NEWS
Football ticket sell-out outrages UW students
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Also by Nick Penzenstadler:
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by Nick Penzenstadler
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Several students expressed outrage Wednesday after learning season ticket packages for home football games had sold out, saying the University of Wisconsin never notified them about the sale.
After going on sale Saturday morning, all 10,500 of the student season ticket packages sold out by Tuesday afternoon.
However, dozens of students told The Badger Herald they never received an e-mail from the UW Athletic Department notifying them that the tickets went on sale.
UW senior Joe Olson, who is returning for another year at UW, said he was outraged when the tickets were gone before he knew they were even on sale.
"I've talked to a number of people, including the director at the athletic ticket office," Olson said. "Their answer is if you didn't remember or didn't read the sidewalk chalk, it is your fault and basically called me ignorant."
UW junior Julie Foote said neither she nor any of her roommates received the notification e-mail sent out by the Athletic Department April 18.
"I called them, and they said it might be in my junk folder, but there's nothing there," Foote said. "I wasn't exposed to any of their other advertising, so I rely on the e-mail."
Athletic Department officials said they were unable to confirm if there were any breakdowns in its e-mail system.
Justin Doherty, director of Athletic Communications, said the ticket office fielded calls from upset students Wednesday and released a list of marketing tactics outside of the e-mails UW used to notify students of the sale.
"We understand the students' disappointment with not being able to purchase football tickets," Doherty said. "However, we don't rely only on e-mail for notifying students for our sales."
In addition to the e-mails, Doherty said UW ran seven newspaper advertisements, had signs in the Athletic Department display cases in Memorial Union and Union South, and posted information on UWBadgers.com in early March.
He added Bret Bielema twice promoted the upcoming season at campus fraternities and sororities and said the university had a three-week campus chalking campaign, along with notices over the PA system at the spring football game last Saturday to notify students of the sale.
UW sophomore Anne Kaar, who also missed out on buying tickets, said the alternative advertisements were not effective without e-mail notification.
"I heard that they had done chalk," Kaar said. "I think that's crap if they think that's the way to get to students — the e-mail is the best way to get information to us."
Olson said he has already looked into challenging the three-day sale with a petition and has started gathering support on Facebook.com, suggesting a lottery system comparable to basketball and hockey.
"We're just trying to combine efforts [because] someone messed up," Olson said. "It's not the lack of ignorance on the part of 10,000 students."
Doherty was hesitant to speculate on further student ticket availabilities but said alternative purchasing options are available to students.
"There is going to be potential to find tickets," Doherty said. "Single game tickets may be available as well as leftovers from other schools."
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 4:03am):
That's complete crap. What would an e-mail cost them? I get about one a week from "buckey" anyway. This really blows.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 6:20am):
i too never received an email, jackasses
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 7:10am):
Get out in the meat world more often. Relying on email for ALL your information is a bad strategy.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 7:26am):
Well, I don't have tickets either, but it seems everyone is trying to blame somebody else. Take some responsibility, this isn't grade school. We're all adults (age-wise anyway) and should be able to take care of ourselves. What did you expect, a gold-plated notice hand delivered to everyone on campus.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 7:40am):
Lets look at the numbers:
-42,000 students on campus
-Assuming 30,000 are eligible (graduates aren't)
10,500 tickets (one for every 3 people)
-Tickets sell out in 3 days
Seems like the Athletic department's marketing methods were successful if tickets could sell out without an e-mail. Everyone is just complaining because they procrastinated or can't read newspapers or sidewalks.
Maybe now with 10,500 real Badger fans at football games, the entire student section will show up before halftime.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 7:44am):
10,500 other students apparently didn't have problems figuring out that tickets went on sale.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 7:45am):
i never received an email either. all of my classes are in the hospital so i don't ever see any sunshine, much less any chalkings on the sidewalks. this isn't fair!
Rob S (April 26, 2007 @ 7:49am):
Unbelievable ... people think this is the Athletic Department's fault? 10,000 other people managed to get this right! TEN THOUSAND!!!!
If you aren't thinking in April, "Hmm, it's time to start getting ready for football," then you're not a big enough fan to deserve tickets anyway.
Ever visit uwbadgers.com, you huge huge Badger fans? Because the info had been there for WEEKS ...
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 8:26am):
Since when does the Athletic Department owe us any favors. Isn't the fact that students can buy tickets thousands of dollars cheaper than the 70,000 other fans at the stadium not mean anything?
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 8:46am):
Tickets go on sale approximately the same time every year. So some students who have been here a couple of years didn't realize that it was about that time of year again when tickets go on sale and take some inititive to check into the details. That's not the athletic departments fault.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 8:53am):
Whine, whine, whine. So what do you think the Athletic Department will do? Take tickets away from students who actually bought them? Or take seats away from alumni (who pay waaaaaay more for a season ticket)?
Yeah, methinks neither one is going to happen.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 8:53am):
LOL....Im studying abroad in Italy....didnt get an email and still knew enough that I should check UWBadgers.com
Its your own fault for not getting tickets, cause I mean....I def didnt have to read chalk to know it was time for tickets
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 8:53am):
if you cared enough you'd know when they were open for sale regardless of being spoon-fed the info through an email notification system you should know by now is unreliable.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 8:55am):
"Maybe now with 10,500 real Badger fans at football games, the entire student section will show up before halftime."
Are you kidding me??? Let's be realistic. Most of the people at this school are not real football fans, they are fans of making a profit...I bet most of those tix will be up for "sale" in week or two for about 400-600 dollars.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 9:02am):
Some students DID get an email, and that's the problem. Those of us with enough credits to graduate got screwed over, I think because the Athletic Department assumed we were going to graduate.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 9:07am):
i dont get why everyone is getting so pissed. its not like any of the tickets aren't going to students. there were bound to be plenty of pissed off kids regardless of whether or not an email was sent out.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 9:55am):
boo hoo...god grow up
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 10:02am):
The UW Athletic Dept sells the tickets at roughly the same time every year and the BH & DC Always have ads. I understand that we all expect an e-mail, but aren't you at least keeping your eyes peeled for info. UWbadgers.com always has a date posted on the site. As a student, you should know better than to rely on technology. I guess this year those who either saw an ad or really cared got tickets.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 10:35am):
it just seems odd that tickets sold out faster than ever this year when only the "true badger fans" who check uwbadgers.com every day knew they were on sale.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 11:04am):
if you didn't know, you're an idiot and don't deserve tickets... i'm an alumni who lives in chicago and knew when the tickets went on sale... that olson kid in the article should be sent to MATC for being so stupid -- he's the one who messed up.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 11:43am):
"it just seems odd that tickets sold out faster than ever this year when only the "true badger fans" who check uwbadgers.com every day knew they were on sale."
Yes it is odd that a team starting the year in the Top 10, one of the favorites to win the Big 10, and a 2-time defending Capitol One Bowl champ team will sell out tickets in 3 days.
This Badger team is playing big time college football. It is sad that all students cannot have tickets, but this is the real world.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 11:44am):
I didn't get an email either and i'll be a junior next year, but i managed to realize that its about that time of the year, and wow! I have season tickets!
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 11:47am):
Student Badger Season Football tickets for sale, $500
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 11:59am):
if people who missed out have this much time to complain about not getting tickets, shouldn't they have had the time to find out when the tickets went on sale? i'm pretty sure going to uwbadgers.com takes less time than creating a facebook group.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 12:12pm):
Take some initiative people!! I was out of town last weekend but made sure I had my laptop to get tickets first thing Saturday morning. Sorry but it was very clear to me at least a week before tickets went on sale that Saturday was the day to get them. To any seniors bitching today that next year will be the first year they will go without tickets, get ready to shill out 500 bucks.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 1:03pm):
Maybe if they waited for gameday to sell the tickets the clueless numbskulls that missed all the other clues would finally figure it out?
Maybe the Spring Game should have woken them from their slumber?
Maybe their Momma should have been there to remind them (and stand in line too) - is this the fault of the "helecoper parent" system?
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 2:26pm):
"Those of us with enough credits to graduate got screwed over, I think because the Athletic Department assumed we were going to graduate."
I'm graduating, and I got an e-mail...
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 2:56pm):
to all those people who didn't get tickets, did none of your friends mention that they were buying tickets and asking if you were too? or do you not have any friends?
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 2:59pm):
I agree with 11:04, how DUMB is that olson kid? In the DC article, he said he's "had tickets for football, basketball and hockey since his freshman year". Uh, then why didn't you go to the spring game on Saturday, look at the calendar seeing there are two weeks left of school, and say, 'Gee, I guess I should take three seconds and check UWBadgers to see when tickets go on sale." And in the BH article, Olson said the athletic department called him ignorant. Hmmmm, maybe they did that because...uh...you're ignorant? A cat could have known when tickets went on sale with all that advertising UW did.
At 3 in the afternoon Thursday, that BS facebook group had 250 members. Hmmm...my math tells me that's 2.5% of the people who have lives/friends and knew when to buy tickets. Well, every campus has to have its token idiots, I guess. Even one like UW.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 4:09pm):
I think people DID get an email in some form or other, but just didn't read it carefully. I got one about the all-campus party that told me when tickets went on sale. maybe people should actually read their emails.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 4:16pm):
why are alumni allowed to buy student season tickets?
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 5:58pm):
This is bull sh*t!!!! I am in the GREEK system and missed the day that the coach came to our house....SO THAT I AN EXCUSE..and he did not visit everyone house on campus only select few. Sorry I dont read chalk on the way to class. A big reason for being on this campus is the football games..and the fact that this many people did not receive e-mails IS CLEAR THAT THERE WAS A GLITCH IN THE SYSTEM. IT IS NOT 10,000 STUDENTS FAULTS!!!!
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 6:23pm):
you know what's funny... if you go to that facebook group... "miracuously" joe olson has posted in the contact info to complain at "uwbadgers.com", "1-800-go-badgers", and listed the contact information for half of the athletic department... i guess he just must have found out about all those resources this week... the only sad thing is that i won't be able to tell him and all those whiners to "eat sh*t" from section P, so i'll just have to tell them now: "eat sh*t", crybabies.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 6:49pm):
I've got some solutions:
Let's ask the university to raise student fees by $1000 per person so they can build an upper deck behind the student section and double the capacity.
If you don't like that idea, we can have students who bought tickets be placed in an American Gladiators competition against the students who didn't get them. The winner keeps the tickets.
The students who missed out are out of luck. Stop whining and pay attention next year.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 7:09pm):
I was shocked when the UW Athletic Department claimed their was no glitch in the system. I only know one person who recieved an e-mail for tickets. Although there were plenty of other ways to find out when tickets were being sold, many people were relying on e-mail because the Athletic Department told them an e-mail would be sent. The students are to blame for not checking the website to find out when tickets were being sold, but the Athletic Departement is to blame for first telling students not to worry because an e-mail was being sent and then falling back on the fact that students shouldn't rely on e-mail. Everyone just needs to fess up to their mistakes, nothing can be done about it now.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 7:09pm):
Congrats for being in the GREEK system... but the head coach didn't personally come to my house either and I still figured it out... ditz
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 7:31pm):
I work/study in the hospital too--no excuses. When I knew season ticket time was coming around, I managed to both check the website and call the ticket office to confirm when/how tickets were going on sale. It was even LATER than usual this year. If you are an upperclassman who has been buying tickets for the last few years, you have no excuses.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 7:49pm):
Regardless of the chalking and Bielema pep talks at the sorority houses, the problem here is that the athletic department did not treat all students fairly. Some students were notified and some students were not. The students who were not notified were treated unfairly, so they have a legitimate complaint with the system. Yeah, life's not fair but clearly you can see why this would make many students angry.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 9:28pm):
"I am in the GREEK system and missed the day that the coach came to our house....SO THAT IS AN EXCUSE"
Let's think about this for awhile... Why the hell was the head coach of the football team at your sorority/fraternity? If the obvious conclusion of advertising that tickets are on sale soon didn't come to you, why the hell didn't you ask the other probable 20-30 people that were there what it was about? You aren't helping the stereotype of the Greek system with your statement.
Anonymous (April 26, 2007 @ 9:33pm):
I'm an alumnus living in Atlanta and even I knew that tickets were going on sale. When I was a student in the dark ages before email, we relied on word of mouth. Tickets still sold out, especially for hockey. With only 10,500 tickets available it was a certaintly that MANY people would be disappointed. That's life. Move on.
Anonymous (April 27, 2007 @ 2:18am):
Im just waiting for them to crack down on resale of tickets. I'm unhappy that I didnt get an e-mail and didnt get any tickets, but im more unhappy that alot of people are buying tickets just to make a buck off of people victimized in this unfortunate situation.
A $500 scalping ticket is actually a pretty standard penalty in alot of states, and some even have manditory court apperences.
Anonymous (April 27, 2007 @ 2:37am):
Let's look this over:
The first notice most of us students ever received from the Athletic Dept. came the spring before our freshman year, alerting us to available football tickets. The next year, we all got the same email, and lo!, there were no widespread problems in students missing the registration date.
Then this year the UW Athletic Dept. mysteriously breaks the cycle that students had with reason come to depend on. We can, I suppose, tell the time of the day by looking at the sun, just as we can tell Badgers football tickets are coming at some point in the spring, but I think we can all agree a clock or an email alerting us of it are a hell of a lot more dependable and convenient.
Anonymous (April 27, 2007 @ 10:39am):
how about you babies stop crying? any true badger fan should have known about the tickets a long time ago. i hope all you babies don't get tickets and have to buy them off ebay for $500. suckers.
Anonymous (April 27, 2007 @ 2:04pm):
EXCHANGEHUT OWNERS GIVING AWAY FREE FOOTBALL TICKETS!
ExchangeHut was born out of frustration over not getting student football tickets when we were freshmen back in 2004.
Because of the email glitch, many of you did not receive fair warning about when tickets went on sale and missed out on getting tickets.
To try to make this situation a little better we are giving away our own personal sets of Badger Football Tickets to help out our fellow students in their time of need.
We know that this will not solve the entire problem, but we believe it is a step in the right direction.
Students will be eligible to win our sets of tickets free if they did not get tickets and meet the following criteria:
They are ExchangeHut members, members of our Facebook group and post either a message on our message board or an item in our classifieds or sublets.
Corey, Nate and JP
http://www.exchangehut.com
Anonymous (April 27, 2007 @ 4:24pm):
If you started your account the summer before freshman year, you probably didn't use your wiscmail account. I was one of the whiney people complaining that I didn't get an e-mail either. Try checking your other e-mail account (the one you used before coming to college), I bet the notification is just sitting there waiting for you to open it.
Anonymous (April 27, 2007 @ 9:56pm):
"Babies" and "suckers." I hope you don't go to school here.
Anonymous (April 28, 2007 @ 4:04pm):
Make a friend in the ticket office/athletic department, fools
Anonymous (May 3, 2007 @ 8:06am):
the students who were 'late' in purchasing their student tickets are probably also the students who show up at 12pm for a 11am game. Hopefully the student tickets went to the student fans that will actually show up at game time.
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