UNC’s basketball ticket policy to change little

By the time incoming freshmen step foot on campus for orientation, any changes to the basketball ticket policy should be set in stone.

But students hoping for big changes to the ticket policy are likely to be disappointed.

Caitlin Goforth, president of the Carolina Athletic Association, said her objective is to set up next year’s policy early so that the CAA can better communicate with students

“My goal is to get this policy fast tracked so that we have it done by C-TOPS,” Goforth said. “We’re working to get information at C-TOPS so we can pass it along to the incoming freshmen.”

The only major changes will involve how the CAA will tell students about the policy and available tickets.

“I would say the core of the ticket policy is going to be the same,” Goforth said.

Under the current policy, two tickets are distributed with three phases for entry to students who are selected in an online lottery system.

But some students have advocated for a merit and punishment system that would reward students who use their tickets and penalize those who let their tickets go to waste, Goforth said.

“The few people who want the merit system are making their voices heard right now,” she said, “but I wouldn’t say that’s a good representation of what the student body wants.”

But even if a majority of students wanted a punishment-based system, Clint Gwaltney, an associate athletic director, said the current computer software can’t handle it.

“We use a certain software and right now, currently, it is not an option to have that punishment and merit system,” he said.

Gwaltney said he also has reservations about a merit system.

“The whole idea of the system is to be fair and equitable,” he said adding that there are problems with handling students who don’t get tickets the first time.

Due to system requirements and a relative lack of complaints, few changes are being seriously discussed, and students say they wouldn’t change much.

“I like the three phases system better than what they had in the past,” said Eric Kiechle, a second-year medical student. “There is still a need for a better way to distribute tickets that aren’t going to be used.”

Freshman pre-business major Anna Gustines suggested creating an online forum that students would log into to help ticket winners find people to use their unwanted tickets.

Goforth and Gwaltney said they aren’t considering major changes because of the success they feel the current system has achieved.

“I think that the system worked really well last year and anything we do is an attempt to fine tune it and make it better,” Gwaltney said.

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