Ticket to complain -

Most important factor in policy must be attendance

UNC is tied for the most tournament wins in NCAA basketball history. And the Tar Heels have won five national championships. Yet, somehow, there is a problem with student attendance at our games.

The over-arching goal of a student ticket policy should be to maximize student attendance, but it seems like all the current policy does is maximize complication and confusion.

Last year, students who won the online lottery received two tickets.

Carolina Athletic Association President John Russell dismissed the former system as an ineffective means of ensuring high student attendance.

Russell reasoned that last year, a student who decided against attending a game wasted two tickets, whereas now a student who decides not to go wastes only one.

But Russell fails to recognize the reality that basketball games are social events. The energy and intensity of cheering for the Tar Heels is enhanced when enjoyed with a friend.

A student with two tickets is more likely to attend a game if he or she can easily be accompanied by another.

It is true that a student with one ticket only wastes one ticket, but that student is less likely to attend the game because of the complication involved in finding another friend with the same phase.

Russell stated that students need to show initiative and take advantage of programs like “Turn It Back” and the standby line in order to obtain tickets.

But the unpopularity of these programs reveals a CAA that is out of touch with student needs.

Granted, these programs do sound noteworthy and should be taken advantage of. But CAA needs to better advertise their existence. Promotional strategies that go beyond e-mail correspondence should be employed.

Russell said wording on tickets is going to be changed to ensure students understand they can enter the Dean Dome after their phase.

Students will also be notified of their phase 72 hours before a game instead of the current 48 hours.

CAA’s attempts to respond to student concerns are heading in the right direction. But Russell needs to continue listening to students and return to the former system, or consider a more effective approach to maximize attendance.