Our basketball team, to no one’s surprise, is fantastic this year. Which makes it even more tragic when a sizeable portion of students are not afforded the opportunity to see the team play in the Smith Center.
We know, student tickets cause the University to lose out on lucrative ticket sales. We don’t want to propose unrealistic solutions to student ticketing, but something needs to be done. It has almost become a universal truth that the atmosphere in the Dean Dome is lacking when compared to our rival schools. We all know we need more students at the game. In years past we have written various solutions, so here is a new one.
What if we gave the empty, unsold non-student section tickets to students. It may not improve the atmosphere, but at least more students can see the game.
Of course, our proposal would operate on a first-come, first-served basis. This wouldn’t help anyone trying to find tickets to a Duke game, but it might help more students attend a weeknight Louisville or Syracuse game.
The athletic department currently handles unused student tickets by making a stand-by line for students to wait in until a ticket become available.
Honestly, we would be happy with any improvements. The board would like community members to send in their thoughts about how the Dean Dome can be improved. If you feel so inclined, please submit a letter to the editor at opinion@dailytarheel.com.
If we can get enough voices involved, we can find a real solution to make both the University boosters and the first-years trying to see a conference game happy.
