An undercurrent of reader posts raises questions about Villanova’s season ticket policy. In short, the suggestion is that too few tickets go to students and true ‘Nova fanatics, eroding the home court advantage afforded by the Pavilion. The critics go on to suggest that tickets are allocated in favor of fair-weather alumni, who occupy the premium court side seats in what is derisively referred to as "Wine & Cheese" section. The Inquirer’s Ashly Fox was a bit more kind in her article today, characterizing the alumni occupying court side seats as "staid season-ticket holders," due to their sober and sedate dignity and often a strait-laced sense of propriety.
Villanova Men's Basketball season tickets at The Pavilion has been sold out for years. To get coveted season tickets, one must endure what is officially estimated as a 10+ year waiting list. For those who do endure and eventually secure season tickets, one must wonder if they are by then too feeble to make the climb to their seats, let alone generate enough noise to create the intimidating venue the Cats need.
By contrast, Duke students are allocated 4,000 of Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium's 9,500 seats, including those in the lower sections directly alongside the court. For high profile games, students pack in as many as 1,600 into the student sections, designed for a maximum of 1,100. Known as "Cameron Crazies" for their support of their team, they generate noise recorded as high as 121 dB, which is louder than a power saw or a jackhammer and provides an intimidating venue for opposing teams.
Effective with the 2000-01 season, Duke revised its policy for season tickets at Cameron to allocate more seats to alumni who are significant contributors (Iron Dukes members), while retaining the number of tickets allocated to students. Those students who do get tickets often camp on line in tents for extended periods, demonstrating their passion for Duke basketball.
So isn't it time for Villanova to reconsider its season ticket policy? While certainly finances must be considered in any policy, there must be ways to give truly passionate 'Nova fans access to good seats at 'Nova games other than paying exorbitant prices on Stubhub. Tell us what you think by responding to a few short polling questions. Please use the comments section to tell us how you would change the current policy. We will re-poll the readers to allow us all to vote on the best ideas you collectively come up with.
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