NEWS
Ticket dispute ends in lottery
Looking for a print version?
Simply choose ‘Print’ on your computer and a printer-friendly document will be generated.
Also by Lynn Heidmann:
- Library Mall to add Subway, coffee shop (March 21, 2007)
- Ticket dispute ends in lottery (May 3, 2007)
- UW vet student earns book treat (March 9, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Athletics delivers ticket verdicts to 7,600 applicants (September 26, 2007)
- New ticket lottery set for season (September 29, 2004)
- New ticket lottery off to bumpy start (October 22, 2004)
- Lottery rewards winners (November 2, 2004)
- UW suspends ticket lottery (October 25, 2004)
by Lynn Heidmann
Thursday, May 3, 2007
After hearing outcry and criticism from students regarding football season tickets, the University of Wisconsin Athletic Department responded Wednesday by arranging a lottery that will offer between 100 and 300 additional tickets.
Vince Sweeney, senior associate athletic director of external relations, said the original e-mail reminding UW students to purchase tickets in April only reached about half of the university.
Sweeney said the e-mail glitch was ultimately "a problem on [the athletic department's] end," and was the result of the computer system getting "bogged down."
Any student who did not already apply for tickets is eligible to enter into the limited lottery, which runs from May 8 at 8 a.m. through May 10 at 4:30 p.m.
To enter, students must call the athletic department's ticket office or log on to UWBadgers.com and click on the "buy tickets" link.
But instead of running on a first-come, first-serve basis, Sweeney said students who enter their name in the lottery between the designated time periods all have an equal chance of getting chosen for the tickets.
The actual drawing of names for the tickets will occur "shortly after" May 10, Sweeney said.
The exact number of football tickets available in the lottery is dependent on the number of students who already have tickets, but then have a change of plans and do not return to UW for the fall semester.
Additional tickets will come directly from that pool, Sweeney explained.
"I would expect it will be a very popular lottery based on the speed of the sellout last week," Sweeney said. "I would guess there will be a lot of people interested in it."
Nate Lustig, owner of the ticket site ExchangeHut.com and a UW junior, has been a voice for students since the athletic department's e-mail system failed to send out the ticket notice in April. The UW athletic department's choice to hold a lottery, Lustig said, will satisfy students who never received tickets because of the athletic department's glitch.
"I think [the lottery] sounds pretty fair and is a great move by the athletic ticket office," Lustig said. "It makes the students happy since there was a mistake with the e-mails in the first place, and it will help students have a better feeling toward the ticket office."
Anonymous (May 3, 2007 @ 6:49am):
can i get an "amen"
Anonymous (May 3, 2007 @ 1:02pm):
only 300 tickets?! and the email didn't reach half the university???!
Anonymous (May 3, 2007 @ 3:34pm):
oh the power of facebook... thankfully this will all be over... until someone alledges that the lottery system is fixed... then you can all join my facebook group "UW students against rigged lottery systems"... we'll show them..
Anonymous (May 3, 2007 @ 4:42pm):
i think they should only let seniors who didn't get the email enter the lottery. for one, this would give the people who won't get the opportunity to ever be a student ticket holder again a better chance of winning. and second, everyone knows how in demand these tickets will be. what's to stop people who got the first email but didn't care from now buying them simply to rip off their fellow student?
Anonymous (May 3, 2007 @ 6:55pm):
u can always buy tickets on the street..i dont know why it is such a big deal
Anonymous (May 7, 2007 @ 3:57pm):
I wish you people would just shut up and quit complaining. Who cares about Wisconsin football anyway?
Add a comment
We welcome your thoughts, but please keep your feedback thoughtful, on-topic and respectful. Offensive language, personal attacks, or irrelevant comments may be deleted.
Login...
Not registered? Sign up now.
It's quick, free, and the email address you provide will not be sold or solicited.
