Badger fans went on quite a rollercoaster ride these past two weeks. First, there was the e-mail problem with football tickets, and then the announcement of a new distribution policy for basketball and hockey tickets.
Football tickets aside, many students expressed disapproval with the new distribution policy, claiming it will not give tickets to the most dedicated fans. However, we must look at this from the university's standpoint.
Over the last few years, the university has seriously cracked down on the hockey and basketball lines. What used to include blankets, pillows and couches has since been limited to foldable chairs and sweatshirts. The bottom line: They do not want students camping out at the Kohl Center for tickets.
The new policy—which is point-based and gives preference to older students and those who had tickets previously—draws on a survey conducted by the Athletic Department last fall.
According to the survey, those who won basketball tickets in the lottery only had an average level of satisfaction with the distribution process. Those who missed out had a well-below average feeling toward it. The Athletic Department changed the policy to appease student concerns.
The Athletic Department also held discussions with small groups of students in March to ask their opinion of the new policy. According to uwbadgers.com, most students were open to ""some type of loyalty-points system.""
Although waiting in line for hockey or basketball tickets does allow students to prove their loyalty to the Badgers, we feel the new point system is a step in the right direction.
There are many fans who work their way through school and cannot afford to spend time camped outside the Kohl Center. This policy awards those fans who still attend games, but may not have the best seats due to circumstances such as these.
However, we also recognize the concerns of many of the fans. It may very well discourage freshman from buying tickets because they will have no chance at good seats for a few years and it could cause friction between groups of friends because some have fewer points than others.
Ultimately, while the new policy is a good initial step, we urge the Athletic Department to consider adopting a distribution policy similar to the one in place for football tickets.
Two years ago, many fans were weary of this process, but most agree it has been a resounding success. Based on this success, it seems like the next logical step to assure true equality in the ticket process.
