When North Dakota visited the Kohl Center for a series against the Badger men's hockey team March 6 last season there was a lot on the line. Not only was Wisconsin playing for home ice in the upcoming WCHA playoffs, but the series was also the Badgers' last of the regular season and came against one of the team's biggest rivals.
Looking out at the Wisconsin ""Crease Creatures"" student section at faceoff, however, you would doubt the game's paid attendance of over 14,000 people. By the second period the student section was fuller, as fans trickled in during the first period and intermission, but as the game started there were still large empty patches that should have been filled with students.
As has often been discussed with Wisconsin football, the Badger student section is loud and intimidating, but definitely not punctual.
I can't count how many times my friends and I have been kicked out of good seats we moved down to because their rightful owner showed up sometime in the second period. We enjoy ""preparing"" for hockey games as much as anybody, but we manage to get there on time.
The desire to fill good seats before games, and not halfway through them, is likely one of the reasons for the new student section ticket policy that will go into effect at the Kohl Center this season.
Students at Badger hockey games will encounter a similar system to that used at Camp Randall Stadium for football games when they show up for the first series of hockey season. Instead of tickets, students will receive a voucher they can then exchange at the game for a ticket that specifies their section, row and seat number.
Because ticket-takers will distribute seats from closest to the ice first, the hope is to provide an incentive for students to show up to the game on time. The vouchers also mean that students can come in groups and not have to worry about finding space to sit if their seats are not together.
This system is great for those who realize a 7 p.m. faceoff does not mean showing up to your seats at 8 and kicking out the real fans who came to watch the game.
When Colorado College helps kick off hockey season Oct. 16 and 17, I won't have to worry about losing the seat I've been in all game or finding room for six people when we get kicked out of good seats.
And hopefully the new system also means the Crease Creatures will be loud and strong the entire game, not just the last two periods.
