OPINION & EDITORIAL
A view from the cheap seats
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by Badger Herald Editorial Board
Monday, February 2, 2004
Athletics at Wisconsin have long been an integral part of the student experience. Years from now, students will remember the dozens of fall Saturdays spent at Camp Randall. They will recall the time they rushed the court at the Kohl Center or the first time they sat in the student section above the ice; united in denouncement of an opposing goaltender.
Thankfully, the UW Athletic Department has traditionally kept the student fan experience affordable. Now, however, it appears ticket prices may see an increase across the board.
The Finance Committee of the Athletic Board has recently introduced a possible price increase for this university’s three major revenue sports: football, men’s basketball and men’s hockey. The proposed hike would include both season and single-game ticket packages for students.
Steve Malchow, associate director of the UW Athletic Department, reported that the increased ticket revenue would go to the $59 million general operations budget of the department. Malchow also stated that a price increase on tickets would be minimal and that the University is committed to keep its event prices the lowest in the Big Ten.
While a price increase of one or two dollars per event does not seem like much, the traditionally low ticket prices are a huge reason why this campus is so well regarded when it comes to athletics. Last semester, Wisconsin was recognized as the finest sports campus in the country by Sports Illustrated On Campus. If the University stays committed to keeping tickets at a rock-bottom rate, there’s no foreseeable reason as to why this school would ever relinquish such a title. The cheap ticket prices of the three major revenue sports helped to rank the men’s hockey team’s attendance figure first in the country, with the men’s basketball team sixth in the country and football attendance at No. 15 in the country.
While we recognize this proposal is in a preliminary phase, we urge the Athletic Department to keep students in mind and to pursue the extra revenues of the Camp Randall renovation as means to increase its operations budget as an alternative to the proposed ticket hike. While tuition and rent prices appear to be perpetually on the rise, the Athletic Department should do its best to keep sporting events an affordable pastime for students and recognize the overall benefits fervent student support brings to their programs.
