When I found out softball season was starting at the University last week, I was ecstatic. I did not get to attend any games last season, as it was cut short by COVID-19, so I was eager to get a ticket to the team’s home opener.
Then, I got an email from LSU Athletics listing the upcoming sporting events and how students would be able to attain tickets if interested. As I continued to read the email, I learned that only 50 student tickets would be available for each softball game — and they would be given out at the venue on a first come, first served basis.
I was bummed to hear this.
If you know me, you probably know I’m an avid sports fan. Softball season is one of my favorite times of the year. Perhaps I am biased because I played the sport for 15 years, but it is truly underrated.
I understand the University’s obligation to do everything it can to keep attendees safe, but 50 tickets is a harsh limit, especially for an outside event.
But that’s not my main problem. If that is the capacity limit, then so be it. What I really question is the method put in place for students to get athletic tickets.
Tickets are limited, so if a student wants one, they know they have to arrive to the game early to get it. The email stated the ticket booth would open an hour before the game starts.
That means there will be a bunch of people gathered in a relatively packed area, waiting and hoping to get tickets.
The whole point of not letting too many people into the park is for social distancing purposes, yet people can gather together before the game to receive their ticket.
During football season, the student ticket process was handled much differently. Students indicated the games they would most like to attend, then received an email if they were allotted a ticket, which would be accessible on their cell phone. All students had to do was show up with their tickets and walk in. This method was simple, orderly, safe and time-efficient.
I don’t know why, but someone decided it needed to be changed. I am aware football is a much bigger sport with a bigger stadium and the lottery system used for football is probably not necessary for other sports. However, that does not mean we should throw the entire process out the door.
I think it would be smart to have an online system where tickets become available for a game at a certain time, and whichever students are able to sign up first are granted the tickets.
This way, you do not have students waiting for hours outside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center or Tiger Park just to be declined a ticket because the stadium reached its COVID-19 capacity. With a new and improved system, students would be able to know ahead of time whether they would get into the game.
The current system might deter students from attending games because they think it is a waste of time to wait hours to possibly get a ticket. These athletes train all year for their seasons, so the least the University can do is provide a more effective way of allowing students to watch them play.
Elizabeth Crochet is a 19-year-old political communication sophomore from New Orleans.