By Matt Thacker

While the athletic department and the Student Government Association are finalizing plans for this spring’s ticket campout, one thing is clear: methods for student season ticket distribution will soon change.

At February’s SGA senate meeting, the athletic department proposed a plan which would award points to students for attending various U of L sporting events. The points would determine priority seating for games. The details will be announced later this month; but meanwhile students await the result on how next year’s tickets will be managed.

Justin Morehead, SGA services vice president, expects the senate to make a final decision at their next meeting concerning the ticket campout. The discussion over season tickets has dragged on for several months, largely because the athletic department has denied several SGA proposals.

“We don’t have final plans yet because we thought we would be using general admission seating,” Morehead said.

Morehead said the SGA originally proposed to use general admission seating, where the first students to enter the stadium could claim the best seats. However, the athletic department overruled the proposal because general admission tickets have been outlawed in Louisville. (According to the SGA, the law was a result of the 1979 The Who concert where 11 people were trampled to death while fighting to get better seats in Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium.)

The SGA then proposed assigning specific seats at the game, but the athletic department said this would be inefficient and create too much work for stadium workers. For now the procedure will continue as before, with seats being assigned at the campout.

Senators have voiced frustrations over the situation. SpeedSchool Student Council President Andy Goss has criticized the new format, which will not allow guest tickets, but said he understands the athletic department’s position and plans to support its decision.

“The frustration comes from the fact that the athletic department has turned down the SGA’s proposal,” Goss said. “But they’re the ones providing the tickets. They’re the ones providing the venue. Obviously students can’t get whatever we want. The athletic department has commitments to other people also.”

When the topic arose at the February senate meeting, several senators expressed agitation that the athletic department had not listened to their opinions. However, both sides maintain that the athletic department has complete control over the distribution of tickets.

“The athletic department pretty much has the final decision, but they take our input and suggestions,” Morehead said.

Jason Buckner, the Cardinal athletic fund assistant director, said while the athletic department has the power to implement the point system on their own, they want student feedback and hope to get the SGA’s “vote of confidence” at the next meeting once complete details are unveiled.

“Our athletic department has been discussing a plan with our students, staff and other schools to create a program that will ensure all its students receive a fair chance at attending basketball and football games while benefiting students that support Cardinal Athletics, not only while they are in school but upon graduation,” Buckner said.

Buckner said he will release further details after discussing the plan with the SGA and getting their feedback. Students could start earning points as early as this year, starting with the spring football game. He hopes the plan will be fully implemented by the 2006 season.

SGA President Ryan McKinley said he needs to consult more students before officially commenting on the point system but initially likes the idea. He encouraged students to attend the next senate meeting and share their opinions. The meeting will be held March 1 at 7 p.m. in the FloydTheater.

The graduate school will also soon decide in the upcoming days how they will release their allotment of tickets. Timothy M. Brauch, Graduate Student Council treasurer, said the most popular idea he has heard is to let students register for tickets online beginning the night of Thunder Over Louisville. Other ideas he has heard include a random lottery and a ticket campout, neither of which have seen much support. Brauch said a decision could be made as early as the council’s next meeting on Wednesday.