Students arriving at the JACC Ticket Office after 1:45 p.m. yesterday were turned away, frustrated and fuming, after the 2,800 men's basketball tickets set aside for student purchase sold out in an unprecedented four and a half hours. In a school dominated by football, 10 sales per minute came as a pleasant and unexpected surprise for athletic officials.
"Two years ago, we did not sell out the entire allocation of tickets, and it took a whole day to do so last year," said Jim Fraleigh, assistant athletic director for ticketing. "Obviously, as the team got better, demand increased considerably."
Of the 11,418 seats available in the JACC, 3,200 were allocated for student use - a number "consistent with previous years," Fraleigh said. One hundred of those will be sectioned off for the band, and the rest will be distributed to student athletes on game day, as per NCAA rules.
In regards to Domers' complaints over the 150 ticket allotment to Saint Mary's students and the 30 to Holy Cross, Fraleigh said, "The numbers of tickets given to Saint Mary's and Holy Cross are extremely limited. We have a long-standing relationship with these schools, and we want to share with them the enjoyment of our sporting events."
The timing of the sale was also called into question.
"It's discouraging. I had classes all morning, like a lot of people, and really had no other option but to come later," said Bridget Tuohy, a McGlinn freshman. "Hopefully, my schedule next year will let me get here earlier, because that seems to be the only solution."
Stanford sophomore Mike Savino also expressed his discontent at being sent away without a ticket.
"It's great to see all this excitement, but I wish there were more student tickets available so everyone could join in," Savino said.
Those arriving earlier in the day were greeted with snaking lines and free Krispy Kreme donuts, handed out by men's basketball head coach Mike Brey.
Also involved in the morning's event was the Leprechaun Legion, arguably the loudest and most public source of student support for the men's basketball team. In conjunction with Sports Promotions and the athletic department, the Legion distributed green shirts for students to wear to the games in a display of solidarity.
"The goal of the Legion is to unify the student body, to bring all of the students together in support of the team and to intimidate the opposing team," said junior Eric Tarnowski, vice president of marketing for the Legion. "That's what these shirts will do."
Despite ticket shortages and short tempers, the sale proved the student body's anticipation of an impressive basketball season and continuation of athletic support in the face of current disappointment.
"Everyone's excited about the new season," Tarnowski said. "It'll be good to get something fresh in the way of sports."
