Tennessee vs. Western Kentucky Kickoff 9/7/2013 Hattip: @VolRumorMill
Take a look at the picture above. See something missing? The Student Section. Students are not showing up to games. Just check the picture above. I've never seen anything like this in my life. The fault lies with the University of Tennessee.
The number one reason, The University of Tennessee is charging students to go to games. On top of the Programs and Services fee ($29 per hour max of $255), the University charges $10 for student tickets. Moreover, you can only buy tickets if this Programs and Services Fee is paid. Can you imagine being charged $10,000 to $30,000 in Tuition only to be dinged with more fees and $10 per ticket to go to a game? It's absurd, chintzy and confusing. I'm sure this adds to the problems displayed by not having a great student turnout on Saturday.
During the tenure of Kiffin and then with arguably one of the worst lawyers, er, coaches in Tennessee Football history, The University in their all knowing wisdom, decided it would be a good thing to start charging students for tickets to football games. Now students aren't showing up for games. Imagine that.
It's like being charged double on the way out of the Chinese Buffet when you just got food poisoning from the Pork and Bamboo Shoots (aka Sal and Dooley). Back in 1998 this type of decision was called "The Big Orange Screw."
This is unacceptable. Tuition for a University of Tennessee Student is already over $10k for an In State Student or $27k for an Out of State Student. And then to tell a Student they've got to pay extra for Football tickets (for any tickets) is an outrage.
Under the careful guard of then Athletic Director Mike Hamilton, it was decided to charge students $90 for home tickets or $15 per home game. With the picture above, it shows what a dismal failure another one of his decisions have been. With the athletic budget stable, is it not time to give back to the students and encourage them to support the Vols? As VolNation has had to in the recent past, once again we have to undo what Mike Hamilton has done. As we have learned with the sideline lawyer the last 3 years, sooner is certainly better than later.
This is an easy win for the University, and for Chancellor Jimmy Cheek to continue to turn the perception of the University's standpoint regarding Athletics. Stop charging students for Tickets NOW.
I'll quote Chancellor Cheek from November 2012:
Chancellor Cheek has already pledged to support the program, lets get it done for our students so they can return the favor once they're out there making real money as part of UT Alumni. Let's do all we can to support our fine students and help them fill the student section for South Alabama.
Habit is everything. By charging Students for tickets, you will end up with many students staying in, skipping games to watch on their TV and spending the $10 elsewhere (aka a cheap sixer and food). Not only does it enable this attitude as students, it pours over into a habit they may drive forward in life when they leave the University of Tennessee. This type of decision is detrimental to the long-term health of the football program and to the game day experience in Knoxville and greater Knoxville Area.
Like hiring Lane Kiffin, the decision in 2009 to charge students for tickets was a haphazard, reckless and short sighted one. It needs to be reversed immediately. We need our students at the games. Let's use that Volunteer spirit to do all we can to get them there now.
As a poor undergrad, you'd do anything you could to save a buck or two, sometimes going to the game was all we could do, since it was free. It kept us together. And some of the most memorable times at Tennessee were going to these games. Georgia 1997, Arkansas 1998...all free tickets...Florida in 1998 also comes to mind.
Peyton Manning even brought pizza those students who camped out for tickets. Papa John's if I remember it correctly...
For Students in college, who are already being charged anywhere from $10,000-30,000 for tuition, to be charged extra is an insult and a disgrace. The result is students aren't going to games, this is an embarrassment. This $80,000-90,000 or so we gross per home game is nothing compared to long term revenue stream being lost by ticket sales in the future, not to mention the loss in concessions at Neyland. It is a privilege to go to the game, and certainly one that should be extended to students of this great University in the form of free tickets to games. They are what makes the University.
To the Students who made it to the WKU game on Saturday, job well done. To those who didn't, many of us realize it's simple economics who didn't get you to to the game, for that, for those who wanted to go but couldn't afford it, the University owes you an apology. With Coach Butch Jones and Team 117, we have something very special happening on the The Hill, a foundation of solid, disciplined, hard nosed football that's been lacking for too long. I hope for your sake this decision will be reversed sooner than later so you can make it to the games in the future.
Charging Students for tickets has to stop now. It is costing the Tennessee's football Program by keeping Students away from games and losing the opportunity for the casual fan (who might happen to be a student) to really see what the program is all about.
There's nothing like a great game day experience in Neyland. It's a shame that the University isn't doing more to get students through the gate.
Go Vols!
~BigOrange Butch
PS. We ain't vandy. Let's quit looking like it. #GOVOLS
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