Student season pass and the Den
by asad09 on Mar 1, 2010 4:20 AM PST
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PrintBumped. GO BRUINS. -N
If you're not all caught up on the new student season pass system for basketball tickets, here are some links to help catch you up: drebruin's post linking to the new CTO season pass, my earlier post linking to my Daily Bruin column about the new pass.
In summary: this new student season pass, as opposed to the current student season ticket, will not guarantee anyone admission to any game, but will act as a first-come-first-serve system for each game. This is, as has been noted in previous comments, great for fans willing to show up early or campout for big games. But it will hurt the casual fan who's father bought the pass in hope's that his daughter would go to a game or two.
Overall, it is a great thing. The removal of the current lottery system that makes it so that many real fans don't get all of the games, will allow ANYONE who wants to, to go to games. Freshman generally didn't get tickets in the old system, or at least this was my impression as I didn't get tickets my freshman year (KLove year) and had to pay very high prices to get section 307 tickets to a couple of big games. But this new pass will give fresh spirited freshmen get to games. I got both packages last year and went to almost all home games (and camped out for many). This year I only have half the season--making it so that I couldn't go to the u$c* game.
A previous poster commented that it was not CTO, but rather Athletics that has been holding this change back and was the one to allow it. This is true. It's a late reaction and a shame. While the Den flourished in the days when CBH was a hero (three Final Fours), it would have been even more awesome to see students on the sideline AND behind the basket. But I guess recent low attendance helped force the hand of Athletics.
I don't think this new pass will solve the issue of the upper Den's lack of presence for most games--we're going to have to deal with that for just one more year as seating in the new Pauley will move the upper Den to behind the basket seats. That'll be awesome.
I think the next step for the student section is to start working with orientation in teaching things like Frisbee chant. This would teach freshmen the chants that are used in basketball season (and even ones used in football season). But more importatntly, this would get the new students excited about UCLA Athletics. Seeing videos of the Den going nuts would be motivating and make more of them want to start going to games.
If anyone has contacts in orientation, PLEASE e-mail me at aramzanali@media.ucla.edu. Sideout11 and I have some ideas we'd like to tweak then pitch to Orientation about having a bit on the student section traditions: Frisbee chant, roll call, "so long chief" chant when opposing player is fouled out, etc.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.
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orientation should teach...
if there is anything that would benefit the Den the most, it would be teaching the incoming students how to SLOWLY chant “U-C” clap clap “L-A” clap clap and “Lets go Bruins” for offense and how to follow the band on our fight songs. Last 2 years have been horrible sounding because of the lack of any rhythm.
GO BRUINS!!! CHEER LIKE CHAMPIONS!!!
I thought they already did that?
I remember learning eight clap (original and “SC” version) during ours. Did that stop?
That's all they teach
But it could be so much more. Frisbee, when someone fouls out, even new chants and traditions. Plus it would be a great time to teach our athletic history.
Texas A&M has an entire 2 day retreat dedicated to school spirit and tradition. All I’m asking for is 1 hour.
by Sideout11 on Mar 1, 2010 10:02 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
I'm on Orientation Staff
And I can definitely bring it up. We usually have only taught the 8-Clap my last four years here, but when I got on staff this past summer we added the Mighty Bruins, Sons of Westwood, and the Alma Mater to what we teach. I’ll work those two chants in as well.
An idea for you
Might not be a bad idea if you guys record on of those sessions and post it on YT. I bet many of us will get a kick out of it and it will rush back lot of great memories. I have nothing but fond memories from orientation. That was simply a blast.
I wouldn't mind doing an hour or half hour every session
Or assigning someone else if I can’t make it
Yell Crew actually does a presentation during Orientation
However, all that’s really gone over is the 8-Clap (again, also taught with the long “L”). They used to teach Mighty Bruins, but this past summer they’ve stopped doing that, so the staff has taken it upon ourselves to teach some of those chants. Honestly (and this isn’t meant to personally attack Yell Crew, nor is my opinion reflective of Orientation Staff at all)… some of it could really use some work. I personally think as far as excitement goes, Yell Crew has definitely fallen off the past couple years.
These are usually left to the show “Cabaret” on the first night, when we just put on some acts to amuse the students. If you search for “UCLA Cabaret” on Youtube, there are some acts posted, including some performances by yours truly. I know that “Part of Your World” and “Midnight Munchies” are on there, which while they don’t really contribute to Bruin traditions (actually Part of Your World is a personal fave, bashing all things U$C), they’re still fun for the students. At the end of the show, we then teach them the 8 Clap and the fight songs. But again, we’re always open for new acts and ideas to add onto this show. The rest of the Orientation experience, however, may be inflexible with regard to schedule at this point. You can try to contact the office, but the most help I could be is to try to work some things into cabaret.
Yeah I did the many of the Orientation Presentations
But that is done as a part of the SAA presentation because that is where we are housed. The purpose of that isn’t to teach freshman about the cheers (although if I had my way it would be).
They just need to rehearse before games the way other student sections do.
I remember seeing Cal students go over their cheers before a football game at Berkeley and wondered why the hell we don’t take 5 minutes to teach ours how to clap to the beat.
How about teaching the old-fashioned 8-clap (without the long "L")
I can’t get used to the MTV version.
There is some fine print on the website that is total BS
Per the official website:
A discounted student rate for single game tickets to Football and Men’s Basketball games will no longer be offered for the 2010-11 season. Students without a Den Sports Pass ($99 for the school year) will have the opportunity to purchase single game tickets at the public price ($36 per football game, $40 per men’s basketball game).
Frankly, that is total bulls***. Tickets used to be $10 for students without sports passes for both sports. This is, in my opinion, going to discourage students from coming to the game if they do not have a sports pass. It is going to discourage the casual fan from coming to games.
I actually thought this was a nice idea until I read that fine print, and now I think it is a horrible idea. I have not seen this fact publicized ANYWHERE. I think the Marketing Department needs to make it very clear that students will no longer get single-game discounted tickets. Just my two cents.
slow down, look up
ouch!
very good point.
This upsets me even more, personally, since I’m graduating this June (a year early) and was hoping to get to see some football games with my friends who haven’t graduated.
Leave it to CTO and the athletic department to pull a fast one on students. It’s basically, ‘buy our package or else’.
Yeah it does suck for recent graduates
who could get away with showing their Bruincard at the door to buy an extra ticket
Well given all of the criticism of the casual fan here
maybe it’s a good thing that you have to make a total commitment to go to the games at a student price. Making the Den nothing but diehards is a good think in my opinion, although I would still like to see discounted tickets sold at the door if the game does not fill up (like over Winter Break)
I think this helps basketball, could hurt football
Hopefully my logic makes sense here (it makes sense in my head)
Basketball attendance is highly dependent upon how many students own season tickets, because so few day-of tickets are available, it can be a hassle to get day-of tickets and those tickets are not well advertised. Making football + basketball tickets cheaper will encourage more students to buy basketball tickets, and thus attend BB games.
With football, I feel like they depend a lot on day-of sales (does anyone have any proof on this? I am basing this just off of my own personal observations). When you are trying to fill up a 2,000-seat student section in basketball, all you need are the diehard fans. With a 7,000+-seat student section in football (total estimate on that number), you need to bring out the casual fan, too. Casual fans often came up to football games because, frankly, tickets were cheap. They were $10 day-of. Now they are going to be $36. I just have a feeling that attendance for FB games will not increase and could take a hit (although, in UCLA’s defense, I don’t think FB attendance was their top priority with this new, plan).
And yeah, it DEFINITELY sucks for recent graduates, being one myself…
slow down, look up
by Point Guard 08 on Mar 1, 2010 3:01 PM PST up reply actions
What about General Admission?
Weren’t those tickets under $20?
by SuperBruinMan on Mar 1, 2010 5:01 PM PST up reply actions
I paid $40 for the Texas at UCLA game a couple of years ago
because student $10 tickets were sold out / they figured all season ticket holders would show so sold very few.
I meant Football
which is where the single game tickets really matter. Do general admission tickets in football really cost $36 now?
by SuperBruinMan on Mar 1, 2010 8:53 PM PST up reply actions
yup. upsetting, huh?
It actually does cost $36. For students without the package it used to be $10 for a single game ticket. Point Guard 08 is absolutely right that this will help basketball and thoroughly hurt student attendance for football (yes, that is unfortunately possible).
in 2009
There were two different types of single game tickets. The $36 price is for “reserved” seats, presumably somewhat closer to midfield, where you get an actual seat on you ticket and everything. There was also a $19 “general admission” ticket that gave seats in the end zones, with an unreserved system much like in the student section.
I suppose they could completely do away with that, though I would be surprised if they did (the 2010 seating map references it, and the 2010 season ticket there is $19 a game). The $36 price seems to be the generally quoted one as it for the “better” seats with a normal seating system, and is at the price they would prefer you pay. That’s also the price for guests to the student section, as it’s technically also in the “reserved” part of the stadium.
$19 is still a lot more than $10, but it’s not as bad as $36.
good to know
As for next year, I’ll just pay the $36 in order to sit with my friends in the student section. The following year, who knows. If I’m around, I might go for the cheaper $19, but there’s a good chance I’ll be in law school then. So we’ll see.
Still, thanks for pointing that out.
I agree it's bad for non season pass holders
But it’s great for students who do want the season pass. As it stand the $10 ticket is hard to come by for big games anyway—which are the games that non season pass holders want most of the time. I do think this is Athletics covering their business strategy (make money) but it’ll be good overall.
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