University of Wisconsin students have been squatting in front of the ticket window on the west side of the Kohl Center since the conclusion of last Saturday’s home football game, and some are already lined up for the Ohio State game.

Good seats at the next home football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes, more than two weeks from now, is the prize for the new students waiting outside in the cold.

“We actually had someone who didn’t have tickets sit out here during [last Saturday’s] game,” Ryan Connors, a UW junior majoring in geology, said.

“I guess we’re here just to be the first in line … to get good seats,” Adam Kindschy, a fellow UW junior double-majoring in legal studies and sociology, said. “There’s a lot of anticipation.”

Connors and Kindschy are part of a group of about 50 student season-ticket holders in the same group that rotate shifts in front of the Kohl Center to guarantee getting good seats in either section P or O.

The football fans were joined Tuesday morning by another group of about 60 Bucky fans bargaining on coveted seats.

“I haven’t had to miss a class yet,” junior Scott Hogseth said. Hogseth, taking his shift alone in front of the ticket office, also joined a growing number of students bargaining on receiving good seats for the upcoming hockey game, some of whom have brought out papasan chairs, small televisions and mattresses.

The sports fans have not been without disruptions from UW Police.

“Two nights ago, a police car turned on his sirens to wake everybody up,” Connors said.

The police intervention is due to an ordinance passed to curb homeless people from spending the night on UW property. The ordinance states no person may picnic or camp on university lands, except in those areas specifically designated as picnic or camping grounds, or as authorized by the chief administrative officer.

This ordinance also bans the pitching of tents or the overnight use of sleeping bags, blankets, makeshift shelters or the erection of any unauthorized structures — all of which could apply to the overnight ticket holders.

When asked if issuing tickets for such offenses was a priority, a UW police officer said it was a priority because there are many homeless people in the area who would like to spend the night on university property.

When asked if ticketing the Kohl Center campers was an option, the officer said it was up to the officer’s discretion, but she felt the athletic department was very accommodating.

“Technically,” she said, “they are all in violation.” She said she has not heard any complaints from any campers, however.

The officer needed to leave quickly and could not be identified but said, “This is the most creative group I’ve ever seen.”

Hogseth said he understood the logic behind the ordinance but did not agree with it.

“I guess I see why you don’t want shantytowns,” Hogseth said, “but it’s pretty obvious what we’re doing [and we’re not bothering anybody].”

“We’re the No. 1 college town in the country; that’s something you can hang your hat on to,” Kindschy said. “This is one of the reasons why. I’m not against the police, but [the police] don’t need to do this. If they have a problem, they should change the ticket policy.”