Past fans to blame for poor student seats

The athletic department, which was forced to enact a point system for tickets after dismal attendance in the early 1980's, has no plans to improve current student seating.

"There is little we can do in terms of major relocation of student seating," UA athletic director Jim Livengood said. "But I am determined to try and work with (ASUA president) Gilbert Davidson and get closer seats for the students at every opportunity."

The athletic department brought in Lute Olson in 1984 with hopes of boosting attendance. Olson, who had reached the NCAA Tournament with Iowa in 1983, had proven an ability to field a winning team. But when only 5,600 people showed up per game, the athletic department decided to set up a point system to divide up the remaining seats to alumni and other supporters.

"The way the point system works is that people earn points through donating money and for memberships in different Alumni clubs and organizations," UA assistant athletic director John Perrin said. "It has been a popular concept in other universities and we feel it is the best way we can distribute the seats."

Points can be earned in a variety of ways, the simplest of which is donations.

For every $50 donated, a supporter can earn one point. As of today, if someone wanted to be eligible for two season tickets, that person would need to have accumulated roughly 800 points, or $40,000. So unless students have that kind of money available, their best bet if they lost the raffle is showing up for the distribution of the uncollected season tickets, which starts Monday. There will also be 100 individual game tickets available to UA students for purchase at the Gallagher Box Office before each game.

Other point-earning methods include owning season tickets (2 points per year) or a Wildcat Club membership (1 point per year).

One drawback to this system is that just having enough points does not assure someone of the tickets. There also has to be two seats available in the arena, something that is a rare find.

"If someone gives us a million bucks and we don't have any seats open, then there is nothing we can do," Perrin said. "We can't just go and kick out somebody because somebody else donated more money. The student section is also immune from this system."

And while the students get frustrated by the lack of good tickets, the current basketball players just want a positive environment to play in.

"I understand the students do not have the best seats, and I wish we could have more seats for them," UA sophomore guard Josh Pastner said. "But the Tucson fans have been great and they are always positive and supportive. And that's something you don't find very often."

More often than a student-dominated arena, however.