Ticket-distribution forums held this week fall flat

By Dana Parker-Mcclain

Two forums organized by the Basketball Ticket Distribution Committee this week failed to draw many students with questions regarding the committee’s new plan for basketball ticket distribution.

The forums, held in the Free Speech Area, may have lacked the planning and promotion needed to attract students.

Frank Puccio, committee member and chair of the Planning and Operation Committee for the USU, said a marketing campaign could have helped to get the word out.

Brent Hansen, committee member and AS activities senator, said making a banner and posting fliers may have helped to let students know the forums were taking place.

Puccio and Hansen sat in the Free Speech Area Monday passing out fliers about the proposed plan for distribution of the 2,000 basketball tickets per men’s home game.

Committee members Ben Lewis and Christina Chandler walked around the Free Speech Area Tuesday afternoon and passed out fliers to interested students.

Lewis said the committee worked hard to come up with a strategy for ticket distribution and was finally able to come to a consensus and submit the plan to University President John Welty for approval.

The new plan will allow students to pick up one free ticket per game with their student ID during the week before each game. Students attending the games will need to bring both their ticket and student ID.

Any tickets remaining the day before a game will be returned to the Save Mart Center box office to be sold to the general public. One hundred tickets will be set aside (on a first come, first serve basis) for students who decide to attend a game at the last minute.

Dr. Carolyn Coon, interim executive director of student life, said, “Out of the 2,000 tickets, if only 1,500 were given out, the other 500 could go back to the ticket office through athletics and let them sell them to the general public. The revenue from that would be split between the USU and the department of athletics to try to offset some of their expenses.”

Chris Lowe, a bioengineering major, was one of the few students with questions for the committee.

Lowe asked why the extra tickets were going to be sold, and why students couldn’t vote on where the profits from those tickets would go, since they belong to students.

Hansen said, “there is basically no getting away from tickets getting sold…they want a warm body in every seat.”

“ There should be no reason we don’t get 2,000 people to show,” he said.

If all 2,000 tickets are handed out, then there will be no conflict with the athletic department over how to split the ticket profits, Hansen said.

“ What we have on paper is what we feel is the best shot for giving out 2,000 free tickets,” Hansen said.