OPINION: In the beginning of the semester, the University of Maine’s Athletics unveiled their new student ticket policy for sports games. This system allows students to access the ticket portal on the Sunday before games and secure a student ticket for the game. Students holding reserved tickets are guaranteed a seat in the student section on game day. From my observations, this process has mainly been used for hockey and football games.
This system is controversial for several reasons, one of which is its three-strike system. Students are allowed to return their tickets if they are unable to attend the game, with the return window closing 24 hours before the game starts. If a student accumulates three strikes, they are prohibited from reserving any more tickets for the season.
While many students think this strike policy is unfair, I believe it is necessary for maintaining fairness in the ticketing process while still preserving UMaine’s line culture.
Waiting in line for hockey games is tradition. Students have braved the cold for hours to secure their spot. There’s a similar attitude towards the line as there is towards hazing in organizations that practice it — it helps build character. Some students believe that if you’re not willing to wait in line, you don’t deserve a seat.
I argue that students are not entitled to a seat if they’re not willing to wait online in the ticket portal at 11:59 a.m. on Sunday mornings either.
Seating remains first-come-first-serve, so there is still an incentive to arrive early for a premium view of the ice. Many familiar faces that we typically see at the front of the line are still present on game day this year, camping out simply for the love of the game. Yes, line culture is a wonderful tradition, but it shouldn’t be a requirement to attend a game at the university we pay thousands of dollars to attend, especially during colder weather.
It poses a safety risk on days with negative wind chill, and it is an accessibility concern.
Students with disabilities may not be able to stand in line for hours without risking strain, injury or illness, but this doesn’t make them less deserving of getting seats with the best view of the game.
I do applaud UMaine Athletics for their efforts to improve accessibility by installing a lift to the student section and developing a platform for students using wheelchairs or mobility aids. The only option is to pair the effort to provide accessible seating with a fair system for getting a seat. The push for accessibility in sports facilities is ineffective if students still have to face inaccessible outside conditions to attend the game.
Overall, the three-strike rule is fair because people should have a sense of when they want to go to a game and if they have the time to do so at least the day before. While there are instances where students wake up feeling unwell, the likelihood of this happening three times in a semester to the same student is realistically uncommon.
Most classes have a policy of allowing three absences and typically meet 28-42 times per semester. This semester, there are nine weekends with hockey home games. If students have skipped two games because they chose not to attend at the last minute, they should be aware that this behavior constitutes a pattern and should make a conscious decision when reserving another ticket.
They are reserving a ticket that could’ve gone to another student on the day of reservation, which is the behavior that the strike aims to penalize. The return policy is also fair because it helps the facility determine the availability of spare seats for admitting students without reserved tickets on the day of the event. This is also why line culture will remain present because if students don’t secure a ticket through the portal, there’s still a possibility of getting in by simply waiting in line.
Without strikes, students would lack the motivation to return their tickets in advance, making it challenging for arenas to determine how many students without tickets can be admitted. The three-strike system, while not a fan favorite, is a necessary evil that prevents abuse to the ticketing system.
The loss of even a single student seat in the arena is a tragedy that can now be avoided.
Another aspect I like about the student ticketing portal that I hope to see develop further is how the same system is now being used by the Collins Center for the Arts, the Bangor Symphony Orchestra and the School of Performing Arts to handle ticketing for their on-campus shows.
Anything that encourages students to participate in the arts on campus is a good thing. Although I can’t provide a direct link between the new system and an uptick in student ticket usage for campus shows, I am optimistic that some students will feel inspired or motivated to attend a show because of exposure from this ticket portal, which would be just another positive outcome from this ticketing system.
