fill the seat either with my own ass or a friend's if I can't make it. But if I got it for free, why would I care whether I make the game or not? If something has value - you charge for it.

Student tickets are not ridicuously expensive - and I doubt that many BC students are staying away from games because of the cost. They simply have other things to do other than spend the middle of their day in a stadium watching an unmotivated team go through the motions in an NIT game. ESPECIALLY when you have the hockey team sucking up so much excitement, energy, and yes, students' money, on the same weekend.

Get a sense of reality guys.

EDIT: Wow, I sound like a crotchety old SOB in this post.

[Bryn Mawr Eagle]

Problem is that most students are having their parents pay for the tickets.

I keep hearing this, but what are you basing that on? I don't know a single person where this was the case.

i'm guessing there are just as many season tickets that never get picked up now as there were back in the early 90s

It's just that no one gets season tickets anymore

I haven't heard of people having their parents pay for their tickets either -I don't know where this "majority" thought came from.

Back in the day - or at least when I started at BC (within the last ten years), incoming freshmen would get a letter sent to their homes with ticket prices for the 3 sports. Often parents would buy season tickets for their kids without following up. So a few hundred ticket packages would be purchased and never picked up at the ticket office by the nerds.

Orientation at the Naval Academy (while I was trying in vain to get an appointment to Annapolis), I learned about the "Honor Code." You were never to violate the Honor Code. One of the stipulations at the USNA was that if you weren't already an athlete participating in a varsity sport (ie: consuming 20 hours a week of your time not doing academics), you were required (REQUIRED) to attend at least two sporting events a week. And at any moment, a higher ranking cadet could stop you anywhere on campus and demand a full briefing of the last two sporting events you witnessed (who won, who was the leading scorer, etc.) If you LIED about anything, that would be in violation of the Honor Code. And that would surely get you booted from the USNA and right quick....

....and that school was (and still is) filled with nerds.

Nerdification is not an excuse for anything. I think BC should mandate (somehow) that students attend these events. And no, Quidditch does not count.

1. Are you serious? Requiring student attendance is a spectacularly terrible idea. This isin't f'ing North Korea where we all dance in unison in color-coorinated costumes in some marxist wet dream of support for the National team's players. And the military academy example here is different. That's more of a unit cohesion and esprit de corps idea - plus those kids are not paying tuitioun so they are required to put up with alot more bull**** then would ever be acceptable at a civillian college.

2. I never knew you attended the Naval Academy. If you've discussed this previously I apologize for having missed it, but I sense another story opportunity. Do tell, please, about how you came to be there and what happened.

[innocentbystander]

Problem is that most students are having their parents pay for the tickets.

I keep hearing this, but what are you basing that on? I don't know a single person where this was the case.

i'm guessing there are just as many season tickets that never get picked up now as there were back in the early 90s

It's just that no one gets season tickets anymore

I haven't heard of people having their parents pay for their tickets either -I don't know where this "majority" thought came from.

Back in the day - or at least when I started at BC (within the last ten years), incoming freshmen would get a letter sent to their homes with ticket prices for the 3 sports. Often parents would buy season tickets for their kids without following up. So a few hundred ticket packages would be purchased and never picked up at the ticket office by the nerds.

Orientation at the Naval Academy (while I was trying in vain to get an appointment to Annapolis), I learned about the "Honor Code." You were never to violate the Honor Code. One of the stipulations at the USNA was that if you weren't already an athlete participating in a varsity sport (ie: consuming 20 hours a week of your time not doing academics), you were required (REQUIRED) to attend at least two sporting events a week. And at any moment, a higher ranking cadet could stop you anywhere on campus and demand a full briefing of the last two sporting events you witnessed (who won, who was the leading scorer, etc.) If you LIED about anything, that would be in violation of the Honor Code. And that would surely get you booted from the USNA and right quick....

....and that school was (and still is) filled with nerds.

Nerdification is not an excuse for anything. I think BC should mandate (somehow) that students attend these events. And no, Quidditch does not count.

1. Are you serious? Requiring student attendance is a spectacularly terrible idea. This isin't f'ing North Korea where we all dance in unison in color-coorinated costumes in some marxist wet dream of support for the National team's players. And the military academy example here is different. That's more of a unit cohesion and esprit de corps idea - plus those kids are not paying tuitioun so they are required to put up with alot more bull**** then would ever be acceptable at a civillian college.

Apparently, getting booted off the team for pre-marital sex (even when you are one of the best players) just before the tourney, is acceptable at some civilian colleges. To mandate that students at least show up for a sporting event or two... I don't think that is that much to ask. You just want to go to school and do no extra-circulars? Try night-school or maybe DeVry.

2. I never knew you attended the Naval Academy. If you've discussed this previously I apologize for having missed it, but I sense another story opportunity. Do tell, please, about how you came to be there and what happened.

I did not attend. I attended an orientation. I went down with my Grandfather for the weekend my Senior year in high school. I earned only a Congressional Nomination, never an appointment. But I know about Honor Codes (and those exist even at schools that are not military academies.)

[cvilleagle]

2. I never knew you attended the Naval Academy. If you've discussed this previously I apologize for having missed it, but I sense another story opportunity. Do tell, please, about how you came to be there and what happened.

how do you think nospace knows so much about gay orgies on ships?

[eepstein0]

We shouldn't be mandating people to attend athletics events.

[apbc12]

Apparently, getting booted off the team for pre-marital sex (even when you are one of the best players) just before the tourney, is acceptable at some civilian colleges.

Mormons are not civilians.

[ryrob]

To mandate that students at least show up for a sporting event or two... I don't think that is that much to ask. You just want to go to school and do no extra-circulars? Try night-school or maybe DeVry.

You're high, as usual.

[Dirtywater]

Would someone in the know clarify what a student has to do to attend a basketball, football or hockey game. How much are the tickets? How far in advance do they have to be purchased? How difficult is it to buy a single game ticket? Trust they are limited to the student sections - but are those sections adequate to meet student ticket demands for most games? Are unsold non student tickets available to students at a reduced price? Is there any policy re the use of sold seats that remain unoccupied after x minutes following the start of the game? Is there a system in place for no shows to call in and donate their game seats to students?

[flyingelvii]

Basketball and hockey's popularity goes in ebbs and flows. When Duds and Marshall were there you couldn't find a ticket. Now that the team is mediocre and still haven't found an identity, they're not that popular. In my four years, the hockey team went to three National Championships yet hockey attendance was sparse at best. Now it is a hot ticket. This is why you don't give away tickets for free.

Edit: As far as above
1) $150ish maybe. Can't really remember too well.
2) Before the season
3) Depends on the popularity of the team. My guess is pretty easy this year.
4) Again, depends on the popularity of the team. They were plenty adequate this year.
5) Not officially. I'm sure people do try to sell or give away unused ones at a discount. Nobody really wants them though.
6) Nothing official. It's pretty easy to move around though.
7) Not that I am aware of.

Anyone can correct me if I'm off on any of these.

[Bryn Mawr Eagle]

Is there any policy re the use of sold seats that remain unoccupied after x minutes following the start of the game?

I don't know the answer to this, but I suspect the answer is that there is none. Nor should there be. If I buy a ticket to a game and it turns out I have to be late because I have a late class, or my brother in Iraq calls me and it is his only time to talk for that week, or I just want to have a few beers before I head over to catch the second half, what of it?

I also have to think that, even with advanced digital ticketing systems, a program that somehow invalidates a ticket after so many minutes would be a nightmare to administer and very labor-intensive. You'd need a complaint department just within the Athletic Department to handle students' game-day issues. What if your ticket was invalidated by mistake so you couldn't get in to BC v. Duke? What if you're late becuase your roomate fell and you waited with her, should you be penalized for that? What if you had to be in the City for a job interview and traffic prevented you from getting back to campus for tip-off? You're going to need to hire even more people to handle all the complaints from the people who have a myriad of issues about why they couldn't make it for the designated time. Another drain on the bottom line.

If I buy a ticket to a game it's my liscense to sit my ass down in a seat for a game. It's my, and only my, damn business when I go to the game. BC should not try to take that liscence revokable if I don't happen to make it to the arena by some arbitrary time.

[SJeagle09]

Campy had really done a great job with his BME ali-ass for 1600+ posts...