Six University of Wisconsin football fans have had their season tickets withdrawn so far this season for violating the new ticket-revocation policy that officially took effect earlier this month.

Three letters of retraction were issued to fans in response to violations of the criminal code when the Badgers played San Diego State last Saturday. UW Police made 52 arrests and ejected 89 fans from the stadium; 41 of the arrests and 55 of the ejected fans were UW students.

The home football game Saturday was the second day the athletic board enforced the new ticket revocation policy it approved this summer.

The new policy includes the same behavioral rules as years past, but the punishments are now more severe.

Students who violate the Wisconsin Criminal Code and are ejected from a Wisconsin athletic event will be sent a letter of warning and could have their current season tickets revoked. In addition, they face the possibility of being blacklisted from receiving season tickets in the future.

Vince Sweeney, senior associate athletic director for external relations, said UW is especially pressing for respectful behavior as part of the Rolling Out the Red Carpet campaign, which is in its third year.
"We love [the fans] to be loud and boisterous in support of the home team," Sweeney said in a previous interview with The Badger Herald. "But we do not in any way want to encourage behavior that is unsafe."

According to Sweeney, the athletic department took football season tickets from three season ticket holders at the home opener against Western Illinois University Sept. 9. Sweeney added that two of those ticket revocations were issued to UW students.

Additionally, 37 fans are expected to receive letters of warning from the athletic department due to ejection or arrest during that game.

Dean of Students Lori Berquam said the policy was implemented with the hope that anybody having tickets would take that privilege seriously.

"One thing I love about Wisconsin is our energy and our pride at our games," Berquam said. "If you have a ticket, there's a responsibility to be a good fan."

Both Sweeney and UW Police Department Lt. Bill Larson said it is too early to tell if the policy is having the desired effect.

However, Larson said he has confidence that the policy will have a positive effect on home games eventually.

"It's going to take a while for it to sink in," Larson said. "People have to see that there's consequences. Once people start to realize the consequences, I think it'll get better."