Just Got A Good Letter From Rutgers Athletics Re: Basketball Seats

[RutgersRaRa]

I fully approve of this letter, which was directed at sections 115 and 116, whose locations are behind the Rutgers bench. Here's the paragraph of note:

"At Rutgers we strive to create the best game day atmosphere for both our fans and our players. As a season ticket holder in the prime location of sections 115 and 116, you have the best view in the house to see the hard work that these athletes put into every game. You are the team behind the team, cheering them on from behind the bench. We want toe sure that our student-athletes are supported by R Family and never have to look behind their home bench to find the colors of their opponents. In the upcoming season, I ask that you continue to show your support to our players by showing up in your scarlet and white, and cheering loudly and proudly for our Scarlet Knights!"

It was ostensibly signed "Eddie Jordan," but whoever's idea it was to write and mail this, it's about time. Seriously, I am shocked at the number of games opposing teams' fans are sitting in the first few rows behind the bench. And since that's where I sit, I have a prime spot to hear how loud they support their team, sometimes yelling support while Eddie is huddling up with our players during a timeout. People shouldn't be selling tickets to opponents' fans if they are in such prime spots, so kudos to the department for getting on this.

And please spare me the "if the product on the court was better I wouldn't sell my tickets to other fans" nonsense--if you want us to get good, be consistent in doing what you can to make it appealing to recruits to come here and players to be on our bench. Losing sucks, and losing while opposing fans are behind our bench shouting down our coaches is worse.

 

[Section114]

27 years in section 114 and I have never sold my tickets. On the rare occasion I cannot make it, I give them away to people I know will cheer for RU. It absolutely disgusts me when opposing fans take over the lower sections and out cheers the home crowd. I like the letter- wish it could have gone further and said if an opposing fan sits in your seat....you are gone! Obviously not realistic, but you get the point.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

This is a good sign that someone gets it and cares.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

27 years in section 114 and I have never sold my tickets. On the rare occasion I cannot make it, I give them away to people I know will cheer for RU. It absolutely disgusts me when opposing fans take over the lower sections and out cheers the home crowd. I like the letter- wish it could have gone further and said if an opposing fan sits in your seat....you are gone! Obviously not realistic, but you get the point.

Good stuff, 114. I've never sold my seats--I always give them to Rutgers fans if I can't go, which is rare. I did bring a friend of mine when we played Villanova, but he understood proper etiquette (he's on the Board of Regents/Governors/Trustees/Something at 'Nova, so he understands the game), and he didn't wear his team's colors. He is a rare guest who acts like that, as many other fans are loud and sometimes straight-up rude.

As far as preventing people from selling tix to opposing fans, I'm not sure what legal issues the department would run into if they forbade an RU season-ticket holder from selling to another fanbase (say, via StubHub), but I like the veiled pressure being applied here.

 

[RU-ROCS]

27 years in section 114 and I have never sold my tickets. On the rare occasion I cannot make it, I give them away to people I know will cheer for RU. It absolutely disgusts me when opposing fans take over the lower sections and out cheers the home crowd. I like the letter- wish it could have gone further and said if an opposing fan sits in your seat....you are gone! Obviously not realistic, but you get the point.

I'm in Section 114 too and have never sold my tickets, although for the first time this year I did give a couple tickets away to fans of the opposition - Wisconsin and Maryland. But both of those giveaways were to two of my sons who attend the U. of Wisconsin and U. of Maryland respectively. I was there with them, however, to ensure that they were not too boisterous. ;)

 

[RutgersRaRa]

I'm in Section 114 too and have never sold my tickets, although for the first time this year I did give a couple tickets away to fans of the opposition - Wisconsin and Maryland. But both of those giveaways were to two of my sons who attend the U. of Wisconsin and U. of Maryland respectively. I was there with them, however, to ensure that they were not too boisterous. ;)

I'll allow it.

 

[nirrad]

Good stuff

 

[linzalonic]

Good letter. In a related topic, I'm hoping Section 118 Row E is no longer an RU coaching staff-sanctioned haven for opposing fans like it was this past season. Choice seats to heckle our players; Northwestern & MSU were the worst examples of this. When I complained, I was told that our staff distributes tix to those seats. During the Rice years, recruits would sit there.

 

[knightfan2000]

I think I would have even gone a step further and identified exactly who has those tickets. Why not just tell them they will forfeit their seats if they continue to give/sell to opponents because they are actually undermining our home court advantage.

 

[Upstream]

While I agree with the sentiment, I don't think too much can be done about it.

 

[bac2therac]

in this case the fanbase is so decimated that you cannot enact anything kind of removal of seats for selling your tickets. There simply is no demand for those seats to be taken up by other Rutgers fans. Until that happens expect to see more colors of other schools down below

 

[higgins3]

Rucs, that's crazy! Never give seats to the enemy!

Ra is an outstanding fan. I was lucky to be the recipient of his seats a couple times this year. I even think I made it on tv once. Awesome person.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

in this case the fanbase is so decimated that you cannot enact anything kind of removal of seats for selling your tickets. There simply is no demand for those seats to be taken up by other Rutgers fans. Until that happens expect to see more colors of other schools down below

I don't expect to see it, I expect fans who want to see the program be consistently better act consistently better themselves. There are greater expectations on fans in prime locations due to the additional exposure on television and to the players and coaches and recruits. So the fact that we suck at times doesn't obviate our responsibility to do our part. Those seats shouldn't be viewed as an investment by fans, and it's just an excuse to unload them out of frustration. If we had won 20+ games last season, some of the same ticket-holders would have used the argument that they can get more for their tickets now that the tickets are in high demand, and they're just trying to recoup their required donation fee. It isn't only the administration that has growing to do, it's the fanbase and, in this case, the fans with the best seats in the house.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

Rucs, that's crazy! Never give seats to the enemy!

Ra is an outstanding fan. I was lucky to be the recipient of his seats a couple times this year. I even think I made it on tv once. Awesome person.

Thanks, higs--you're a good dude yourself. And you were definitely on TV last year--any game that is televised put you in the middle of the pic, so dress appropriately!! Heck, I think your brother was on TV for at least a half, and I know your GF was. :-)

 

[higgins3]

Haha, you helped the whole family get to a game. That was great. Better off put the lady on there than any of our mugs. Haha. Can't wait till next season.

 

[TheB1GTerp]

Don't think that doesn't happen at Maryland a lot of those seats are sometimes bought by copoorations. It made me so mad to see so many UNC and Duke fans in great seats at Big Maryland games.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

Don't think that doesn't happen at Maryland a lot of those seats are sometimes bought by copoorations. It made me so mad to see so many UNC and Duke fans in great seats at Big Maryland games.

That's the opposite sort of problem, that there is such high demand that corporations get involved. I'd be pissed, too, but that's the nature of the business side of college sports and I suppose we have to suck it up. I still wish there was a way to keep the opposition out of the better seats, but you bring up a good point, which is that it appears unavoidable.