I can remember it well. Just two years ago, Madison was named the number one sports town in the country. Our fandom was to be appreciated by all. The proverbial \they"" had noticed our slow-motion waves, our chants of ""stand-up old people,"" and our absolute adoration of Buckingham Badger. Everyone now knew of the two big-screens in State Street Brats and the long lines at the KK. All college sports fans could finally understand Madisonians' dedication to the Badgers.
So why doesn't the Athletic Department get it?
At noon yesterday, it was announced that the men's hockey student season distribution would begin this Saturday at 9 a.m. Students could register right away with a maximum group number of four people.
With the announcement, anarchy broke out in Crease Creature country. The students knew the Athletic Department would reveal the time and date of registration and distribution at some point, but they could never have been prepared for such a sudden declaration.
Senior Dana Nadler, representing the 24th group in line, angrily unfolded his chair as he plopped himself down in line. Nadler and his friends had prepared a four-person troupe, but the unexpectedly abrupt announcement caught their group off guard. Nadler was unable to get in touch with the fourth member of his group, leaving one dedicated hockey fan out in the cold.
""The frustrating thing,"" Nadler said, ""is that the real die-hard fans that would have stayed out a week ahead of time are in the same situation as people that are willing to stay out three nights, and are now rushing to get people together down there.""
Recently, the Daily Cardinal printed a letter received from UW alumnus Pete Schramm, who despised the new system and believed that ""the Athletic Department simply has no clue.
While Schramm admits that a weighted lottery system-which favors people who have attended more games over the years'?-might not be a good alternative, he cannot help but sympathize with students like Nadler.
""Now it is the luck of checking your e-mail at the right time, and being able to get in touch with three other people as fast as possible,"" Schramm wrote. ""This doesn't create a good student section. It creates animosity.""
Corbin Hunt, UW's Assistant Athletic Director for Ticket Operations, refutes the claim that real fans would wait out in rain or shine for their beloved Badgers.
""I think everybody thinks they're the best fan,"" Hunt said. ""It's very difficult to say that the ones that waited out for weeks and weeks on end are necessarily the best fans.""
Hunt also believes that the majority of the student population would not want to wait out that long for hockey tickets ... and I totally agree.
The majority of the student population are not Hockey fans. Hockey fans are a different breed. They are possibly the most dedicated, most boisterous, most insane group of enthusiasts.
I am not a hockey fan. I come from New York, yet did not even consider shedding a tear this week when Mark Messier announced his retirement. Yet, I respect the game, and even more so, its fans.
The core of the student section was ripped apart yesterday. The line is growing over night, but with the die-hard scattered throughout. Still, those in charge asserted that there was no need for fans to even wait out.
""There's no reason that anybody needs to be out there at any time, because every one of those students know that they have a ticket,"" Hunt said. ""They're all welcome to show up Saturday.""
Still, they just don't get it.
Sam Pepper can be reached for comment at sepepper@wisc.edu
