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The Daily Tar Heel

UNC's first basketball game lottery accidentally charges more than 70 students a fee

The UNC Ticket Office accidentally charged more than 70 students to enter the ticket lottery for the Nov. 30 basketball game against the University of Wisconsin.

The computer system prompted students to pay a $7 processing fee to enter the lottery, which provides winners two free tickets per game, during the first few hours it was open.

Several students reported being charged via credit card, said Caitlin Goforth, president of the Carolina Athletic Association.

“People were texting me, tweeting at me, tweeting at the CAA, so they figured it out very quickly,” she said.

“It was a complete error.”

The Wisconsin game was the first lottery sign-up game for this year’s basketball season, and the only lottery game in 2011.

Clint Gwaltney, associate athletic director for the ticket office, said the problem was corrected in the office’s systems within a few hours after the lottery opened at 10 a.m. Sunday.

Gwaltney said the $7 processing fee students were charged is usually applied to general admission ticket purchases.

He said this processing fee was activated in the computer system for all ticket buyers, including students.

“As soon as the information got to us, (the glitch) was resolved,” Gwaltney said.

The ticket office is responsible for keeping the computer system running properly, he said.

Kyle Fitzgerald, chairman of ticketing for the CAA, said all 71 students have been contacted and had their tickets refunded.
“Most of that stuff is handled through the athletic ticket office,” Fitzgerald said.

“I had gotten a couple emails from people complaining.”

Contact the University Editor at university@dailytarheel.com.

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