When the University of Oregon’s ticket distribution system changed for students following my freshman year in 2007, I was excited for the change. In theory it made sense: Don’t let students skip class and provide an online system that will send a ticket directly to their student I.D. card.
But when it became clear that the system was far from perfect and that many students were left behind, I, like many, began thinking of alternative solutions.
Of course there were many suggestions to be disregarded – expanding Autzen Stadium to fit the entire population of Eugene, “Easter egg” style hunts around campus and Battle Royales, to name a few.
One of the better suggestions that I’ve heard came from a student who suggested Sunday ticket distributions because students would no longer have to miss classes. But of course it was shot down because of the one factor that controls seemingly just about every decision made on campus.
Money.
It would be far too expensive to employ box office attendants on Sundays, ultimately subtracting from the amount of tickets that students receive.
So here is my suggestion: Go back to the physical ticket distribution. Do it on Sundays, but allow student volunteers to be trained in box office attendant duties. Allow a handful of students to distribute tickets to their peers, and in return, give them a ticket to the upcoming game.
Don’t think there would be volunteers for such a position?
Just ask any of the hundreds of students standing in line for 12 hours (or more) if they might be willing to sit in a room and pass out tickets.
As a senior, my home football games in the student section at Autzen Stadium are now behind me. But for everybody else who has games ahead of them, this move makes sense.
I made it to three games my freshman year, and as a graduating senior, I will leave the University with only six games total under my belt.
There are many students out there who claim they would do “anything” just to get six games like I did. Let those students volunteer in the future and let the student ticket controversy be an issue of the past.
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Letter: Change student ticket distribution with help of most serious ticket-seekers
Daily Emerald
November 29, 2010
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