Future ticket fiascoes can be prevented

I'll never forget my first game at Assembly Hall. Defending National Champion Michigan State came into the Hall sporting a 23 game winning streak that seemed poised to continue with only seconds remaining to play. And then, just before the horn sounded, Kirk Haston drove a three-point dagger into the Spartans' hearts and sent the place into delirium.\nFans rushed the court. People gave hugs and high-fives to those that they had never met before. And to think that I witnessed it all -- from the last row in the entire stadium. For a brief moment, a thought crossed my mind -- is there anywhere else in the world where a season ticket holder gets to sit in the nosebleeds?\nThat thought went away quickly, as I happily slapped the red, metallic wall behind me to make my own contribution to the celebration.\nFast-forward two years. You've put down your hard-earned $115 for 10 season tickets with your friends. And then you learn that what you paid to get will be cut nearly in half. As you get your refund check and six tickets, including one against North Texas when you will be in your car/truck/plane/Winnebago back to school from Thanksgiving Break, the thought crosses your mind- "Is there anywhere else in the world where season ticket holders have such hijinks pulled on them?"\nI don't know. But truth be told, it doesn't get me all hot and bothered that we only get to see six or seven games instead of all ten. It doesn't even bother me that 12,200 tickets were sold for 7,500 seats. Or even that many of the tickets were sold after the so-called deadline. What does bother me, though, is the way that the ticket office handled the situation.\nIt probably became obvious fairly early in the process that there would be more ticket requests than seats available for the season. At that point, it would have behooved the athletic department to say "There's a good chance that you won't be able to get all 10 games in your season ticket package this year, this has happened in the past, blah blah."\nBut of course they didn't do anything like that. Because that might have caused hundreds of students who expected nothing less than their full ticket package to not buy season tickets, costing thousands of dollars in potential revenue. Shady.\nBut it's no use complaining about a problem that has already happened without offering a solution. If I wanted to do that, I'd just run for Congress. But this problem can be rectified for future generations of IU student season ticket holders in a very simple fashion.\nYou see, Duke has its Cameron Crazies. Michigan State has its Izzone. Illinois has its Orange Crush. IU has its… wildly cheering alumni and boosters?\nMy point is this: I feel that most IU students would be perfectly happy going to six games a season if there were a legitimate student seating section. The areas on the two ends of the court don't cut it- this season, not everyone has a court seat (present company included).\nI propose that in addition to these areas, an entire section of the lower concourse -- say, the East Main, be reserved for students. After all, let's not forget that collegiate sports were created for and by college students. \nIt's not as if this proposal is forcing the older folks to make the long trip up the balcony either- it would still leave a whole side of the lower concourse open for them.\nThe balcony seats would then be sold to whoever wants them, as they are in any reasonable arena where season ticket holders are given priority seating.\nWill something like this ever happen? I doubt it-the option that will generate the most revenue will always win in an argument. (Especially if you are in debt).\nBut miracles have been known to happen to the Hoosier faithful if they wait long enough, from Keith Smart to Haston to last year's Final Four run. Here's hoping another one isn't too far-fetched.