New student section has some upset

After relocating the student section this year, IU student football fans found themselves playing musical chairs at last Saturday's game against William and Mary. The student section was moved to the far north end of Memorial Stadium, and the band was moved to the endzone.\nThe goal of the move was to create a better environment for the fans in an effort to make the crowd more enthusiastic, said Assistant Athletic Director Jeff Fanter. \n"The atmosphere was great," Fanter said. "It was just what we were trying to achieve."\nBut not all fans approved of the new seating arrangement. \n"The move was stupid," said Hitesh Dayal, a sophomore. "Everyone was confused as to where to sit. There were adults around the students, which sucked. It threw off the whole crowd."\nFreshman Scott Shtofman said he wasn't pleased he had to wait to get to his seat while the band filed into their seats after the pre-game show. "I liked the seats, but it was annoying to wait on the band to go in front of us."\nAlthough the view was different from the new student section, some students didn't mind the new location. \n"Even if you can't see exactly what is going on by looking at the field, you can see everything by looking at the big screen," freshmen Andy Phillips said. \nIU installed a Jumbotron in the South scoreboard in 1999. Students found that the cameramen noticed them more in the new student section. \n"It's cool to see students up on the screen," Phillips said. \nMany schools have their student section near or in the end zone, like rival Purdue. \n"I feel like I am part of the team when they score a touchdown," Carrie Burbrink, a junior Boilermaker said. "We are so close to the players that we can feel their excitement."\nMarching Hundred members approved of the change. The new location gives the band a chance to move more freely and have an easier exit and entrance onto the field for halftime. In previous years the band sat in the stands and had to file out through fan entrances. \n"We can play out to more people and get the students into the game," junior band member Leslie Swift said. "That's what we are there for." \nThe physical location isn't the only aspect of the student section that changed. Attendance at the game was 33,427, more than 6,800 more fans than last year's home season opener against Utah. \n"I have never seen it that full," senior Molly Holtkamp said. "The student section really has a presence now." \nThe attendance numbers may have been inflated by the free admission for fans with an IU student ID. The true test will come Sept. 21 when the Hoosiers take on Central Michigan in the first game requiring paid tickets for all attendees. \nThe IU marketing department will be offering different promotions at each game to encourage student attendance. Saturday they provided a band and video games for the students to enjoy before the game. All pre-game activities will begin 90 minutes before kickoff. \nDayal said he can't be won by gimmicks. He said he still thinks the different location substantially detracts from the student experience of attending a football game.\n"Students should have the best seats," he said. "It was just idiotic"