Comments on: High Tide, low turnout

By: Lee Thaubald

Lee Thaubald — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 15:19:00 +0000

It seems like there is a simple solution to this. Put the Block Seating in the upper deck!

That gives all those groups dedicated places to sit, and fill up the upper deck. The rest of the tickets can be used in the lower deck for independent tickets and guests. If Block Seating discourages other students because “the best seats” are reserved, then just give those “best seats” a better view of the stadium from the upper deck. More independent students will attend to be guaranteed a seat near the field, and the university will be happy to see more seats filled.

Alas, the Block seating will never be moved because of the politics involved. The University is paid either way, so they have no desire to really do anything about it. “A few empty seats? who cares! We got our money!” Sure sure, image suffers, but when they have the money, image gets a lower priority.

By: Ronny Lee

Ronny Lee — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 03:54:00 +0000

The University of Alabama has always been known as a suitcase college. Students go home on the weekend. Also lots of interesting places to go within a few hours drive. I remember when most of the games were played in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa was dead. If not for the frats it would still be dead. I went to UNC Chapel Hill, same way up there, except when there is a basketball game, and you have to pitch a tent and get in line for those tickets.

By: Ricky James

Ricky James — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 23:50:00 +0000

Faculty/staff should have to swipe act cards as well. The majority of their tickets are just used as a bonus to their pay as they scalp as many as 4 season tickets each. I was an employee for many years and paid other employees several times the face value for tickets. The technology is there now to verify these things. Let fans buy the tickets at face value and eliminate the “brokers” as they’re being called these days.

By: Ethan

Ethan — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 07:18:00 +0000

I really have a hard time believing that this information is accurate. Plenty of tickets are upgraded and used as student guest tickets every game, and I don’t think these tickets are included in this data set. You can’t tell me that more students went to the San Jose State game in 2010 than last year’s LSU game. And I had to sit in the upper deck for the Penn State game in Bryant Denny and I can personally guuarantee you that there was not a single extra seat.

This is only one of the innaccuracies though. (Any true fan knows that 2009 was not the year BEFORE our first national championship under Nick Saban, it was the year OF.) It’s dangerous to make bold conclusions based on incomplete data. Do a little more homework before your next article.

Sincerely,
A concerned student

By: PDW

PDW — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 01:51:00 +0000

I went there in the Bear days and only missed out of town games. Was so grateful for my student tickets, didn’t have to sit in nosebleed though, students should be close up.

By: Derpdederp

Derpdederp — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:25:00 +0000

Maybe more students should miss games so they could…I dunno, study? So that going to college is meaningful?

By: BeaufortTiger

BeaufortTiger — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:14:00 +0000

We have a similar problem in Clemson, and I suspect it’s a national trend. While each university is different, I suspect there are some national trends which are contributing to this:

* the binge drinking tailgate culture that permeates college football, particularly among larger programs. This leads to students passing out prior to the game or leaving at halftime to continue to get wasted.

* the improvements over the years of TV sets in sound and video quality

* the block-seating schemes – sit with your fraternity or organization, but then get relegated to upper decks

* the movement by many universities to put more student seating in the upper deck instead of near the fields

Of course these are things that I’ve witnessed at Death Valley, but I have heard similar complaints at other places.

By: Hank L

Hank L — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 00:27:00 +0000

The solution is easy, go back to PAPER TICKETS!

By: jeff hanson

jeff hanson — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 22:11:00 +0000

Block seating is to blame. i cant blame some students for being turned off while being stuck in the upper deck. jabronis in block seating show up late/leave early and trash the field any time theres a bad call or in the final moments of an occasional loss.

By: Paul Crook

Paul Crook — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 20:15:00 +0000

I have been an Alabama fan my entire life, and have two degrees from the University. It’s embarrassing to see that many empty seats in the student section. The easiest way to solve it is to eliminate pre-sale student tickets. Designate, say, a block of 12 thousand seats as the student section and have students line up at the gate. Open the gates three hours before kickoff and the first 12 thousand students who show their student ID’s get in.