A task force of University administrators, Athletics administrators and students worked throughout the summer to update football ticketing procedures and finalize changes to the system.
Student Body President Jay Dawkins said these changes will create a better atmosphere for football games.
“It’s something I’m really excited to look at,” Dawkins said. “The changes should be a big plus for the environment of our stadium on game days.”
The Athletics Ticketing Policy Committee is focused on making the experience of Carter-Finley on Saturdays better for both students and the football team, according to Dawkins.
The three changes include the addition of a stand-by line available to students unable to get tickets through the lottery, a change in the point system used to distribute tickets and a change in the length of the on-demnad period the day before games.
According to Dakwins, meetings between Student Government representatives, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Tom Stafford, Associate Athletics Director Dick Christy and Director of Campus Police Tom Younce went well, with both groups expressing desires and concerns and coming to a decision about the changes.
For Christy, one key to the success of the changes will be how well all the different groups communicate with each other.
“The key is communication so we have a lot of different communication plans in place,” he said. “The changes give a great opportunity and puts the emphasis on the students to get to the game a little earlier.”
The new priority point system will give students a certain number of points based on year and will allow students to gain or lose points from then on. The more points students gain the better place they will have within the lottery.
The stand-by line will allow students who do not receive tickets to show up on game day and possibly still be admitted. The number of people admitted from the stand-by line will be directly linked to how many students with tickets show up to the game.
Matt Garcia, a junior in sports management and member of the committee responsible for the changes, said he believes the changes will be a success but admits that not everyone will be 100 percent happy.
“Students will be happy with the changes but they will cut down on the drinking time, which will not make everybody happy,” he said. “But students have to remember that you tailgate because it’s pre-game. Tailgating is not the event you are going to — the football game is.”
Stafford agreed, saying that he was glad to see how well the group worked together in making the changes.
“We had a very productive summer, we met several times and had really good discussions,” he said. “The result is something that I’m very excited about and is something that has the potential of having a lot of good impacts.”
He also said he hopes to see the most important goal of filling the stands actually take place with the help of the new procedures.
“We want to see students in there yelling and cheering for the team to get them pumped up,” he said. “The people who are involved in this are all really first rate folks who know how to organize and plan something. I’m looking forward to seeing how well it’s going to work.”
